Ethos Public Relations Manchester

Regeneration industry warned that the days of ‘tick box’ consulting local people are over

by Ethos public relations

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, will warn the regeneration industry at a summit in Manchester next week that the days of ‘tick box’ consulting local people and then getting on with it are over.

Speaking ahead of the Northern Regeneration Summit, Ed Mayo says: “Big Society and less money will turn the relationship between the regeneration industry and local people on its head. Local people are the way to get things done – whether through local ideas, co-operative and community ownership, or local people's time, paid or voluntary.

“In future, regeneration professionals will need to be on tap, not on top.”

Ed goes on to explain that while it is certainly the case that society is trusted more than government, society should not be seen as a panacea.

Recent Co-operatives UK research shows that 61 per cent of people across the UK feel that the way government treats people is unfair, compared to 44 per cent who feel that the way people are treated in society is unfair.

Ed says: “This is a big improvement, but it is hardly a ringing endorsement.

“Embracing the ‘Big Society’ does not solve issues of fairness and for a minority it is like jumping from the fire back into the frying pan. Clearly, issues of fairness, such as open information and having a say, matter no less in a Big Society than they do with a Big Government.”

Posted at 6^th October 2010