Regeneration players and coastal networks

The XDWGCTs and the RDA Coastal Network

The Select Committee Inquiry (oft cited!), in recognising the lack of coastal awareness among some government departments, recommended the establishment of a Cross-Departmental Working Group on Coastal Towns (XDWGCT). Because of the undynamic nature of resort economies, they also proposed the setting-up of an RDA Coastal Network to disseminate best practice on business diversification, skills and employment creation. These groups are reviewed below. 

Established in 2007, the XDWGCT is intended to provide a mechanism for the exchanging of information about coastal settlements between all departments of state. A small team of staff at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) administers the working group, who have already delivered a valuable service in commissioning two pieces of research into the socioeconomic circumstances of the 80 largest coastal resorts in England. It is to be hoped that the work of the working group will also lead to a freely available, national definition of coastal resorts, thereby enabling research comparisons around the country. The working group have also invited a range of coastal and regional stakeholders to present at their meetings, including the CCA, Brada and the Coastal SIG. They have also provided financial support for the production of this Handbook

Despite the determination of the people involved in establishing the XDWGCT and the Regional Development Agency Coastal Network, both have met some resistance from government departments in supporting their work, often on the basis that the government departments’ role is about policy, while the delivery and impact of their national programmes are the responsibilities of regional and local delivery agencies. The fact that many coastal resorts over-consume some public programmes (e.g. incapacity benefits and health services), while other programmes have limited impact in some resorts (e.g. business services, education and skills development), requires further analysis and a national policy response.

The global recession has, as in many other spheres, impacted on these national coastal bodies, in two negative ways.

• First, before the global financial disaster, and following a long period of rising national  employment and economic growth, there was evolving a concerted national programme focused on addressing worklessness, which is a substantial and growing problem in coastal resorts. However, the scale of the financial crisis resulted in government departments having to divert attention and resources to dealing with the failings of the banking system, supporting industry and responding to rising unemployment.
• Meanwhile, the RDAs were having their funds diverted into housing and their powers and morale undermined by structural reviews. Even the highly valued and well-received new funding stream, SeaChange, has felt the machete of public cuts!

Despite the existence of the XDWGCT and the RDA Coastal Network, the CCA considers there is a need for a nationally resourced and independent Coastal Intelligence Unit  to support coastal regeneration practitioners by articulating the social and economic circumstances and needs of coastal resorts, supporting topic groups, highlighting good practice and informing and lobbying for policy reforms.