Bishop hits out against regeneration industry

A consultancy has defended the use of
professional advisers on community regeneration projects following
criticism from the Bishop of Liverpool.

The Rt Rev James Jones had said money from the
new deal for communities should be put directly into deprived areas
rather than through funding agencies, consultants and professional
regenerators.

“The political and professional classes who
dominate the regeneration industry are well meaning and chant the
correct mantras,” said the Bishop, who is chairperson of
Liverpool’s New Deal for Communities.

“But the more involved I get the more I feel
we do not understand what it means. The issue is not how much money
is spent on and for the new deal for communities, but how much
money is spent through them.”

But the Community Education Development
Centre, a charity that provides consultancy advice on regeneration,
insisted that consultants have a “valid and important” role.

Director Phil Street asked: “Who is going to
teach communities to learn what they don’t know if not
consultants?”

Advice from good consultants is an investment
in local people who will reap the benefits, he said.