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Background
Hesters
Way, which includes the council wards of Hesters Way, Springbank and
some of St Peter’s and St Marks, is amongst the 20% most deprived
areas in Britain. It has a population of 15,583 (Maiden)
and includes the largest social housing area in Gloucestershire.
It was originally built as a council area in the 1950s and 1960s
to house people working for GCHQ
and local engineering companies.
Changes
that took place over the following 30 years adversely affected the area
and reflected changes in society in general. Owner occupation,
structural changes in the economy and the make up of the housing stock
and subsequent housing allocations have lead to a concentration of
relative poverty in this area of predominantly social housing.
By
the late 1980s the contrast between Hesters Way and the rest of the town
was evident. By the mid
1990s there was recognition that the area had become a serious issue for
Cheltenham as a whole.
The
History of Hesters Way Partnership
In
the mid 1990’s a variety of reports and consultation
exercises were undertaken culminating in 1997 with the Pieda report
commissioned by the Borough
Council, Cheltenham and District Housing Association (now Bromford
Housing Group), Gloucestershire
Housing Association and Hesters
Way Neighbourhood Project. The report made many strategy
recommendations and precipitated the establishment of a Community
Regeneration Area taking in a population of 8600 people and about 3,500
dwellings.
The
report highlighted the need for a resource centre to provide facilities
and act as a focal point for regeneration activity and in September 1997
the Hesters Way Partnership was established to further this goal.
Single Regeneration Bid – 1998
The
development of a resource centre was a key aspect in a bid for Single
Regeneration Budget (SRB)
funding submitted by the Partnership in 1998.
Despite being unsuccessful, this bid served as a vehicle to
drive the work of the Partnership forward.
The bid sought to focus the public and private resources already
deployed in the area. The aim was to use resources available through the
SRB to address economic issues that were beyond the scope of Local
Authority finance and to stimulate confidence and create a sustainable
residential and business community. This was to be achieved by
addressing problems of deprivation, crime, traffic, the economy and the
environment, as well as housing.
The Hesters Way Community Resource Centre -
2002
In
1998 Gloucestershire County Council made the land that had previously
housed Monkscroft Secondary School, available for the construction of a Resource
Centre. Negotiations between the County and Borough Councils
resulted in a planning gain agreement that provided the Partnership with
¾ of an acre of land and a cash sum towards construction of the
Resource Centre. The Partnership sought funding for the additional £1.8
million that was required to do justice to the design that had been
created through consultation with the community. The money was raised
and construction began in 2001 and was completed in April 2002. The much
needed facilities included a healthy living centre and nursery have
helped to address some of the issues raised by the Pieda report and act
as a focal point for regeneration of the area.
The Springbank Community Resource Centre - 2007
Since 2002
there has been an increase in the provision of services in the area
promoted by an expansion of the Hesters
Way Neighbourhood Project (HWNP) and an increase in the availability
of appropriate office space afforded by the new Resource Centre.
However, as improvements are made in one area so the relative
deprivation of others becomes more apparent. As a consequence the HWP,
following the recommendations of a report by Partners in Change
commissioned in 2001, developed a new Resource Centre in Springbank Resource
Centre. The new centre was funded through support from Cheltenham
Borough Council, SureStart, the Big Lottery and local Housing
Associations (Gloucestershire
Housing Association and Guinness
Trust) Providing similar services to the original model in Coronation
Square but emphasising the social element of community activities the
centre acts as a focus for regeneration through local ownership and in the
North of the area.
The Present - 2011 With
national social, health and economic indices showing gaps between the
“haves and have-nots” widening
(www.statistics.gov.uk)
, statistics showing unemployment at 6% (Nov 2011) in Hesters Way and funding priorities continually being redirected from above, the work
of the partnership is as challenging now as it has ever been. Emphasis
will remain on maximising the use of voluntary and statutory
organisations’ funds in combination with local human resources for the
greatest benefit of the local community through partnership, resource
sharing and co-operation.
Role
of the Partnership
-
Co-ordinate regeneration activities
- Facilitate communication between service providers and local
residents
- Identify the needs of the local community
- Act as a lead organisation in stimulating activity to address those
need
- Support capacity building in local organisations
- Aid regeneration of the area
- Facilitate the exchange of good practice
In
this way, the Partnership acts as a vehicle to a sustainable community
in the area.
Partnership Structure
Partnership
structure diagram
Vision Statement
"Local
people, agencies, service providers and businesses will work together in
partnership to build a stable community, which has a sense of belonging
and pride in its people, place and achievements and with the confidence
and commitment to build its own future”.
What is a Partnership?
Partnerships
vary greatly in how they are established and resourced and how they
operate. There are no defining features for partnerships but they should
bring together representatives from different sectors and different
communities of interest to agree and work towards common goals.
Organisations which bring together representatives of those who have an
interest in the local area such as local authorities, health trusts,
businesses, voluntary organisations, and residents groups.
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