The Evaluation of the Single Regeneration Budget Programme in the North East

Background

SRB was designed to streamline the approach to neighbourhood regeneration and set out to “enhance the quality of life of local people in areas of need by reducing inequality”. Between 1994 and 2007, the North East region was the recipient of over £650m of SRB funding.  

Task

In 2006, ONE North East commissioned us to undertake a final evaluation of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) Programme across the region. We:

• examined the performance of the programme
• accessed the implications of SRB’s demise on the voluntary and community sector
• considered the key lessons learnt;
• made recommendations for future regeneration initiatives in the North East.

Assignment

We analysed the meta-data for the NRF programme in the North East, we reviewed the evaluation reports for SRB in the North East and we consulted with strategic and project stakeholders and the voluntary and community sector in the region.

Findings

We concluded that the SRB programme in the North East broadly achieved the objectives set for it. It delivered locally based regeneration programmes through local partnerships and set the foundations for the on-going regeneration of some of the most deprived areas of the North East. It had helped create over 12,000 jobs and 2,700 new businesses.   We noted that in some areas, SRB was a little over ambitious in what it set out to achieve, particularly some of the estate regeneration programmes which were bold in their intent, but probably under resourced given the challenges faced. 

Contact