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Appendix B - Topic Guide for URC Consultations
December, 2006
1. Questions to URCs
1.1 Why is it there?
- What was the rationale for establishing the URC?
- What do you see to be the role / remit of the URC?
1.2 How is the URC organised?
- What roles and responsibilities do core partners have? Probe for their roles as a URC partner as well as organisations in their own right?
- Is the Board structure and composition satisfactory? Are all relevant interests to the work of the URC adequately represented?
- Is the staffing structure satisfactory? What lessons are there regarding staffing a URC?
- What is the decision making process and how does it fit with the URC's structure? Do you think the arrangements are working adequately (probe for advantages/disadvantages of current arrangements including partners' ability to make decisions without the need to consult internally).
- Are the sub-groups / forums operating as anticipated? What do they add to the URC?
- What is the process to engage with the private sector and what has been your experience to date?
- What advantages and disadvantages are there to the URCs legal structure?
1.3 Business Plan & finances
- How was the business plan or URC priorities developed?
- What research or information was gathered to inform the business plan?
- What/who was involved in the consultation process?
- How were core objectives identified and agreed upon?
- How was a consensus reached among partners?
- What lessons have been learnt - what worked well and what did not work so well?
- How has the Business Plan been received?
- Has additional funding been committed? Timescales?
- What is the degree of private sector funding?
1.4 Delivery
- Is implementation of the Business Plan on track - has the URC met its key targets and milestones? If no, why not? If yes, are there any factors that you think have contributed to this?
- What do you view as the key issues in terms of ongoing implementation of the Business Plan/ URC priorities?
- What are the key activities underway? Are there any lessons learnt that you would highlight?
- What steps have you taken to encourage speed and efficiency of delivery? Please provide examples.
- What has influenced the way that projects have been phased? Probe for quick wins, community interest, financial etc?
- Does the URC have relationships with developers or investors? What are the lessons from the procurement process?
- What are the issues that have arisen around land assembly? Probe for issues connected to transfer of land from public sector (in Raploch & Craigmillar) or developing privately owned sites (Clydebank). What would you highlight as the key lessons regarding land issues?
- To what extent does the URC try to join up with other initiatives? What examples are there?
- How is quality maintained?
- What mechanisms are currently in place to ensure progress against objectives?
- How is value for money ensured?
- How does the URC promote itself and its activities? Is this effective?
- Has the URC used consultancy services? If yes what for, how was the procurement process and how useful was their input?
1.5 Community Involvement
- Has there been any consultation with the local community? Probe for community involvement in strategy development as well as examples of successful engagement techniques?
- How will future support be maintained?
- What have been the key lessons to date regarding community involvement?
1.6 Added Value
- What if anything is unique about URCs that allows them to add value to the regeneration process?
- In what way do you believe this URC has added the most value?
- What are the lessons learnt in terms of:
- funding
- planning
- co-ordination of resources
- decision making process
- improving market confidence / engagement
- procurement
- private sector investment
- speed of delivery on the ground
- partnership working
1.7 Monitoring and Evaluation
What monitoring and evaluation arrangement are in place at this time?
- What lessons have been learnt from early management / governance of the URC?
- What measurable / non-measurable impacts have you seen as a result of current activity?
- To what degree do you see the following as being critical delivery issues:
- Land assembly
- Planning
- Procurement
- Recruitment
- Decision-making
- Others
1.8 Contribution to regional and local priorities
- Do you think the URC has an influence beyond its immediate boundaries? Probe in terms of housing and labour markets, business sector and services such as retail.
- To what degree have activities to date impacted on city region and local priorities?
- In what ways do you foresee future delivery impacting on city region and local priorities?
1.9 Successes and difficulties
Questions to Stakeholders
1.10 Strategic Partner Roles
- In what ways do you engage with the URC?
- Did you have an input to the Business Plan/priority setting process?
- Does your organisation contribute financially to the URC?
- What is your organisation's role in relation to the URC? What are the key differences in responsibilities between your organisation and the URC?
1.11 Perception and Attitudes of URC
- What is the perception of the URC from within your organisation?
- Do you feel that the URC relates enough to its partner organisations in strategic decision making?
- How 'joined-up' is the decision making process?
- Does the URC actively engage with other regeneration programmes / priorities? Could more be done?
- To what extent do you think the URC engages with the local community?
- How accountable do you think the URC is in relation to its delivery partners and the local community?
- What tangible differences do you think have been achieved since the implementation of the URC?
- In what way does the URC provide added value?
- Speed of delivery on the ground
- Engagement of private sector
- Land assembly issues
- Strategic focus
- Decision making
- Partnership work
- Others etc
- What do you think would happen if the URC was not in operation? What do you think are the main lessons that can be learned?
- What barriers / obstacles remain that the URC is yet to tackle? How would you like to see this achieved?
- To what extent do you feel the work of the URC is actively promoted? Could more be done?
Identifying Best Practice in Establishing and Monitoring the Effectiveness of Urban Regeneration Companies
Community
1. What do you know about the URC? (Probe for: remit, coverage, lifespan, projects, organisations involved, funding)
2. What publicity or information have you seen relating to the URC?
3. What role have local people like yourselves played in developing the URC? Was it sufficient?
4. And what role will local people like yourselves have as the URC progresses? Is it likely to be sufficient?
5. Do you think the views of local people like yourselves are important to the URC?
6. What are the three most important issues that the URC need to address?
7. How will we know if the URC has been a success? If we looked at statistics about the area in a few years time what would be different? (Probe for jobs in the area, unemployment and other benefit claimant rates, health, education, house prices, derelict land)
8. From what you know of the URC do you think it will make a difference to this area over the next 10-15 years?
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