Harrogate conference agrees new regeneration policy (Greg Stone)

Harrogate conference agrees new regeneration policy

March 3, 2007 12:00 AM

At the Lib Dem spring conference at Harrogate this weekend, delegates voted to adopt a new party policy on regeneration based on a policy paper which Greg helped to draft.

The new policy stresses that "regeneration can only succeed through the actions of local people", and sets out new policies designed to promote sustainability, adopt the latest standards of urbanism and design, and ensure maximum involvement of local people.

Importantly, the policy also sets out new suggestions on ways of ensuring a level playing field between supermarkets and small independent local shops, and ways of ensuring money flows remain within a community rather than being siphoned off to big business.

The policy document can be read here:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/Green%20and%20Prosperous%20Communities.pdf

A new book "Power, Actually", by David Boyle, was also launched at Conference. This publication looks at the approaches and policies adopted by Lib Dem controlled councils up and down the country, showing how the Lib Dem commitment to localism is far more effective than that of the other parties. A chapter on the approach taken to regeneration in Newcastle looks at the community-led approach introduced by Greg.