Paddington Development Trust
Building a sustainable community through effective partnerships
Keywords: Empowerment, Community, Partnership Working, London, Employment, Neighbourhood
Overview
Formed in 1997 by local residents, Paddington Development Trust is an independent, community-based organisation that aims to deliver sustainable social and economic regeneration in the Paddington area of London.
Paddington is an area with high levels of deprivation and by the late 1990s it was in urgent need of regeneration and development. In the wake of the 'homes for votes' scandal of the previous decade, there was also a need to rebuild relationships between the community and Westminster Council.
Paddington Development Trust was set up to create social, cultural and economic opportunities by forming strong partnerships across the community and public sectors. Its work focuses on four areas of Paddington that are among the most deprived wards in the UK: Queens Park, Harrow Road, Westbourne and Church Street. A major part of the Trust's work has been to establish an infrastructure of Neighbourhood Management centres, which put local governance into the hands of local people.
In 1998 the Trust secured £13.5 million of funding for the New Life for Paddington initiative, through the government\'s Single Regeneration Budget programme, which ran from 1994 to 2001. It was one of only a few independent, community-based organisations that held an accountable body role for this funding programme. Projects delivered through New Life for Paddington included: building a creative business centre, Westbourne Studios; creating two modern youth centres; refurbishing local community facilities; creating employment and business opportunities for residents; and building leadership skills among local communities.
Background
Political conflict
The political upheaval in the City of Westminster following the 1980s 'homes for votes' corruption scandal meant that the area was effectively isolated from mainstream political, economic and social development for the following 10 years. Relationships between the community and Westminster Council were characterised by conflict and there had been a steady withdrawal of commercial investment from the area.
Paddington has a long history as an area with high levels of deprivation. By the late 1990s, it had a population of 60,000 people, with 60 per cent in social housing and a high proportion of residents from black and ethnic minorities, many of whom were recent immigrants.
A partnership approach
Paddington Development Trust was set up in 1997 by a group of local people with the aim of rebuilding partnerships between public and community organisations to deliver social and economic improvement. Its objectives included regenerating Paddington's physical environment, addressing the issue of the area's failing schools and youth service, and creating new economic and business opportunities for people living in the area.
The Paddington Development Trust team
Since 1997, Paddington Development Trust has grown from one person to more than 40 employees. Of the organisation\'s 16 trustees, 90 per cent live and work in the local community and half come from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.
The Impact
Empowering communities
Through its Neighbourhood Management policy, Paddington Development Trust has put local governance into the hands of communities. The four target wards each have a Neighbourhood Management Centre, which is run by a board of representatives from local public organisations plus local residents who are elected to the board, a process which is overseen by the Electoral Commission. Service delivery partners are accountable to the Neighbourhood Management Boards for the implementation of each ward\'s development plan.
The New Life for Paddington initiative saw the Trust forming a partnership across the community, public and private sectors to deliver a wide-ranging programme of community support. Partners included Westminster Council, police and health services, Business Link, Job Centre Plus and Imperial College London, as well as property developers and social landlords. Projects included job creation and enterprise development, and providing support to local leadership teams in strategic planning.
Neil Johnston, Chief Executive of Paddington Development Trust, said: “Regeneration is a long-term task but we've already seen remarkable progress. The community has shown a genuine commitment and capacity for building a better future for the area.”
Youth engagement
One of Paddington Development Trust's major projects has been the regeneration of the area's youth service, in partnership with Westminster Council and voluntary sector organisations. A 1999 Ofsted inspection found the service to be very poor, so transforming services and support for young people was a priority.
The Stowe Centre, which opened in April 2006, is one of two new youth centres in the area and is managed by the Trust on behalf of the City of Westminster.
The Stowe Centre in Paddington
The building houses a range of creative enterprise services for young people, including a Connexions advice and information facility, a sports hall and gym, a music studio and a training kitchen. Community groups are able to hire space in the centre for events and activities. The Trust also manages the Avenues Youth Centre on behalf of an independent management committee.
Good Practice
What can be learned from this project?
• Re-establishing a good working relationship with Westminster Council was vital to the success of Paddington Development Trust. As well as working with the Council on regeneration projects in Paddington, the Trust now plays a role in the wider development of Westminster as a member of the Westminster City Partnership and board member of Westminster's Local Area Agreement Partnership.
• The work of the Trust is delivered and monitored by its Programme Management Team, which is independently audited on an annual basis. In 2004, the London Development Agency and ECOTEC, an economic and social development consultancy, carried out an evaluation of programmes funded through the Single Regeneration Budget scheme, rating Paddington Development Trust in London's top five.
Creative activities are an important part of the programme
• Paddington Development Trust uses its website www.4paddington.com and the Paddington People magazine to keep local people informed and interest them in the regeneration of the neighbourhood. The Trust has also extended its online communications with the Paddington Update blog, to provide regular updates to employees and people living in the area.
• Paddington Development Trust's board members, employees and community representatives are all involved in the sustainable development planning of the area. The Trust's success in the management and development of its own staff has enabled it to achieve the Investors in People quality standard.
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