Innovations - A quick fix with lasting social benefits

Adam Branson, Regeneration & Renewal, 9 May 2008

Chris Marsh: council systems not good enough

The Spotlight system starts with a team of frontline workers examining the causes and effects of an issue such as alcohol abuse or graffiti. Within six weeks, plans are made to address the problem; progress is then reviewed by a panel every two months. Central Salford director of community regeneration Chris Marsh answers our panel's questions.

Q: Why did you feel the need to design this system? Are public services in Salford particularly bad?

A: The systems in place at most local authorities are not good enough. We ran four pilot projects in different neighbourhoods, each responding to a different issue. All the pilots concluded that the existing system couldn't deal with persistent problems. Service delivery was fragmented and there were barriers to the community and voluntary sector getting involved. That situation is not unique to Salford.

Q: A problem with quick solutions is that they can be ineffective in the long term. How do you deal with that?

A: Spotlight isn't about quick fixes, although obviously part of the appeal is its speed. The objective is to fix the system, not just individual problems. For our 'safe, clean, green' pilot project we quickly realised that having enforcement teams patrolling the neighbourhood would be the most effective way to deal with problems in the short term. We took our body of evidence to Manchester Metropolitan Police and they agreed to provide extra officers. However, we also identified indicators by which the public can judge whether things are improving in the long term. We collect the data and publish the results every month. We also take the results to residents' committees to discuss the findings. If the data shows that something is moving in the wrong direction, local people get involved in finding a solution.

Q: Is the Spotlight model transferable to other areas?

A: It's highly transferable, especially to deprived areas. You need to make adjustments to suit local priorities, but the core message is simple: take a step back and admit where problems are persistent and where the current approach is simply not working. You can then identify the cause of a problem and design an appropriate solution. It's about having the humility to admit there is a problem and the flexibility to design a bespoke solution, not just following the textbook way of working.

Q: Most URCs don't tend to get involved with day-to-day service delivery in the areas in which they work. Why did you think it was important for Central Salford to do so?

A: First, it's not just Central Salford. I developed the model, but the council has been key in pushing the project forward. Secondly, the URC has been successful in getting the physical regeneration of Salford off the ground, but ensuring that the community benefits from the developments is critical to our long-term success. If you're working in an area where deprivation is a problem, then tackling it has to be a priority.

THE PANEL

This week's questions were compiled with help from Bill Kirk, chief executive of urban regeneration company Ilex, and Jamie Eagles, director of neighbourhood development at the Shoreditch Trust.

- Contact us If you know of an innovative scheme that merits closer scrutiny, email Adam Branson at adam.branson@haymarket.com.