The new report from a research programme by the British Academy and Nuffield Foundation focuses on how communities function, and how they improve lives.
Their recommendations for policymakers are, for local authorities:
- Prioritise long-term investment into community spaces and key personnel of community projects.
- Co-design services and spaces with communities.
- Deliver services through local organisations where appropriate.
And for central government:
- Improve approaches to funding communities to better support the development and maintenance of conditions needed for them to thrive.
- Provide guidance to local bodies which prioritises strengthening communities.
- Proceed with plans to make it easier for communities to acquire local assets.