ADD2022 Tottenham Social Impact Evaluation

1.1 Tottenham is a key area of change that is helping to deliver homes and jobs for London. The 2013 Upper Lea Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) identified capacity for 10,000 new homes and 5,000 new jobs in Tottenham. The emerging Tottenham Area Action Plan sets the policy framework for delivering these new homes jobs. This capacity is made possible through coordination and investment into the public transport network - specifically the new station at Tottenham Hale, the Stratford Angel Road (STAR) scheme, planned upgrade of the West Anglia Mainline, and anticipated benefits of Crossrail 2. It is also a result of Housing Zone investment - which is enabling the delivery of infrastructure that unlocks key sites in the regeneration area.

1.2 As early collaborators, GLA Regeneration with Haringey Council have been part of the process of shaping the ambitious programme of regeneration. As a result of these relationships and our position as the strategic authority - we have taken a lead on resolving strategic issues such as the limited train service in Northumberland Park; and coordinating GLA investment decisions such as the National College for Digital Skills. The public sector role has focussed on engagement on the quality of design, growing the local economy, skills and training and ensuring that regeneration delivers places that people can be proud of, and raises social and economic well-being in the Upper Lea Valley.

1.3 Tottenham has been the focus of significant GLA investment since 2011. Early investment through the Mayors Regeneration Fund (MRF) can be said to have catalysed a significant regeneration programme for Tottenham which is attracting major private investment and signalling a resurgence for the area as a place of choice for business and families.

1.4 £42m has been invested in Tottenham since the riots. This includes:

• £18m from the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund
• £10m Government Funding from the London Enterprise Fund
• £14m match funding from LB Haringey (LBH).

The £28 million funding includes:

• £2.5m for the Growth on the High Road Project to rejuvenate Tottenham High Road
• £1.1m to invest in employment and training support
• £3.6m to transform 639 Tottenham High Road
• £18m for North Tottenham, including £3.5m to deliver new highways and parking improvements, £2.5m investment in a District Energy Network, £8.5m to transform the area immediately adjacent to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, £3.5m investment in Tottenham Hale Station (Plus (£9m from the Council)
• £2.6m for an Opportunity Investment Fund to invest in key sites on the High Street, informed by the findings of the Tottenham Physical Development framework.

1.5 Close working between the GLA and LB Haringey has helped to leverage significant private (£790m – THFC and current property development) and public (£282m) investment to deliver the regeneration in Tottenham. The primary sources of public funding are transport infrastructure (£152m), Housing Zone phase 1 and 2 (£99.8m), and Growing Places/BiS funding (£31m) for the National College for Digital Skills. A further £2bn private investment (future property development) is anticipated through the phase 1 Housing Zone.

1.6 The strategy has been set and in a number of parts of the Tottenham Regeneration Area the current focus is on either procurement or coordination of delivery partners. Other parts of the Tottenham Regeneration Area - along the High Road in particular - need to continue to evolve, building on existing strengths and recent successes, to create a high street that's fit for the future.

1.7 The stage of the process in Tottenham means significant investments have been made across a specific geography. This - combined with our strategic function - presents an opportunity to look in detail at the impact of GLA investments and test and pilot an approach to evaluation that captures the wider social impact of the work we do in collaboration with local authorities.

2.1 The primary objective of this commission is to gather qualitative and quantitative data on the social impact of changes in the defined Tottenham area and determine the extent to which observed impacts are attributable to the range of GLA supported interventions delivered over the past 5 years.

2.2 This work will contribute to the GLA and local authorities’ understanding of the social impact of regeneration interventions at different scales and inform future place based regeneration approaches. Furthermore, in understanding the social impact of previous interventions, this study should recommend a framework for assessing and measuring the social impact of other ongoing and future activity.

2.3 The study will, for the specified area and range of listed interventions:

- Develop and agree a methodology for assessing their social impact with a clear and appropriate theory of change
- Build an understanding of the GLA supported interventions in the Tottenham area and other related investments that may have been catalysed as a result
- Working with the local authority, identify organisations and social groups that need to be engaged in this work – both direct beneficiaries of specific interventions and those for whom some indirect benefit might be expected.
- Conduct primary research, in accordance with a proposed and agreed methodology that seeks to understand the social impact of the specified investments – how they affected existing or created new community assets, what affect they have had on social capital and to what extent they have created inclusive opportunities.
- Analyse and interpret results from quantitative and qualitative data collected, making use of existing datasets from delivery partners
- Identify key lessons learnt as part of a coherent and comprehensive set of conclusions that can be used to inform future policymaking within the GLA the development of future Regeneration funding initiatives.
- Make recommendations on a framework for assessing the social impact of similar place based interventions; including suggestions on data or indicators that are deemed most appropriate, how to record and define baselines for this data and a methodology for collecting it.

2.4 The primary audience for this study will be political decision makers and policy officers at local authority and GLA level. However the final reporting output should be written and communicated in such a way that allows messages to be shared with a wider audience - be that powerful stories, statements, facts or figures. We welcome ideas that incorporate the use of other visual and aural media. The final output should use clear, concise and accessible language.

2.5 Specific tasks:

Primary objective: To gather qualitative and quantitative data on the social impact of interventions in the defined Tottenham area and determine the extent to which observed impacts are attributable to the range of GLA supported interventions.

Secondary objective: The study has a wider aim to recommend a framework for assessing and measuring the social impact of regeneration in London. The framework should be accessible and usable by a wide range of partners.

3.1 The specification for this piece of work (which is attached as an appendix) was drafted with the input and advice of the GLA’s Diversity and Social Policy team. They are part of a wider steering group, convened by the GLA Regen Unit, which includes colleagues in the Intelligence Unit and Haringey Council, who meet regularly to discuss how social impact and equalities can best be incorporated into regeneration programmes and effectively measured as part of a wider evaluation strategy.

3.2 Furthermore, the Diversity and Social Policy team will assist the Regeneration Unit in reviewing tender submissions for this piece of work and help decide which consultant to appoint, to ensure that the most impactful piece of work as possible is produced.

4.1 Projects chosen for the study will include major Regeneration-delivered programmes like the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund, the High Street Fund and the Mayor’s Crowdfunding Programme, which while not mentioned in the Strategic Plan directly, all link closely to a number of the Mayor’s priority themes, particularly improving Londoner’s quality of life; investing in young Londoners; and making London safer. Furthermore, policy 4.12 of the London Plan, Improving Opportunities For All, aims to “improve employment opportunities for Londoners” and “support local employment, skills development and training” and objective 4 of the Economic Development Strategy “to give all Londoners the opportunity to take part in London’s economic success, access sustainable employment and progress in their careers” which mirror some of the main aims of these programmes, particularly the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund.

4.2 This evaluation will support the Strategic Plan deliverable to “provide first class intelligence and analytical services to ensure evidence is used effectively in support of investment, policy-making decisions and strategy development”. Furthermore, the Greater London Authority’s Business Plan
2015-17 refers to the ongoing aim of the Regeneration Unit to use their collective body of work to “develop a robust body of evidence describing how regeneration can drive growth”.

4.3 The independent nature of the evaluation could potentially result in findings which may be negative and could have reputational implications. However, this is an acceptable risk given that the lack of an independent evaluation of a large regeneration programme carries a greater reputational risk to the organisation. Furthermore, it is worth noting the negative repercussions of not conducting an evaluation, and being unable to assess which strategies have had the biggest impact, and where things need to be done differently in future to inform future programmes. The learning captured through the evaluation helps inform future work and evidence resulting impact.

5.1 The total estimated cost of this consultancy project is £50,000 and will be funded from the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund revenue budget for 2016-17. Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications will be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.