Holistic, integrated and sustainable regeneration in a diverse and peripheral county

Abstract

This paper outlines the experience of the Northumberland Strategic Partnership in leading a holistic and integrated approach to sustainable economic, social and environmental regeneration in a large and diverse county. A county with a long coastline which has boundaries with the densely populated Tyneside conurbation to the south, the sparsely populated Scottish border to the north with the north Pennines to the west. The paper emphasizes the importance of harnessing the skills of all members of the Partnership, encouraging multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working to secure key cross cutting outcomes. The importance of gearing partners and government mainstream programmes to regeneration and the need to access numerous other funding regimes is emphasized. The paper illustrates some of the difficulties faced and promotes the development of a more mature relationship between government, the regions, local partnerships and communities.