Community involvement essential to keep the high street alive

Communities should be given more say over their local high streets’ future, according to a new report.

The report by the Centre for London warns government programmes to involve communities and support local authorities to keep local high streets have not gone far enough.

For example, it argues that town centre management bodies, which can shape community involvement, are not in place everywhere across the UK.

In London just 10% of town centres have a strategy although this may change over the next mayoral term, with City Hall’s commitment to making ‘High Streets for All’ a key mission for recovery.

Other new government programmes, like the Community Ownership Fund – which helps communities to purchase properties in their area – are welcome but will need to be flexible for more communities to benefit, according to the report.

It also recommends ministers build on existing programmes to fund high street strategies, by giving grants directly to councils, rather than allocating funding through a competitive bidding process.

And it suggests that local authorities create an inclusive town centre strategy with existing community or business groups. If local authorities cannot do this, Business Improvement Districts, other place partnerships or community groups could make a start instead and involve their local authority at a later stage.

‘High streets are no longer just places to shop and have an important role at the centre of our communities. When retailers close, local people who use our high streets every day are best placed to decide what should happen,’ said Centre for London director, Claire Harding.

‘That’s why the government needs to give local authorities and their communities more power to decide what happens to their town centres.’

Vidhya Alakeson, CEO of Power to Change and High Street Task Force board member, added: ‘Centre for London’s new report outlines practical action national and local governments, developers, businesses and communities can take to build the community high street of the future.

‘Their call for genuine partnership among all town stakeholders is especially important. For too long, communities haven’t had the power to set the direction for their high streets. New decision-making power for communities, alongside access to high street spaces, are vital next steps.’