Who helps to decide?

A long-term stewardship strategy will affect the work of many different national and local agencies and will have a significant impact on the life of the new community. In order to find the best approach many stakeholders will need to be involved in developing and choosing the appropriate stewardship approach.

Canal in HackneyPlanning for the long-term future of a new community is best started at the earliest possible stage and should be considered with reference to the local sustainable community planningGlossary: is a process by which residents are involved in planning and managing services or physical developments process. The most appropriate stewardship option will depend on local circumstances but should be decided through discussions involving all the relevant stakeholdersGlossary: A group of people or an organisation with a legitimate interest in a given situation, action or enterprise.

 

The stakeholdersGlossary: A group of people or an organisation with a legitimate interest in a given situation, action or enterprise who will need to be involved in deciding a future stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community strategy are:

 

Local Authorities

Local authorities will have overall responsibility for managing service delivery and maintaining public space. Various members of the local authority will be interested in long-term stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community arrangements, including planning officers, street scene service providers and elected councillorsGlossary: Councillors are elected members of a local authority for the area or nearby communities. In areas with two-tier local government responsibilities for service delivery will be held by both county councils and district councils. Both will need to be involved in shaping a stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community approach.

Private developers

Private developers will be required to contribute towards the development of the wider community through their section 106Glossary: (S106) allows a local planning authority (LPA) to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a property developer for the benefit of the community commitment, which in some cases might help fund the creation of a stewardship organisationGlossary: an organisation, sometime charitable, that has a specific role to manage community assets into the long-term for the benefit of the local population as a whole . They will also be interested in ensuring the development remains attractive to potential owner-occupiers throughout the various phases of development.

Social / affordable housing providers

Social and affordable housing providers will continue to manage or own property into the longer term and will have an interest in maintaining the value of their investment through ensuring ongoing stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community of the surrounding public realm.

National agencies

Many national agencies will invest, either directly or indirectly, in the development of new settlements. This may include the Homes and Communities Agency and potential other bodies such as English Waterways. All these agencies will be interested in maintaining sustainable communitiesGlossary: Sustainable communities meet the social, economic and environmental needs of existing residents without reducing the same opportunities for future generations in the long term and maximising public benefit from their investment.

Local community groups and third sectorGlossary: refers to organisations are those that operate independently on a not-for-profit basis, usually defined as voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, mutuals or co-operatives organisations

Local community groups may be interested in either helping to manage community assets or running services in the new settlement, for example, running community cafes. The provision of new public facilities may provide them with opportunities for space to host new community orientated activities or for social enterprisesGlossary: Social enterprises are profit-making businesses set up to tackle a social or environmental need. The Goodwin Trust in Hull is an example that has been able to expand the services it provides in this way.

Existing residents

Where new communities are being planned in close proximity to existing residents, it may be important to include those living nearby in decision making for a long-term strategy. Where there are no existing residents it could be worth testing potential stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community plans with residents from other areas to gauge their opinions of the different options.

Local Strategic Partnership (LSPGlossary: A local strategic partnership (LSP) is a non-statutory body that brings together the different parts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors working at a local level)

LSPsGlossary: Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are non-statutory bodies that bring together the different parts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors working at a local level will usually take an interest in the long-term management of a new development, although their remit is wide and not all LSPsGlossary: Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are non-statutory bodies that bring together the different parts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors working at a local level will choose to focus on a particular community. However some LSPsGlossary: Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are non-statutory bodies that bring together the different parts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors working at a local level support local neighbourhood managementGlossary: is a process of coordinating public service delivery at a local level arrangements through the provision of joined-up public sector service delivery.

Other service providers, including education, health, local businesses and the police

Schools can act as a focal point for developing a sense of community in a new settlement and education providers will have an interest in how the community will be managed in the long term. Similarly health service providers will also be crucial in the early stages of the life of the community. 'New town bluesGlossary: Is a term created by the press to describe some of the symptoms experienced by residents of the New Towns created in the UK after the Second World War' have been reported in many new settlements and offering mental health support services will be important for new residents. The needs for and of these types of services should be included in stewardshipGlossary: refers, in this context, to the ongoing process of managing, maintaining and tending a community plans.