Memorandum by the English Regional Development
Agencies (RDAs) (CT 09)
INTRODUCTION
1. The key concern of the RDAs is to focus
on regional priorities in support of improving the economic performance
of the English regions. The Regional Economic Strategies (RES)
provide the overarching strategic framework for the regions, which
ensure the ability to:
— Identify and prioritise actions needed
to strengthen regional economies through a robust evidence base.
— Develop solutions appropriate to
regional conditions.
— Concentrate resources behind those
solutions.
— Mobilise other regional partners
and lever in private sector finance to support those solutions.
2. Through the priorities identified in
the RESs, the RDAs ensure that everyone within the region is able
to contribute to and benefit from the economic and quality of
life opportunities that economic growth can offer. Each RES is
developed in consultation and partnership with a range of public,
private, voluntary and community sector stakeholders, which ensures
a regional strategic vision shared by all partners in the region.
3. The advent of the RDAs consolidated previously
separate economic development funding programmes into one single
budget, the Single Pot. RDAs are keen to stress that any new funding
for economic development should be incorporated into the Single
Pot to ensure the alignment of spending in the regions.
4. The principle of sub-regional partnership
working is now well established by the RDAs and already makes
a huge contribution to the economic growth of regional economies.
Sub-regional partnership working and collaboration is not solely
focussed around a core (or city) area. Sub-regional working exists
in all geographic areas of a region to address current and future
need, economic potential and opportunity. Where city-regions exist,
they have a strong interdependent relationship with adjacent rural
and other areas. There are economic gains to be had from building
stronger complimentary relationships between urban and non-urban
areas.
5. The RES, as the shared regional economic
framework, provides the overarching context for the economic development
priorities for regions, sub and city regions and local areas.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
COASTAL TOWNS
6. It is suggested that there are particular
issues, which need to be taken into account when addressing the
needs of coastal towns. These are:
(a) Changes to the visitor economy that have
impacted on traditional resort towns, which have faced challenges
for restructuring since the 1950's.
(b) Particular needs of industrial sectors
and primary production that concentrate along the coast, (chemicals,
ship building, offshore and marine engineering, power generation,
fishing).
(c) A concentration of environmental assets
and associated development considerations (eg protected areas
for landscape and biodiversity, coastal defence, sea level rise,
managed retreat).
(d) Arguably, particularly intense competition
for land uses in the coastal zone, whether for tourism, leisure,
industry, housing or conservation.
7. Coastal towns tend to face some common
social and economic challenges such as:
— Social isolation due to rurality
and peripherality.
— Low wage, low skill economy and seasonality
of employment.
— High dependence on a single industry.
— Out-migration of young people.
— Higher than average residents aged
over 65 years.
— Poor transport infrastructure.
8. Although, as outlined briefly above,
there tends to be some common features shared by coastal towns,
there is significant disparity among the towns falling under this
classification. The coast is relatively diverse and has areas
with different economic and social characteristics. There are
varied areas of conurbation: small rural towns and villages, resort
towns, coalfield, rural areas and sites of industrial activity,
particularly, but not exclusively associated with the estuaries.
9. Distinctness between coastal resorts
was a key finding of "The Seaside Economy"[3].
This report concluded that a "one size fits all" approach
to developing coastal towns is not an appropriate way forward.
Special initiatives that seek to apply a model approach to coastal
resorts would not be a justifiable response.
10. Initiatives for coastal towns need,
as far as possible, to be tailored to meet the specific requirements
of individual towns and their inter-relationship with the wider
area. There is a broad set of economic drivers to take into account
when considering the range and variety of needs of coastal towns,
needs which should be appreciated from a local/sub-regional level.
RDAS AND
COASTAL TOWNS
11. Given their diversity, coastal towns
are felt to face a number of challenges that are shared with other
parts of their regions. RDAs may not operate a specific coastal
area programme but will consider the factors outlined in a-d above
in delivering wider programmes of development, which are often
in coastal zones (eg market towns, rural programmes and tourism
delivery). There are also sector specific interventions, which
will have particular impact in the coastal zone around sectors
such as fishing, chemicals etc. In addition, sub-regional strategies
aim to take a strategic approach to issues at the sub-regional
level.
12. For the South West RDA, the principal
vehicle for identifying the needs of small to medium coastal towns
is through the Market and Coastal Towns initiative (MCTi). Investment
by the RDA in the Market and Coastal Towns Association (set up
to administer the MCTi) will ensure that the most deprived towns
in the region are able to draw up and implement a Community Strategic
Plan. Larger towns are much more likely to feature in sub-regional
economic strategies and their development needs addressed via
a range of programmes, eg RDA Single Pot, Neighbourhood Renewal,
Lottery Funding etc.
13. The approach adopted has been to support
the development and competitiveness of the core economic activity,
be this tourism or fishing, whilst at the same time seeking to
broaden the economy to provide more sustainable jobs and prosperity.
This support of economic development goes hand in hand with regeneration
of the built environment, including the public realm and investment
in skills.
14. Within the East Midlands, the coastal
strip falls entirely within the county of Lincolnshire. It is
one of the most economically disadvantaged parts of the region
and displays many of the challenges common to coastal towns. The
first Coastal Action Zone (CAZ) was launched in December 2004,
led jointly by Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsey District
Council. East Midlands Development Agency is a member of the CAZ
and is fully in support of the initiative. The Partnership will
address some of the challenges common to coastal towns as outlined
above. The aim is to highlight the issues, develop an agreed set
of priorities and action, and draw in greater resources through
a common and integrated approach.
15. Yorkshire Forward's investment in coastal
towns is based upon their Urban and Rural Renaissance of Place
Programmes. These programmes have a focus on the physical and
spatial aspects of towns and cities but are very closely aligned
to the economic, social and environmental agendas. A key aim of
these programmes is to support the growth and success of the town
centres in line with the Government's planning policy for such
centres. Additional investment is also made through the environment
programme, tourism, business and voluntary and community support.
16. The coastal towns within the East of
England are highly varied, ranging from some of the most deprived
areas in the region to some of the most affluent settlements.
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has supported the
establishment of two URCs, invested in major public infrastructure
schemes and undertaken masterplanning exercises in several coastal
areas. With CABE and English Heritage, the agency funded the "Shifting
Sands" event/publication on changing the design and image
of seaside towns. EEDA's approach is to support the needs of each
area on its own merits. The agency has streamlined its funding
priorities into four core products: Investing in Communities,
Regional Renaissance, Business Support and Enterprise Hubs. These
funding streams are flexible enough to support the particular
needs of the East's coastal towns.
17. One NorthEast recently commissioned
a Strategic Framework for the Development of the Visitor Economy
of the North East Coast. The purpose is to agree a long-term vision
and set out a framework to deliver the vision, supported by a
robust evidence base. It is expected to give clarity to the agency,
regional partners, stakeholders and other funding bodies on investment
policy for tourism in the coastal zone. The role of the visitor
economy is being viewed in a wider context of regeneration so
that a holistic view of the coast is reached.
18. RDAs recognise the value of their coastal
towns and the contribution such towns can make to local and regional
economies. The coast is both an asset and an area of opportunity,
but there are also significant challenges to be addressed and
factors (a)-(d) as set out above should be considered in coastal
town interventions. As RDAs, we place sustainable economic growth
and development that seeks to maximise economic impact and return
on investment at the forefront of our considerations. Seaside
towns have a distinctive role to play in regional economies and
RDAs are committed to working with partners to assist with the
prioritisation and development of effective actions along the
coast. Initiatives to tackle the diverse needs of coastal towns
need to be developed within the regional framework. RDAs do not
consider it appropriate to develop special national initiatives.
REGIONAL DISPARITIES
19. The report "Economic Change and
the Labour Market in Britain's Seaside Towns" states that
the differences between seaside towns underlines the extent to
which the strength of the local economy often cannot be divorced
from the regional context. This, it states, is clearest in South
East England, where relatively strong growth in employment and
population owes much to the prosperity of the South East economy.
Towns here are evolving into parts of the Greater South East economy
that happen to be by the sea.[4]
20. RDAs are committed to contributing to
the successful fulfilment of ODPM PSA2 and would emphasise the
importance of all Government departments adopting this target.
In order to raise the economic performance of all regions and
reduce the gap in growth rates between them, the impact of Government
policy in the regions must be considered. RDAs are keen to provide
regional economic advice and input to help shape policy and ensure
its effectiveness in the regions.
CONCLUSION
21. RDAs have and will continue to play
a vital role in the support of coastal town revitalisation. The
contribution of coastal towns to sub-regional and regional economies
is important and is reflected in the measure and nature of support
that RDAs provide to those towns. RESs may not identify coastal
towns as a separate category of place but they do focus on supporting
the economic growth of all settlements whether urban, rural or
coastal. Within that context, support for coastal towns is integral
to RDA programmes.
22. The diversity evident in coastal towns
means that neither funding, nor policy come from one source or
overarching strategy. The co-ordination of policy and action is
critical from the Government Department level through to the local
level. In addition to ODPM, policy initiatives from departments
such as DTI, DCMS, Home Office, DEFRA and DWP, will all have a
major influence on the coastal towns agenda. Measures which ensure
effective joined-up working among the various interested parties
are therefore highly important. RDAs will continue to work with
Government and partners in their regions to foster and sustain
a co-ordinated approach to development in these towns.
3 The Seaside Economy-Christina Beatty and
Stephen Fothergill (Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research,
Sheffield Hallam University, June 2003). Back
4
Economic Change and the Labour Market in Britain's Seaside
Towns- Christina Beatty and Stephen Fothergill (Centre for
Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University,
June 2003). Back
| 
