Ex post evaluation URBAN II the Urban Community

Ex post evaluation URBAN II – the Urban Community Initiative Daniel Mouqué Evaluation Unit, DG REGIO 1

What was URBAN II? • • Urban « neighbourhoods in crisis » 70 programmes, 14 MSs, 2. 2 million people € 754 m ERDF, € 1. 6 bn total 2001 -2006 The « URBAN method » • Integrated approach: economic, social and physical regeneration • Strong local partnership 2

The evaluation • Review of 70 programmes (documents, indicators, data, programme manager interviews) • 15 indepth case studies (representative sample), including: • 120 stakeholder interviews • 10 project-level mini case studies • Evaluation of URBACT I • 3 scientific experts (balanced panel) 3

Outputs & results In the slides that follow, I present: • physical regeneration: reversing urban decay • building the local economy • tackling social exclusion Presented as separate themes, but strong integration at both project and programme level 4

Key outputs: physical regeneration & reversing urban decay • 372 restoration projects (urban heritage) • 2, 314, 000 m² of buildings converted and renovated (community centres, museums, libraries, creches) • A further 557, 115 m² developed for social, sports, education and health uses • 3, 238, 000 m² of new green space • 80 km of cycle and footpaths plus 11, 614 m² of renovated surfaces for cyclists and pedestrians 5

Key outputs: building the local economy • 108, 000 individuals trained • 6, 000 small/micro-businesses and new entrepreneurs supported: • incubators • business services • microfinance • 2, 000 jobs created Keyword: micro. Case studies found larger ambitions « swamped » by changes in broader economy (eg parent city, region) 6

Key outputs: tackling social exclusion • Of the 108, 000 people trained, > ½ from vulnerable groups (helped to overcome illiteracy, continue education, enter labour market for 1 st time) • 8/15 case studies found impacts from new social services and resources (eg centres offering information, advice and other support to residents) • 247 projects to reduce local crime, delivered in collaboration with community groups : • street wardens • CCTV, landscaping and street lighting 7

Key success factor: local partnership Successful projects: local ownership… …Unsuccessful projects: imposed from above • 80% of programmes led by the local authority • > 80% of partnerships characterised as inclusive (community groups, private sector, employment agencies, training providers, development agencies, law enforcement, health professionals) • The voluntary sector led some 10% of projects, key partner in implementation of many more 8

But crucial role for larger players Larger partners (agencies, city, region, MS) can: • Provide expertise and help build capacity of local players • 593 initiatives. In one case (Burnley in the UK), led to 134 people getting into community management. • Sustain projects in longer term. 60 % of projects continue after URBAN II – support of a larger partner usually key • Provide good economic framework conditions in whole city or region – strong influence on URBAN II areas EU helped build capacity through URBACT: • But more personal knowledge, less documents 9

Better planning, monitoring and evaluation • Ambitious start, planning 4120 indicators (= 59/programme) … for ERDF of € 11 m/prog! • … but 35% of indicators not collected • Intervention logic unclear in a few cases… • … and relevant indicators often missed (eg 31 progs counted vocational training places, only 1 the obvious outcome: qualifications gained) => Clear intervention logic, few (but relevant) indicators, collected consistently 10

Recommendations « Small is beautiful… economics as if people mattered » - Joseph Schumpeter • Local partnership, ownership ( « local development » ) • But clear role for larger players in lending expertise, building capacity • Micro-measures, not overambitious • Integrated approach in a small area • Clear intervention logic, few but relevant indicators, collected consistently 11