HCA launch online resource to help local authorities improve places

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has today launched an online resource to support the local investment planning process and help local authorities to identify ways to improve their delivery of great places.

Place Spotlight supports practitioners to develop a strong vision for a local area and prioritises what needs to be done to deliver that vision by providing advice about:
•Their progress in meeting local targets
•Developing their improvement strategy for better quality of services
•Refreshing local strategies in the new environment.

Jayne Crosse, head of strategy, marketing and performance at the HCA said:
“Place Spotlight has uncovered some of the industry’s most innovative and effective housing and regeneration projects that will help practitioners across the country to apply valuable lessons to their own schemes. The groundbreaking projects will inspire and guide people to prepare local investment plans to support the delivery of places that meet the needs of local communities.”

The resource takes each of the eight components of a great place and:
oDescribes what constitutes good, great and exemplary performance
oUses case studies to demonstrate what place making means in practice
oLinks them to indicators for comparisons with others.

Place Spotlight has been piloted extensively and developed in conjunction with a panel of expert advisers from local authorities, the Audit Commission, Local Government Improvement and Development and the Sustainable Development Commission.

It is aimed at frontline delivery teams in local authorities and community activists, who can make direct contact with the organisations featured in the case studies to share knowledge and build networks.

Place Spotlight can be accessed at: www.placespotlight.homesandcommunities.co.uk