Message from the Chair of the Hillfields Partnership Board

“Hillfields will be a desirable and positive place to live and to work in; a place that people value and where they are prepared to invest their time, energy and money. People will see Hillfields as the village community in the heart of the city.” Hillfields Neighbourhood Plan 2002-2005

Over seven years, after a £12 million investment supporting over 3,000 beneficiaries, Hillfields is a better place to live and work.  European funding of nearly £5 million has provided the basis of the programme enabling the Action Plan to be delivered successfully.  The grant comprised funding of £4 million ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) and nearly £1million ESF (European Social Fund).  Without this European grant the Hillfields Action Plan wouldn't have been possible.     

The Hillfields Action Plan can truly claim to be community led.  The energy, commitment and understanding of local issues and needs that the community members of the board have brought to this process has been integral to success.  Hillfields is their community and in many ways this has been their programme.   From the setting of programme priorities, through project appraisal and approval to monitoring and evaluation the community of Hillfields has been represented at all stages.  Their input and that of over 200 community volunteers has been of immense value.  All the projects approved and funded by the programme have succeeded with a third of the projects being mainstreamed and their services sustained.

The Hillfields Action Plan has invested in sustainable change, building for the future, funding the development of five new community buildings in the area, bringing two derelict industrial sites back into use.  The area is also significantly cleaner with 450 tonnes of rubbish cleared from streets in Hillfields and improvements to East Street and Primrose Hill Parks, plus award winning street scene improvements in Village Square.      

The population has also changed and one of the great strengths of the plan has been the ability of the projects to understand the emerging needs of new communities and to adapt services to meet these needs.  Equality of opportunity is a key underpinning theme and it is testament to the programmes success in ensuring equal access to services that people from 65 countries, have been able to benefit. 

The support from the Hillfields Action Plan Programme management team must also be recognised, as without their expertise and support many of the external targets would not have been achieved.  Demanding initial spend targets were met ensuring the full grant was secured and a potential programme overspend was resolved by the programme team who also successfully attracted additional grant. 

Hillfields has always been a dynamic and diverse community at the heart of the city. Hillfields today is different from the Hillfields of 2002 and the Hillfields Action Plan has been instrumental in supporting this positive process of change, which is transforming the neighbourhood.  Significant work remains before the ambitious vision for the area is fully realised. However, this evaluation demonstrates clearly the Plan's achievements and the contribution made by individuals, organisations and the community in bringing Hillfields in 2008 closer to the being the place we envisioned in October 2002.  Already many of the recommendations in this report are being progressed through the new Neighbourhood Partnership structure ensuring that the progress made through the programme forms the foundation for future success.

Peter Shearing          

Chair of the Hillfields Partnership Board