2023-01-18
The Build Back Better mantra was before they decided to get started on the Ukraine, but as an adjunct to the 15 minute cities initiative I'm guessing that BBB hasn't gone away.
What does it mean?
Does it have any meaning, or is it just a lot of hot air to keep us talking about nothing and everything whilst the powers-that-be get on with whatever they really want to do?
The Guildford Society in September 2021 discussed how the town centre masterplan would incorporate the 15 minute city principles, and the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government set out its stall for BBB in our high streets, complete with a foreword by Boris Johnson, prime minister of the day:
" ... we have prioritised measures that help give councils and communities the flexibility and support they need to bring out the best for their local areas"
"We want to help areas create a vision that brings together planning, design and management of public spaces and local community assets to create local areas that promote people’s health, happiness, and well-being"
" ... we want local leaders to champion their communities and be confident and flexible in responding to change"
all no doubt to be accomplished within all the constraints and rules of the planning system, those in charge of the design and management of public spaces, and the owners of the local community assets.
Still, these local leaders will be supported by central government on 5 "key priorities"
- breathing new life into empty buildings (usually inhibited by the planning system)
- supporting high street businesses (usually done by customers)
- improving the public realm (no comment)
- creating safe and clean spaces (usually a job for the local council)
- celebrating pride in local communities (what sort of "pride" are we talking here? Heritage!)
So, with the nanny state still interfering at all levels with their one-size-fits-all policy wheezes, it seems that these local leaders will have their jobs cut out navigating the swamp of officialdom if they want to see any results.
Without wishing to deny any specific priorities, why wouldn't the local councils set their own "key priorities" following local consultation?
And what sort of "support" is being offered here?
"We have backed business throughout the pandemic. with a comprehensive package of support of £352 billion, to help businesses that have been affected by Covid-19. This package includes business grants, the coronavirus loan schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, as well as deferral of income tax payments"
Ah - life support for those businesses that the government didn't manage to extinguish altogether through their absurdly destructive "response" to the "pandemic".
"The government will choose up to 12 further willing non-London local authority areas to benefit from intensive investment in mini-Holland schemes. This builds on the ambitious plans to boost walking and cycling announced by the Prime Minister in summer 2020"
So line up all you non-London local authorities and be quick about it if you want the hand-out that comes with this scheme.
And at last, a good idea:
"We will consider what further reforms can be made to the municipal parking regime to make high streets more accessible to shoppers, including working with councils to ensure that parking space supply and parking tariffs support high streets strategies, and are joined up with local transport plans. We want to see data on parking demand and income published openly, in accordance with a data standard, as part of ‘Annual Parking Reports’, so that citizens can engage more closely in the process of developing parking policies"
There is a lot more, some good, much waffle, much illustrative rather than definitive, and all presented in a muddle of good intentions, vague policy promises, feel-good waffle, and one or two specific proposals that probably make sense, but all predicated on what wonderful things the government will facilitate for us locals because the government knows best.
If it really knew best, it would get out of the way of the local people, stop spending our money centrally, and reduce our taxes so we can come together "in our communities", find our own local leaders and do the job for ourselves.
