Small Small Retailers in Deprived Areas
About the Scheme
Background to the scheme
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Crime problems faced by small retailers were highlighted in the Social Exclusion Unit's report on providing access to decent shopping facilities in deprived areas (Policy Action Team 13 report).
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On 27 June 2001 the Home Secretary announced that a fund of £15m had been set aside under the Capital Modernisation Fund to help tackle these problems, with £3m for the year 2001/2 and £6m for each of the years 2002/3 and 2003/4.
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The aim of the project was to improve the security of small retailers in the 10% most deprived areas in England and Wales by providing a range of interventions to individual shops or groups of shops such as better locks and toughened glass or by making improvements to their immediate environment, such as better lighting.
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A Home Office Development and Practice report entitled ‘Tackling crimes against small businesses: Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Initiative’ is now available from the RDS website. This report examines the lessons to be drawn from the SRDA initiative and is intended for practitioners who are considering similar crime prevention work. Case studies are used throughout to highlight relevant good practice and practical guidance is given on how to effectively target resources, how to engage with the business community and how to work towards a sustainable outcome.
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Regional researchers have also compiled short good practice summaries of six of the evaluated SRDA projects to highlight the different approaches taken by projects to tackle crimes against small businesses. Each report focuses on a different angle of working with small businesses, from problem solving, to thinking about issues within the wider retail area.
The Scheme in operation
114 schemes, covering nearly 3,000 shops were helped in 2001/2002. 195 schemes, covering over 4,500 businesses are currently receiving assistance from the £6m allocated in 2002/2003. A further £6m will be available in 2003/2004. Over the 3 years after project, 12,500 shops have benefited.
Rather than target the 88 priority deprived local authority areas, data at ward level was utilised in order to target the funding more sharply. This more precise indicator has meant that the funding is targeted accurately at a local level. From the 114 projects funded in 2001/2002, approximately half fall within the 88 priority areas. The other half are pockets of high deprivation in local authority areas which, by covering a larger geographical area, score less highly in the Indices of Deprivation and are therefore considered more affluent. This careful targeting is central to the success of this scheme, which focuses on parades of small shops and/or individual shops that would not necessarily be identified at local authority level.
Funding
The regional allocations for 2001 - 2004 funding are:
|
Region |
2001-2002 (£) |
2002/2003 (£) |
2003/2004 (£) |
Total |
|
Eastern |
196,620 |
393,475 |
393,475 |
983,570 |
|
East Midlands |
236,060 |
471,052 |
471,052 |
1,178,164 |
|
London |
454,720 |
910,515 |
910,515 |
2,275,750 |
|
North East |
248,530 |
496,244 |
496,244 |
1,241,018 |
|
North West |
470,670 |
942,209 |
942,209 |
2,355,088 |
|
South East |
246,500 |
493,580 |
493,580 |
1,233,660 |
|
South West |
194,300 |
389,604 |
389,604 |
973,508 |
|
West Midlands |
333,210 |
666,182 |
666,182 |
1,665,574 |
|
Yorkshire & Humber |
327,410 |
655,882 |
655,882 |
1,639,174 |
|
Wales |
190,820 |
381,257 |
381,257 |
953,334 |
The Government was keen to direct funds strategically at the areas where the problems are most acute so that effective improvements can be made and sustained. The funding is therefore being administered through the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships.
These Crime Reduction Partnerships were created under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and are made up of representatives from the local police, the local authorities and other interested groups which may include business and retail representatives. Their main aim is to deliver local solutions to local crime problems and they work with the local community to find the best solutions to tackling the most prevalent problems.
It is believed that this Partnership approach really is the key to delivering reductions in crime on the ground and that is why they have been charged with putting forward proposals and implementing project work under the small retailers scheme.
A list of Partnerships can be found on the Partnership mini zone.
Evaluation
The scheme is being evaluated by
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an in-depth study of a small number of well targeted and implemented projects from each year. The researchers are looking at a range of questions including what works and why, how quickly changes are seen and how long they last, the impact on the area and its people and the implementation lessons
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an analysis of outcomes from a further sample survey of 25-30 projects
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a monitoring questionnaire has been completed by each of the 114 projects funded under year 1 of the scheme. This form collected basic information about the nature of the project, additional sources of funding and anticipated outcomes. A second form has been distributed asking for brief details of the outcome of each of the projects. This monitoring process will be repeated for projects funded under year two of the scheme.
The evaluation is due to be completed in Spring 2005.
Last update: 25 November 2004