Background

Following a number of years of discussions and planning lead by Doctor Dick Atkinson with like minded organisations throughout the country, Poplar HARCA was selected as one of the initial twelve Guide Neighbourhoods in January 2004.

Although not all twelve guides are housing providers, each one had at the heart of its operations the principle of being resident led and each had taken steps along the road to recovery in their area.

Since its inception of the first urban housing company Poplar HARCA’s aim had been to go beyond the bricks and mortar remit of most traditional housing associations and engage in the holistic recovery of a neighbourhood. This approach could not be undertaken without residents owning the vision. To achieve this ownership Poplar HARCA has ensured that its governance structures include residents right from local estate based levels to membership of the full board of the company.

Before being selected as one of the twelve guide neighbourhoods Poplar HARCA had overseen a multi-million pound refurbishment of over 5000 properties transferred from the local authority; all of which was overseen with residents at the heart of the project.

The Evolution of New Mill

The creation of something new takes time and needs to be carefully thought out. Officers of Poplar HARCA responsible for the grant were keen to ensure the openness and sustainability of the project and began by drawing together a person specification, which outlined the skills and experience required.

Once the persons specification was agreed the new opportunities were advertised throughout Poplar and to all the residents who had engaged in decision making governance groups since the company’s formation. Residents were invited to apply for positions with the company, from the applications received a shortlist of 12 residents was drawn up all of which were invited to give a presentation and interview.

From these 12 applicants 4 residents were appointed as senior consultants and 2 as associate consultants. The two differing titles were chosen to identify the differing levels of skills and experience on offer from each consultant.

Following the appointment process the six consultants began meeting with officers to work out how they were going to begin the work of attracting and working with residents. It was felt that a company to deliver the Guide Neighbourhood programme which would be separate to Poplar HARCA would have the freedom to develop beyond the initial programme and would be able to deliver a fresh perspective to neighbourhoods beginning on the road to recovery. The new company would be able to employ and pay its own staff, would be able to attract business on its own merits and would present an opportunity for residents who have gained much insight, experience and expertise in the complexities of neighbourhood recovery in an urban setting to put these skills and experience to work with other residents.

As a result a company has been formed and registered with Companies House, has secured its own premises, opened its own bank account, employed administrative help, obtained the necessary insurances to be able to trade, formed its own corporate identity and begun to deliver the guide neighbourhood programme.

As the accountable body Poplar HARCA officers have drawn up and agreed with the consultancy, now known as New Mill Consultants (Poplar) a service level agreement and annual work programme. Poplar HARCA is also drawing up monitoring systems that will assist the consultancy in measuring its effectiveness in meeting the requirements of the service level agreement and the Guide Neighbourhood programme.

The consultancies strap line ‘Real People for a Change’ shows the different perspective the consultancy brings. All its expertise, skills and experience are drawn from people who have lived through a major regeneration process thus can pass on first hand knowledge of the opportunities and pitfalls the road to neighbourhood recovery holds.