Lawrence Weston Community Economic Development Plan April 2016
Produced by Karl Belizaire,
Social Enterprise Works, Bristol
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 1
Lawrence Weston Community Economic Development Plan
Contents
1. Introduction Pg 3
2. Context Pg 4
3. Outcomes Pg 8
4. Engagement Pg 13
5. Planned activities Pg 16
6. Resources Pg 26
7. Timetable Pg 29
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 2
1. Introduction
Communities Minister Stephen Williams announced a new £6 million funding boost to the Community Rights programme on 17 February 2015, this boost was aimed at giving even more people greater control and influence over what happens locally. Ambition Lawrence Weston is one of fifty communitiesthat have received support to develop economic plans to address local economic priorities like job creation and enterprise.
As part of this programme, Ambition Lawrence Weston commissioned Karl Belizaire of Social Enterprise Works in Bristol to research and write this Community Economic Development Plan. The Plan incorporates and builds upon several existing strategic local plans, including the Lawrence Weston Community Plan; the Lawrence Weston Neighbourhood Development Plan and Lawrence Weston Big Local Plan. Priorities for the Lawrence Weston Community Economic Development plan have been derived from a combination of key stakeholder consultations; existing plan and needs analysis and exploring the feasibility for sustainable economic activities. This CED plan is a working document, and will evolve as initiatives take further shape.
What is Community Economic Development?
The Community Economic Development (CED) programme is a new initiative designed for local community groups and organisations who want to take a lead in shaping their economies for the benefit of local communities.
CED gives people the opportunity to shape how their economy develops. The approach recognises that local economies are characterised by the relationships and activities which everyone faces, based around where you live, work and play.
CED is being led by Co-operatives UK and delivered in partnership with New Economics Foundation, Locality, Community Development Foundation and the Community Development Finance Association.
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2. Context
Geographicarea
Lawrence Weston is a post war housing estate in north-west Bristol between Henbury and Shirehampton. The estate is bounded in the east by the Blaise Castle estate and woods. It is situated at the edge of the Severn flood plain, directly beneath the wooded Kingsweston Hill. The industrial complex and port of Avonmouth is a mile or so west, across the flood plain. Lawrence Weston forms part of the city ward of Kingsweston.
Lawrence Weston has a strong physical identity, but struggled to develop independent community identity, due to a variety of factors, including council housing control, faith schools and that the Boundary Commission refusal to accept the case for a stand-alone Lawrence Weston ward.
Lawrence Weston (LW) is a place where people live, but not necessarily where they work (learn) or play (shop, leisure, other interests). Lawrence Weston is a great place to live because it has: A long standing community and newly arrived residents working together to improve the neighbourhood; A fantastic community farm; Access to greenspace, wildlife and nature; Facilities for older residents including lunch clubs, walking groups and health services; A community newsletter and website; Its own Community Transport scheme; Access to jobs in nearby Avonmouth and good proximity to the motorway;A real sense of community – a place where people look after one another.
“Lawrence Weston is a friendly and vibrant neighbourhood where the word community really matters!” – Local resident
Howeverthere are not enough opportunities locally, there is a bad mix of housing that has led to a transient population; there is a lack of recreational facilities and socialising; there is no shopping retail heart to LW; and there is a negative perception of the area (internally and externally).Additionallyas Bristol City Council resources become increasingly stretched, and home ownership shifts towards a more private model, there is likely to be a shift in the future identity of Lawrence Weston.
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Location profile
The Ambition Lawrence Weston Location Profile uses the wards Avonmouth and Kingsweston as the geographical area, in which we can access data and statistics about the community area. We can provide an overview of the community area by using a series of key indicators that score an area against the average for the country - this provides an illustration of the area’s relative strengths and weaknesses.
Source: ABI (2009); Census (2011); Business Register and Employment Survey (2013); LA Summaries ID (2010); DFT accessibility statistics (2011)
In terms of measures of relative deprivation, both wards are above the national average, and both wards have the opportunity to reap the benefits of a wide range of services and proficient use of public transport.
The state of the business base in the local area gives an indication of the vitality of the local economy, as well as an insight into the levels of entrepreneurship in the community. Information taken from the ABI indicates that Avonmouth has almost double the number of SMEs and larger businesses that the West of England, however by comparison the Avonmouth and Kingsweston wards have rather lower levels of self-employment than the rest of the region.
There are a number of statistics associated with the labour market for an area, specifically looking at the levels of employment and unemployment in the area. The health of the labour market in a particular area should be seen in the context of wider employment trends over time. The most alarming highlight from these figures show that Avonmouth and Kingsweston wards have over double the number of claimantsreceiving Job SeekersAllowance than the proportionate population of Bristol and over 3 times the rate than the West of England.
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Benefits: Unemp: C- Unemp: Job C- C- C- rate Labour LT (1yr+) Area Name seekers Employment Employment Unemployment (CC) Market (January (Nov (FT) (2011) (PT) (2011) (2011) (January (2011) 2015) 2012) 2015)
Avonmouth 42.44 55.88 23.24 76.35 5.5 21.84 2.6
Kingsweston 45.94 48.68 23.81 69.82 6.77 26.04 3
Bristol 19.65 52.46 21.53 69.73 4.87 22.04 2
West of 13.76 55 24.06 75.13 4.05 22.03 1.41 England
South West 12.04 56.05 25.53 78.38 4.02 20.28 1.2
Source: Claimant count (2013)
We can use data on qualification attainment to look at the skills of the people who are living in the community area. Data from the 2011 Census show that the Avonmouth and Kingsweston wards have significantly less residents achieving University equivalent education, and proportionately higher levels of people with no qualifications at all.
Source: Census (2011)
This statistical dataof the location profile, highlights the highlevels of unemployment in the Lawrence Weston Area twinned with low levels of educational attainment, which creates a
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 6 challenging environment to develop a strong local economy, underlining the much needed work of organisations like Ambition Lawrence Weston.
Ambition Lawrence Weston
Ambition Lawrence Weston (ALW) is a charitable organisation with residents at the driving seat. It is working in partnership with public, private and voluntary sector organisations to make Lawrence Weston a better place.
ALW strives to ensure that local residents can access quality and sustainable jobs, services and shops; Can benefit from high quality education and training throughout their lives; Can enjoy modern community, leisure and art facilities; Can look after their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing with access to high quality and appropriate services and support; Will have secure access to adequate amounts of affordable, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods; Understand their rights and are empowered to make choices to improve their own lives; Have access to safe and well-maintained green spaces and are actively involved in their upkeep; Enjoy an environment which is looked after, safe and clean; Can access healthy, sustainable and affordable homes for all stages of life; Can travel safely on well-connected and affordable routes; Feel part of a community which supports and looks after one another and is welcoming and inclusive; Collectively celebrate the heritage and identity of the neighbourhood and plan carefully for its future; Have a strong voice and can be at the heart of decision making locally.
Since incorporating in 2012, and becoming a registered charity in 2013, ALW hassecured the future of Lawrence Weston Youth Centre from closure, which provides a dedicated community hub. It also successfullysecured £1 million of funding from the Local Trust managed by Big Local Lottery fund. ALW facilitates the“Lawrence Weston Community Network” – a network that brings together all of the 45+ organisations (public and voluntary) in Lawrence Weston to encourage information sharing and joint projects and initiatives. ALW also facilitates the Lawrence Weston Neighbourhood Planning Group, the Local Authority’s recognised planning forum which it set up to deal with all planning and land use issues in Lawrence Weston. The Planning Group are soon to go to referendum with its Neighbourhood Development Plan. Additionally, ALW supports a number of smaller groups and individual residents to come together to tackle issues within the neighbourhood.
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3. Outcomes
The overall outcomes for the CED activities reflect the objectives, vision and purpose of ALW as a resident led development organisation with a mission to improve the lives and wellbeing of residents in the local area. The process of developing this CED plan has provided an excellent opportunity to further refine, reflect and take fresh perspective upon the social, economic and environmental needs of residents of Lawrence Weston. It has also provided the ALW management team, along with the CED steering group, strategic planning insights from a range of professional support organisations, to help achieve a positive and sustainable impact for the residents of Lawrence Weston.
Through a facilitated workshop, the CED steering group initially identified a long-list of possible CED projects and activities, which were closely examined and discussed in line with the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities in and around the local community. These activities and outcomes where then deliberated on by the steering group to decide which areas to focus on moving forward. Factors to help decide the CED outcomes included viability of projects; community strategic needs; potential for sustainable development; relevant supportive partners; and the potential for positive economic, social and environmental impact. A short-list of CED activities and outcomes then emerged and were agreed on during a supplementary steering group meeting. The overall short, medium and long-term outcomes are outlined below:
Economic Social Environmental Local residents are Residents are more Residents are more more engaged with engaged and feel engaged and consulted opportunities to confident to successfully with opportunities for Short term increase environmental participate with local local collaboration to knowledge, skills and employment or create a more equitable promote energy enterprise opportunities society for LW awareness Residents feel Local community has a LW community is increased levels of strong local energy empowered by creation wellbeing and are more economy, with and access to good jobs, Medium ‘activated’ and increased knowledge new skills and trades term empowered to make and awareness of opportunities, to create change happen (as efficient use of energy a strong balanced local volunteers, customers, and living within economy investors, etc) environmental limits Residents lead ALW to Residents lead ALW to be More community be an environmentally aself-financing and owned assets are sustainable sustainable organisation, developed, with greater Long term organisation with the enabling LW to have a community control community enabled to distinct economic over key economic be more adaptable to identity resources climate change
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Following extensive consultation, engagement and needs assessment, four distinct CED project activities for ALW emerged from the initial long-list of ideas, each with their own distinct associated outcomes as well as overlapping themes. Each of the activities incorporate the overall outcomes outlined above, including the key elements of engaging and activating local resident involvement and employment opportunities, as well as developing dedicated revenue streams for ALW to become a sustainable and self-financing entity, that is environmentally sustainable and creates a strong community identity.
In direct response to the high levels of unemployment in the locality, there is a strong emphasis throughout each CED activity on creating sustainable employment and self- employment opportunities, in different and diverse industries, in order to enable greater wellbeing for local residents and more resilient and engaged local community and economy.
The four CED outlined activities are:
Activity 1: Ambition Employment Services Activity 2: Ambition Energy Services Activity 3: Ambition Facilities Management Activity 4: Ambition Lettings & Maintenance
Activity 1: Ambition Employment Services
Activity Established employment hub; work clubs & employability Outputs programmes Continue to engage and support local residents Built relations with employers and referral partners Secured funding to expand and sustain activities Successfully launch employment and training agency Activity Social Economic Environmental Outcomes Short-term Increased confidence of Increased employability Increased awareness outcomes residents of residents and opportunities for Develop trusted Residents better low carbon economy relationship with informed of work experience residents through employment opportunities providing personalised opportunities support Medium-term Increased levels of skills More residents Increased knowledge outcomes and educational employed in more about energy attainment diverse careers with efficiency, and the Increased levels of good job prospects further training, wellbeing, equity and education and career aspirations options available Long-term Continue to increased Significant reduction in Increased number of outcomes skills and educational unemployment, with a residents pursuing attainment levels strong, local resilient new low-carbon Continued to increase community and related environmental
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 9
wellbeing, equity and economy careers aspirations Indicators Number residents engaged; supported and informed Number of residents successfully placed into diverse employment Number of residents pursuing further education and training Amount of funding secured and generated Impact Reduction in unemployment in Lawrence Weston Increased residents in good diverse jobs Increasing number of employers recruiting from LW Strong, resilient local economy
Activity 2: Ambition Energy Services
Activity Secured funding to expand and sustain activities Outputs Develop internship training programme & engage employers Engage and involve local residents in training and work experience Deliver local Solar Farm, including community share offer Develop apprenticeship training programme in partnership with employers & local FE providers Develop additional community energy projects Activity Social Economic Environmental Outcomes Short-term Increased Increased employability Increased awareness and outcomes engagement and of residents following opportunities for low confidence of participation on carbon economy work residents internship programme experience opportunities Rise in residents More efficient use of engaged in self- energy in local homes employment opportunities Residents engaged in share offer for solar farm and community owned energy project Medium-term Increased levels of More residents Increased knowledge outcomes skills and educational employed in more about energy efficiency, attainment diverse careers and and the further training, Rise in wellbeing, good job prospects education and career equity and Residual revenue options available aspirations generated by Solar Positively impact local Shared ownership Farm provides housing stock to enable and community increased community more energy efficient control over key benefit and housing development economic energy employment Community starts to resource opportunities feels empowered to come together to develop and safeguard natural resources
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Long-term Further increase in Increased number of Continue to positively outcomes skills and educational residents pursuing new impact local housing attainment levels low-carbon related stock to enable more Further rise in environmental careers energy efficient housing wellbeing, equity Sustainable revenue development and aspirations generated through All members of More shared shared control and community are ownership and ownership of empowered to come community control community energy together to start to over key economic assets. develop and safeguard energy resource natural resources Indicators Number of residents participating in training & workshops Number of residents engaged with community share offers Number of residents participating on internship or apprenticeship programmes Number of houses influenced to be more energy efficient Impact Increased number of residents feeling confident and work ready Increase number of residents in employment or training Increase in residents working in diverse low-carbon related careers Financial return from Solar Farm provides sustainable revenue to fund other community activities Increased wellbeing, along more energy efficient local homes
Activity 3: Ambition Facilities Management
Activity Engage and develop network of resident led trades-people Outputs Secure funding to pilot and develop activities Pilot service with local businesses Expand service city-wide, utilising social value act Develop training and apprenticeship offers for local residents Activity Social Economic Environmental Outcomes Short-term Increased engagement Increased opportunities Increased awareness outcomes and confidence of for local residents to and opportunities for residents towards gain trade experience low carbon skilled trades and skills efficiencies Rise in residents engaged in self- employment opportunities
Medium-term Increased levels of skills More residents Increased knowledge outcomes and educational employed in more low carbon further attainment diverse careers with training, education Rise in wellbeing, equity good job prospects and career options and aspirations including self- available Increased collaboration employment Community starts to and connectivity Increasing number of feels empowered to
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through collective trade local service contracts come together to network approach to are delivered by develop and safeguard contract delivery residents, natural resources strengthening the local economy Long-term Further increase in skills Increasing number of All members of outcomes and educational residents employed in community are attainment levels more diverse careers empowered to come Further rise in with good job prospects together to start to wellbeing, equity and including self- develop and safeguard aspirations employment natural resources More shared ownership Increasing number of and community control local service contracts over key economic are delivered by energy resource residents, strengthening the local economy Indicators Number of local trades-people engaged Number of contracts secured (local & city-wide) Number of opportunities created for local residents Number of local residents engaged in education & training Impact Reduction of unemployment in Lawrence Weston Increase in career options available for local residents Increased number of local contracts remaining in local economy Connectivity of local residents through networked approach Strong local, resilient community and economy
Activity 4: Ambition Lettings & Maintenance
Activity Develop ethical letting agency Outputs Provide affordable homes in partnership Develop more community owned assets Develop training and work experience opportunities Create opportunities for maintenance & energy projects Activity Social Economic Environmental Outcomes Short-term Reduction in amount of Increase in fair and Increased awareness outcomes residents who are affordable fees for local and opportunities for exploited or refused property low carbon tenancy based on social efficiencies or benefit status
Medium-term Rise in wellbeing and Increase in affordable Positively impact outcomes personal equity and fair properties with energy efficiency of mixed tenure new housing stock Increased trade Community starts to opportunities from feels empowered to housing developments come together to
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develop and safeguard natural resources Long-term Further rise in wellbeing Continued increase in Continue to positively outcomes & equity affordable and fair impact energy More shared ownership properties with mixed efficiency of new and community control tenure housing stock over key economic Continued increase in All members of assets trade opportunities community are from housing empowered to come developments together to start to develop and safeguard natural resources Indicators Number of homes contracted for ‘fair’ lets Number of partnerships to develop community assets Number of affordable homes developed Number of people employed or in work activity Impact Reduction in unemployment in Lawrence Weston Increased satisfaction and well being of local home-seekers Increase in affordable homes available Increase in home-seeking residents experiencing fair treatment
4. Engagement
The development of this Community Economic Development Plan has required the full engagement of all of Ambition Lawrence Weston’s key stakeholders, and intensively consultation and development sessions with the resident led steering group.
The CED steering group includes:
• Mark Pepper, ALW development manager and local resident
• Jo Clarkson, ALW project worker
• Norman Routledge, ALW Chair, and local resident
• John Woolnough, ALW Board member
• Jackie Crouch, ALW Board member, Big Local Chair and local resident
• Roger Sabido, ALW Energy group, local resident
• David Tudgey, ALW Energy group, Bristol Energy Network
• Donna Sealy, Public Health, Bristol City Council
• Mike Crouch, Big Local and Planning group member, local resident
• Karl Belizaire, Social Enterprise Works, Bristol
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• April Ritter, Economic Development, Bristol City Council
Jim Brown from Baker Brown Associates was allocated to ALW in June 2015 as the dedicated CED adviser, and to lead the initial scoping session which was held in July 2015, to capture more information on the community including local leadership team, stakeholders, champions, and baseline data. Further support was provided to finalise needs analysis and determine the technical support package required, and assist the community in determining how to spend their grant ensuring grant application is completed effectively by the community by the relevant deadline.
Steering group members attended regional learning events Introduce interventions and activities to assist with drafting their CED plans in June and July 2015. Ambition Lawrence Weston steering group received technical support and grant funding during September through to December to develop their CED plan and submit draft CED plans in January 2016.
During the scoping session in July 2015, all members of the CED stake-holder group explored the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of both ALW as an organisation, as well as the community of Lawrence Weston. Strengths included the strong sense of community; pre-existing community and neighbourhood plans; and close proximity to Avonmouth for jobs. Weaknesses included that there is not enough opportunities locally; Many residents want to stay local and not have to travel for work; and there was suggestion that is a negative external perception of the area; and an agreement that there is lack of community owned assets. Threats included reduction in council spending; lack of diversity in population and housing stock; as well as the current lack of existing resources to delivery upon aspirations. Opportunities included the introduction of Bristol City Council’s Social Value Policy; New housing developments and related facilities; opportunity to access additional range of funding for CED projects.
Early discussions for relevant CED outcome highlighted the need to build upon and further activate local resident engagement, as well as secure relevant resources to implement the projects to sufficient scale to achieve a significant impact for the local community.
Various partnership meetings have taken place since instigating the CED planning by each of the relevant project champions to establish and connect with local businesses and service providers to gage levels of interest for developing CED activities and projects. For example the employment hub, has established a wide variety of partnerships with local employers to place residents into employment, as well as with learning providers to offer suitable training opportunities. Other partnership meetings include engaging prospective clients for the Ambition Facilities Management project, which has received interest from the Local Chambers of Commerce and a national service provider, MEARS. Similarly the energy group have been very proactive in seeking and forging new relationships with pertinent partners, providers and organisations who can add value to the developing offers available to support and create opportunities for local residents. It has been really important to engage relevant partners, both to test the feasibility and interest of each proposed activity, but also in terms
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 14 of developing relations with prospective clients, and delivery partnerships to increase the chance of CED projects being successful and sustainable.
ALW has a relatively significant level of local influence, being a resident organization, achievements include: Securing the future of Lawrence Weston Youth Centre from closure; Securing funding to demolish the old college site and influencing the college site development brief, to include a new more affordable supermarket; Saved green spaces in Lawrence Weston from development; Influenced many developments through the Lawrence Weston Planning group including development of a new community health/hub; and influencing the developers of the new housing complex, on the old Mason Arms site to ensure majority of new homes go to local families and provide housing, that meets local needs.
The successful development of the community employment and enterprise hub, in the local youth centre has provided an excellent venue for engagement activities, including the strategic meeting place to explore collaboration between all employment providers in North Bristol, as part of Bristol City Council’s ‘Work Zone’ initiatives, which has helped to secure and establish many of the partnerships detailed in this plan.
Additionally, further resident and steering group consultation is planned to ensure the local community is fully engage and ready to implement the aspirations and intentions of this Community Economic Development Plan.
ALW previously carried out intensive consultations and surveys with and by residents to inform the development and delivery of the Lawrence Weston Community Plan 2013-2023, and Supported residents in the development of the Lawrence Weston Big Local Plan.
ALW also publish and delivered to local residents, the locally acclaimed newsletter On Your Doorstep, which informs, updates and provides residents with the opportunity to engage with issues that really matter.
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5. Planned Activities
Each CED planned activity outlined, details the activities purpose; champions; customers; partners; development status; SWOT analysis; short, medium and long-term actionable objectives and an indicative timeline with milestones for each of the proposed activities.
ALW have previously secured a local asset from Bristol City Council in terms of the youth centre as the base of operations for the proposed CED activities, which has been successfully developed into a community hub with a focus on enterprise and employability.
Additionally, insights have been also been included from relevant examples of good practice from established activities elsewhere,examining what lessons can be learnt from other parts of the country and what aspects are worth replicating or exploring.
CED activities Overview Activity 1:Ambition To increase the employment, training and professional education Employment Services provision for residents in Lawrence Weston Activity 2: Ambition To develop sustainable community led energy projects, that Energy Services create employment opportunities, as well as revenue and energy for the local community Activity An initiative to enable local trades-people to secure more 3:AmbitionFacilities employment and contract opportunities, alongside skill Management development programmes, through creating a local consortium to deliver facilities services. Activity 4:Ambition To provide suitable affordable and fair housing for local residents Lettings & Maintenance who can’t afford to buy a house and currently paying extortionately high levels of private rent.
Activity 1: Ambition Employment Services
Purpose: To increase the employment, training and professional education provision for residents in Lawrence Weston. To promote and actively create employment opportunities with local and city-wide businesses, and assist local residents get employment ready and work based training.
Champions: Primarily Joanne Clarkson from ALW, with support from Lucy Davis from Avonmouth Community Centre’s employment project.
Customers: Local residents and local and city-wide businesses
Partners: Currently include Bristol City College; Learn Direct; Shirehampton Job Centre; Nesbits; Bristol Port Company; along with the SevernNet Working Group (South
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Gloucestershire Council; SevernNet Business Network; Avonmouth Community Centre Association; Social Enterprise Works).
Stage of development: Pilot stage – resource secured via the Big Lottery enabled Coastal Communities Fund to develop a dedicated employability and enterprise hub. The Employment Hub is going from strength to strength, engaging a good flow of local residents on a daily basis. ALW has helped 40+ residents and have helped approximately 10 people into work since the project started in September 2015. The word is spreading successfully through local newsletter and more recently, Facebook, which has proved to be an effective way of communicating with residents and would-be clients. ALW is inviting providers to deliver in the Youth Centre such as Prospect, offering local residents monthly careers advice sessions. ALW recently housed a Learn Direct Warehousing and Storage course (City and Guilds Level 2) and had 5 learners gain qualifications. City of Bristol College are running a weekly IT course though numbers are low. Currently planning courses for 2016, including a quarterly Employability course aimed at residents re-entering the job market after a significant gap of time.
SWOT analysis
Strengths Opportunity Based in the local area To feed into all CED projects Already developing and piloting Relationships with local businesses service Future revenue stream Strong social mission Opportunity to develop more structured employment provision eg. Apprenticeships / Traineeships etc. Opportunity to develop employment and training agency and possible HGV driving academy
Threats Weakness Other training and employment New venture agencies
Objectives
Short-term Continue to delivery and achieve targets of enterprise and employment hub, for local people supported into employment and training Continue to build relationships and strong links established with employers Build-up database of local candidates & employees Increase referrals and partners, ensuring service is well signposted Develop wider exposure and more marketing of services Develop and launch new driving school training programme Explore governance and operating models
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Medium Term Explore continuation funding for enterprise and employment hub to support more local residents Develop employment agency / brokerage service, to enable a sustainable revenue and business model for the continuation of employment support services Development partnership with SFA registered suppliers to develop training agency
Long Term Sustainable employment services for local residents, through development of successful / profitable training and employment agencies.
Milestones
By the end of 2016 - to establish the LW Youth Centre as a hub of training and learning, potentially as a pilot for anew Community Hub on the old college site(which might be the future site of the Employment and Enterprise Hub). By Sept 2016 - approx a year after the start of the Hub - impact analysis report to inform funding bids and future employment support strategy for LW Ongoing 2016 - Rollout of sector-based pre-employment training courses across the year, responding to cohorts and skills barriers. Summer/Autumn 2016 - LW Employment and training event. By end of 2016 - formation of volunteer-base to support Employment Hub By Sept 2016 - Strong alliance with DWP to secure regular referrals and recruitment support for courses. By April 2017 obtainment of adequate grants or loans, sustainable income streams to support training and employment support services in Lawrence Weston.
Example of good practice
Beyond Recruitment is a service offered by national social enterprise Fusion21. Their specialist consultants recruit for Construction, Professional, Social Housing, Mechanical and Electrical roles across various sectors. They recruit across the spectrum from entry level positions, specialist trades, self-employed trades, administration roles, specialist, managerial and executive roles.
Interestingly, these industries are very prevalent in the LW locality, particularly with such close proximity to the industrial estates in Avonmouth. ALW could take a similar approach to focussing on specialist industry sectors, where they have strong partner affinity and relationships to generate the best opportunities for local residents.
Beyond Recruitment also pride themselves on being able to deliver bespoke packages to their clients that deliver the best value for business, and are able to provide fully vetted and referenced workers within a quick turnaround time. It would also be worth exploring becoming members of The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), the
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 18 professional body for the recruitment industry like Beyond Recruitment have, to increase ALW credentials and status as a recognised as an employment agency. http://www.beyond-recruitment.co.uk/
Activity 2: Ambition Energy Services
Purpose:To develop sustainable community led energy projects that create employment opportunities, as well as revenue and energy for the local community.
Champions: David Tudgey & Roger Sabido, ALW Energy group, and Bristol Energy Network
Customers: Prospective customers currently include residents from wealthier neighbourhoods, who pay for the energy survey. Also residents interested in low-carbon initiatives and related career paths for training services.
Partners: Currently includeGreen Capital project developed in collaboration with Friends of the Earth Bristol; Easton Energy Group; Bristol Energy Network - Energy Champions. Also prospectively exploring partnerships with Solar Century and Wilmot Dixon.
Stage of development: Early stage - after identifying that that energy was missing from community plan and the opportunity to explore revenue generation from energy, and engage the community about fuel poverty, Ambition Lawrence Weston set up an energy group. The group developed projects to match the community interest around energy, energy efficiency and fuel poverty. The initial projects supported by Bristol Green Capital, including building volunteer capacity through solar energy workshops; CHEESE (Cold Homes Energy Efficiency Survey Experts); and general engagement around fuel poverty.ALW currently have two regular volunteers who work with ALW weekly. Continuing to get interest in programme and identify existing skills in the community and supporting them to take active roles in the energy group as energy champions. Identify skills gaps and support training needs of the group.
Project themes complement and link to Ambition Lawrence Weston Community Plan and Bristol Community Strategy for Energyand involve developing successful partnerships and identifying key stakeholders in the community. ALW energy group have developed a relationship with Bristol Energy Cooperative and Bristol City Council in securing a 4MW solar farm, 50% of the community benefit it generates will go towards delivering ALW community plan.
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SWOT analysis:
Strengths Opportunity Geography from renewable, Avonmouth has Opportunity for employment and training, large potential for delivering Bristol’s skills renewable energy – particularly wind Reduce fuel poverty Potential businesses who want these Opportunity for greater stake-holder services and people who have these skills engagement Existing engaged communities, well placed to Opportunity for improving housing stock deliver Opportunity for developing renewable Good established partners energy to bring revenue into ALW Track record of delivery energy projects in other parts of the city
Threats Weakness Government policy is no-longer supporting Ineligible for SITR & EIS, so less financial or subsidising renewable currently return Possible lack of interest in services No bid writer in the team Not raising enough investment to develop new solar farm
Objectives
Short-term Develop an internship programme, to pay a living wage Deliver local workshops with partners like Bristol Energy Coop to increased awareness and education Support volunteers to engage their neighbours (door knocking) Organise a benefit event to help raise funds for the share offer and relevant investment required Network and create business links with property services companies etc. to create pipeline of employers to provide employment opportunities
Medium Term Building up trade connections with local trades people, to create employment opportunities for local trades peoples Develop training offer for dedicated apprenticeship programme, creating employment and skills for YP
Long Terms Develop ALW owned renewable energy project, and explore opportunities for wind and domestic solar projects, particularly improving housing stock to create sustainable revenue for ALW
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Milestones
Establish core energy team involving local traders Develop internship programme Setup constitution for ALS energy group Secure share offer for solar farm Pilot traineeships programme Pilot apprenticeship programmes Secure ALW fully owned renewable energy project
Examples of good practice
Social Enterprises Community & Renewable Energy (SECRE) is a transnational network of renewable energy and social business expertise in Northern Periphery. SECRE challenges renewable energy businesses and communities to find and define social goals in the field of renewable energy. SECRE is a strong consortium, which allocates knowledge and resources of the powerful network for needs of Northern European communities in renewable energy production.
ALW could partner with SECRE to replicate the potential of communities and social economy creating a multiple amount of business models for rural community energy production. http://www.northernperiphery.eu/en/home/
The Green Energy Training Academy (GETA), powered by AFC First, provides dynamic, affordable, online certification and business development training for energy efficiency contractors (HVAC, Windows/Doors, Insulation, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, Geothermal, Solar) to help drive growth in energy efficiency projects and contractor profitability. ALW could take a similar approach to GETA’s by supporting contractors and providing training that will strengthen skills and allow access to tools that support a thriving energy efficiency business. http://www.greenenergytrainingacademy.com/
Activity 3: Ambition Facilities Management
Purpose: An initiative to enable local trades-people to secure more employment and contract opportunities, alongside skill development programmes, through creating a local consortium of sole-traders to deliver facilitates management services.
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Ambition Facilities Management intends to influence and access supply chain opportunities to positively impact local employment and upskill local residents.
Champions: Mark Pepper, from ALW along with Rob Owen from Social Enterprise Works.
Customers: Local medium to large businesses, and the local authorities including Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council.
Partners: Currently include Bristol City Council, and developing relationship with the local business chamber of commerce, GWE Business West.Prospectively include local private property developers and local social housing providers such as Knightstone Housing who are part of the SevernNet Partnership, and recent opportunity arising with MEARS.
Development stage: Pre-start – idea stage, need to explore further market research and host open engagement event for interested local partners and residents. Positive interested received from GWE Business West, who have offered to support ALW to engage with the chamber members (2,000+) to help secure initial pilot contracts to develop track record in providing this new service. Ambition Facilities Management being a social enterprise project was a strong influential factor in securing interest from GWE Business West.
SWOT analysis:
Strengths Opportunity Track record of delivery To grow capacity and employ locally Strong Governance Good relationships with local big businesses Resident mandate Good relationships with local authorities Part of SevernNet Working Partnership Providing job and work opportunities Strong social mission Interest from local businesses
Threats Weakness First time procurement with council New initiative – no track record as yet High churn off staff and contracts Procurement
Objectives
Short-term Develop database of local trades people Host engagement meeting with interested parties, to get their views and by Develop delivery service offer - construction / grounds maintenance / cleaning / catering / Explore difference governance options and develop a fit for purpose delivery vehicle Explore funding options and secure relevant funding Explore staffing and capacity needs, recruit development coordinator Develop the business model Develop training offer / package for residents
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Medium Term Launch and deliver pilot service contracts, in close proximity to four villages initially Develop track record locally of delivery a high quality service Explore the development of apprenticeship training and pilot apprenticeships training scheme
Long Term Expand services city wide Increased levels of local employment Develop sustainable revenue source for local community
Milestones
Consortium of local trade people engaged and committed Funding for development coordinator secured Pilot of first service delivery contracts Service expanded city-wide
Example of good practice
“Ethical Maintenance is a Property Factor working throughout Scotland, proud to work for communities caring for their shared amenities”. They are distinct from most Property Factors through their Community Interest Company and not-for-profit status. They focus on providing the best service at the best price.
Some of the things to be learnt from their approach include holding regular meetings with property owners and an open book approach an enable our communities to engage and pro-actively steer the work we carry out on their behalf. As a Community Interest Company they are regulated to serve their communities and their not-for-profit ethos which allows them to put more of their homeowners' money in to the work they ask them to carry out.
Another interesting observation to potentially consider replicating in Lawrence Weston is that Ethical Maintenance manages the common areas of housing estates – the landscaped areas and the common interiors. When they are working on new developments, they recommend that the builder gives control to the residents through ownership of the common areas.Their market is the private housing sector across Britain, charging for their services uniquely on a “not for profit” basis, working with the residents for their benefit. http://www.ethicalmaintenance.co.uk/
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Activity 4: Ambition Lettings & Maintenance
Purpose: To provide suitable affordable housing for local residents who can’t afford to buy a house and currently paying extortionately high levels of private rent.
Champions: Mark Pepper, ALW and project coordinator (to be appointed).
Customers: Initially property developers, local residents and prospective residents.
Partners: Currently include Bristol City Council, prospectively include local private property developers and local social housing providers such as Knightstone Housing who are part of the SevernNet Partnership.
Stage of development: Early stage of development, however with, feasibility already underway and negotiations to secure a land agreementwith local authorityongoing.
In the short-term ALW want to develop an ethical property agency & maintenance company, and in the longer term become a private landlord, and deliver 40 units on planning site at Astry Close.
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance want to work with local property developers to give housing stock for community use, and provide local residents with an affordable alternative to the mainstream private rental market.
SWOT analysis:
Strengths Opportunity Based in the local area 350 homes being developed in the area with at Good relations with local authority least 120 for open market Developing relations with property Land agreement & BCC support developers Supply of skilled trades people for maintenance Strong social mission
Threats Weakness Other letting agencies New venture
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Objectives
Short-term Continue feasibility study into community housing development Explore development of local ethical letting agency to ensure residents aren’t exploited landlord Establish partnerships with housing developers and housing associations Medium Term Housing development providing affordable homes Provide employment opportunities for maintenance services Explore other land opportunities for housing development and affordable homes
Long Term Secure other land opportunities for housing development and affordable homes
Milestones
Negotiate service contracts with first property developers Secure funding for development coordinator Open shop front on local highstreet employing local people Build affordable homes for local people
Example of good practice
The Ethical Letting Agency CIC are transforming lettings and property management for the benefit of landlords, tenants, communities and local housing markets. They are based in Redcar and work across the Teesside area of North East England.
Their main unique selling point is that they operate fair fees for quality services, with no hidden costs and they welcome to application to all, including tenants in receipt of housing benefit, which is something which would be very appropriate for Lawrence Weston.
Their local knowledge and expertise appears to be an important aspect of their business model, again a very relevant and similarly to the trusted partner status ALW hold.
As a social enterprise, along with reinvesting all profits into the Redcar & Cleveland community, they also create additional social value through the provision of training and employment opportunities, including apprenticeships. http://www.ethicallettingsagency.co.uk/
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6. Resources
In order to deliver upon the activities outlined in this document, ALW needs to secure project related funding for each CED activity. It is proposed that ALW incorporates a dedicated trading subsidiary to implement the activities in this CED plan, as these activities are not the primary purpose of ALW. A separate entity will be a necessity for as and when the trade activity exceeds the maximum allowance by the Charity Commission (25% of turnover or £50,000, whichever is smaller). It has been recommended that ALW incorporates a Company Limited By Shares (possibly a Ltd by shares CIC), which is wholly owned the charity ALW, and any surplus profits reinvested back to the charitable and community purpose and activities of ALW for them to continue to deliver on their social mission.
Additionally, with the recent developments of Bristol City Council’s intention to apply social value to £330M worth of local procurement and contracts, there is an opportunity to both help shape and inform the social value policy development work with BCC as well as position ALW’s trading subsidiaries as a prime contractor for the facilitation and delivery of local public services and contracts, in order to create more enterprise and employment opportunities for local residents.
Activity 1: Ambition Employment Services
ALW already employs a full time employment coordinator (£24k pro-rata) and has successfully secured resources via the Coastal Communities funding to develop a dedicated employment and enterprise hub, including an IT suite for service users.
Amongst the various employment opportunities currently being explored, is setting up a driving school as employers have offered to employ HGV drivers, if ALW could provide loans via Big Local and sponsor residents training places. Alternatively, other employers such as Warburton are interested in engaging with learners and supporting them to up-skill.
Ambition Employment Services could in time establish a more formal employment agency model, providing training and skilled employees on either a temporary or permanent basis in return for a fee.
There are also partnership opportunities to be developed with Skills Funding Agency providers, to subcontract training delivery to Ambition Employment Services for apprenticeship training and other adult education initiatives.
With Ambition Lawrence Weston’s reach and engagement in the local community, Ambition Employment Services is well placed to engage, recruit and train a talented pipeline of employees for local and city-wide businesses, whilst developing sustainable revenue and skills development opportunities for local people.
Ambition Employment Services will be initiated as a dedicated project from Ambition Lawrence Weston, initially overseen by the existing ALW board of governance, utilising
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ALW’s existing premises. However, in time this activity could spin out as a separate entity and possibly a subsidiary of ALW, as a private company limited by shares, with ALW as the primary shareholder.
Activity 2: Ambition Energy Services
Ambition Lawrence Weston has secured £9k of funding to contribute towards the development coordinator role (Project Officer Day rate @£150 per day working for 2 days per week, flexible working), along £7k funding already secured to deliver local workshops and engagement events.
Ambition Lawrence Weston will have an MOU with Bristol Energy Coop, and will receive 50% of revenue from 4.2 megawatt solar scheme, Lawrence Weston Solar Park, for ALW core activities which can be invested in any of the CED initiatives. The Solar Park is currently raising capital via a community share offer, which is seeking a total of £5m and has currently secured £1m. It is projected that this will provide a financial return of £20k per year contribution from Solar Farm, will a possible £5k from second site.
Additionally, initial market testing shows there is a viable demand for the energy survey service, with private residents paying upto £70 for an energy survey, which over time could create a steady stream of employment and revenue for residents and the community of Lawrence Weston.
As for development funding, ALW has negotiate £5,000 per year from Triodos Bank to deliver objectives in community plan. It will shortly be applying to £10,000 to Bristol City Council’s new community energy fund; as well as applying for £4,000 to Low Carbon Gordano intern programme. There is also potential to explore further grant funding for community asset ownership from public funders like Power to Change.
Activity 3: Ambition Facilities Management
Ambition Facilities Management would look to secure a full time coordinator to develop the service, however in the first instance Mark and Rob will lead the development, with support of the SevernNet Enterprise Support service aim to secure initial seed funding and/or grants from community development foundations to contribute towards the initial start-up costs for the development coordinator (£24k pro-rata), website development and promotion (£6k).
Ambition Facilities Management would look to secure some quick wins with local businesses that ALW has good relationships with, to bid for a pilot service of contracts of upto £150k in cleaning, and grounds maintenance in the first 18 months, to cover the cost of the coordinator, as well as prove the concept and develop a track record in providing maintenance services.
From initial market feedback, there appears to be a positive appetite for this service from local businesses, with growth potential. Additionally, Ambition Facilities Management has
Ambition Lawrence Weston CED Plan 2016 27 the added advantage of being a social enterprise and having a social purpose to create local employment and skills opportunities for local people.
Ambition Facilities Management intends to source all trades people locally for local contracts, reducing carbon footprint for delivery of local maintenance services.
Activity 4: Ambition Lettings & Maintenance
Ambition Letting and Maintenance will aim to secure funding to secure a part-time development coordinator (pro-rata £24k), in the short-term Ambition letting and maintenance services will operate from Ambition Lawrence Weston’s existing premises.
In the medium term Ambition Letting and Maintenance will aim to secure a more prominent physical premises with a retail unit on the local highstreet (£10k per annum)
There will be approximately 120+ open market private houses being developed in the local area, Ambition Letting and Maintenance aims to negotiate 1/5 of the contracts for these homes, and homes to use its local influence to secure service contracts for properties.
Ambition Letting and Maintenance would then provide the rental properties for a fairer and more affordable agency fee that the mainstream providers, however still generating enough revenue to cover the cost of the part-time coordinator.
In the longer term, Ambition Letting and Maintenance will look to secure funding for the community led housing development of 40 Ecohomes (Approx £80k each + min £150k planning). Ambition Lawrence Weston are negotiating a999-year lease on a local authority owned piece of land with-in Lawrence Weston, with local authority offering £50k for development, and National Land Trust providing technical support and £10k for production of a feasibility study.
Funding options need to be explored in order to provide the capital and possible social investment for the delivery of pre-fabricated eco-homes, and to enable a mixed tenure of houses to be made available. It is an option to sell a number of the homes to contribute towards the cost of development and service the debt finance, in order to keep the majority of the homes for affordable rentals and co-ownership in perpetuity.
In order for these CED activities to be realised and successfully implemented, there is an essential need to further build the development, delivery and project management capacity of Ambition Lawrence Weston,as the implementation of these activities heavily relies on ALW acting as a junction box between an engaged local community and the public and private sector partner organisations. As a local organisation capable of forming partnerships with external stakeholders, ALW will initially use its core competencies in project and contract management skills, business support and mentoring, training and employment support, to initiate proposed activities for facilities management; lettings and maintenance; energy; and employment and training services, and develop them through to spin-out as trading subsidiaries of ALW.
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7. Timetable
CED Activity Activity Description Lead Person Timeframe Days allocated
Ambition Employment Services Develop training and events Joanne Clarkson By March 2016 3 days schedule and programme for 2016
Ambition Employment Services Further resources secured to Joanne Clarkson Initiate in April Ongoing develop activities 2016
Ambition Employment Services Strong alliance developed with Joanne Clarkson By May 2016 3 days DWP to secure regular referrals and recruitment support for courses.
Ambition Employment Services Employment Hub Impact Joanne Clarkson By Dec 2016 10 days assessment report 1 year on
Ambition Employment Services Establish the LW Youth Centre as Joanne Clarkson By Dec 2016 Ongoing … … … … a hub of training and learning
Ambition Employment Services Legacy planning (including Joanne Clarkson By April 2017 10 days possible business development activities)
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Ambition Energy Services Explore and start developing David Tudgey By April 2016 20 days … … … … internship training programme
Ambition Energy Services Secure further resource from to David Tudgey By June 2016 15 days develop internships
Ambition Energy Services Organise benefit event to David Tudgey By June 2016 4 days … … … … promote share offer
Ambition Energy Services Pilot internship training David Tudgey By September 12 month programme programme & delivery 2016 community energy workshops
Ambition Energy Services 2nd Pilot of internship training David Tudgey By December 20 days … … … … programme and assess 2016 internship programme success
Ambition Energy Services Develop partnerships for David Tudgey By April 2017 Ongoing apprenticeship programme
Ambition Energy Services Pilot apprenticeship training David Tudgey By September 12 month programme … … … … programme 2017
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Ambition Facilities Management Attend procurement event for Mark Pepper By March 2016 1 day … … … … local trades supplies
Ambition Facilities Management Host local engagement and Mark Pepper By June 2016 3 days outreach event to consult on service development and start building local data base.
Ambition Facilities Management Secure funding for coordinator, Mark Pepper By June 2016 15 days … … … … and website development
Ambition Facilities Management Secure local business partners Mark Pepper By September 10 days for pilot and trial service with 2016 local business to promote service
Ambition Facilities Management Develop and pilot training Mark Pepper By December 15 days programme, develop further 2016 business opportunities
Ambition Facilities Management Expand service offering securing Mark Pepper By April 2017 Ongoing additional contracts city-wide
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Complete feasibility study Mark Pepper By June 2016 TBC
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Secure funding for development Mark Pepper By June 2016 10 days coordinator
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Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Negotiate service contracts with Mark Pepper By September 5 days property developer and housing 2016
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Coordinate opportunities for Mark Pepper By March 2017 10 days local maintenance trades-people
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Start housing development Mark Pepper By April 2017 Ongoing
Ambition Lettings & Maintenance Open shop front on local high- Mark Pepper By December TBC street 2017
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