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New Start/ CLES Launch

Posted on 28 January 2011

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Guest Author

Last night a couple of us (Hannah Gibbs, Project Support Officer and Jaina Patel, Marketing and Communications Manager) attended the CLES NewStart Launch event in London. We heard about the new online services that they are setting up together which aims to support all of us working in the regeneration sector through case studies, research and policy analysis. The speakers were Andy Sawford (Local Government Information Unit), Nicola Steuer (New Economics Foundation) and Richard Cairns (Audit Commission). Each of them presented their thoughts about some of the challenges and opportunities posed by localism and how it can help to make better places.

We thought we would share some of the issues raised:

One of the clear messages from the evening is that there is a crucial need for localism to be steered and managed carefully and with a long-term view, or else it could fail to deliver positive changes.

It was refreshing and encouraging for us to hear so much positivity and determination from all the speakers and organisations present last night. It’s really important that we continue to find and make the most of opportunities which arise during these tough times.