1.1 Hillfields has a population of 9,140 of whom 35% are Asian, African or Caribbean people. It is an inner city suburb of Coventry located in St. Michaels Ward. The Ward is composed of three main areas: the City Centre, Charterhouse and Hillfields. The latter two areas are largely inner city residential suburbs with extensive older terrace housing with many clustered around industrial premises.

1.2 Hillfields has a long and distinguished history of economic growth and development. The area was first developed in the 1820’s in order to accommodate the booming Coventry ribbon weaving industry. This was followed by engineering, bicycles and car manufacturing. The new industries of the twentieth century settled in the area with electrical products such as sewing machines, radios, telephones etc.

1.3 By the late 1970’s St Michaels Ward was seen as an area with above average unemployment and in need of more support. It was a time of economic stagflation and increasing economic difficulty. In Coventry, concerns for the city’s economy were growing as Chrysler pulled out and British Leyland threatened to close major plants. The Slump of 1979-83 confirmed the weakness of Coventry’s economy. Manufacturing, Hillfields main industry, collapsed and local firms closed. Unemployment rose to a peak of 19% citywide in 1983, and a peak in Hillfields of 38% in September 1986.

1.4 By the 1980’s Hillfields faced major problems. By the late 1970’s the traditional economic base of the area began to falter, collapsing in the early 1980’s. Large employers such as GEC, Lucas and Hill Precision downsized sharply whilst many little companies closed down. The new economy industries of the late twentieth century were not attracted into the heavily built up area and by the late 1970’s the traditional industries wee in decline.

1.5 Premises in the area were old and did not conform to modern expectations of modernity, image and environment. Many of the premises required major repairs and refurbishment at a time when their owners had little demand (or money) to justify renewal. The Shopping centre in Victoria / King William Street became run down with a high number of empty shops. The housing offer in the area consisted mainly of Victorian terrace housing, many of which needed repair and large post World War II blocks of flats. These 12 blocks of flats have a major impact on the area. In effect by the mid 1980’s Hillfields had a run down feel to it.

1.6 The economic swings of the late twentieth century made Hillfields particularly vulnerable to economic downturns. Changing expectations of people encouraged many to move out of the ward as they became more affluent, and thus in effect, maintaining poverty levels and limited community resources. Since the reconstruction after World War II, Hillfields has tended to be by passed as policies have diverted resources into the new housing and industrial estates on the periphery of the city. Although some new housing was built in the Hillfields area on bombsites and in slum clearance areas, it was insufficient to regenerate the area. Over the years, this lack of investment reduced the socio-economic vitality of the Hillfields area making it more vulnerable as time passed, to the major economic changes that were to come.

1.7 The government in response to the growing crisis in cities reactivated the Urban Programme and Hillfields was included in the Urban Programme area. In 1984 the area qualified for Objective II funding from the European Commission. The area qualified for assistance under Section 11 funds which sought to improve social cohesion in the area. This support provided a useful stream of resources in order to strengthen the local socio-economy.

1.8 The area benefited from infrastructure improvements, the construction of the Sky Blue Way which reduced traffic congestion, industrial units in Raglan and Eden Streets etc. Softer community help was provided by capacity building, training programmes and strengthening communities. These projects made a major contribution in the late 1980’s by helping St Michaels recover from the worst of the early 1980’s slump. European Structural Funding made a major contribution to this process by supporting the infrastructure projects through ERDF and the training and social projects through ESF. Without this support, it is unlikely the recovery would have been as strong.

1.9 Unemployment in St Michaels Ward fell from being above 35% in the early 1980’s to under 20% in the late 1980’s. Whilst part of the fall can be attributed to statistical definition changes, the late 1980’s did witness significant positive improvements in Coventry’s economy and this benefited the residents of Hillfields. This was due to the general national economic recovery in the late 1980’s and the boom in inward investment into Coventry as a whole. The key work undertaken by the Urban Programme and development meant that the number of jobs in Coventry was growing.

1.10 However the friability of the St Michaels and Hillfields economy was exposed by the recession of the early 1990’s when unemployment rates went back over 30%. The 1991 Census showed the extent of the problem:

	Rates of Unemployment
Hillfields
Total Unemployment	28%
--Hillfields flats area	32%
-- Male Youth Unemployment	39%
-- African & Caribbean people	42%

City of Coventry	12%

1.11 Areas of Hillfields and cohorts of citizens living in the area were suffering unacceptably high levels of unemployment and deprivation. Lack of local resources and a failing labour market meant that the area maintained its depressed ambience and reputation for poverty and deprivation. This hindered new investment and recovery in the area.

Hillfields ED’s	Number of ED’s	Hillfields Population
Hillfields ED’s	Number of ED’s	No.	%

Amongst poorest 1% in England	3	1,366	15%
Between 1 and 5% poorest in England	9	3,559	39%
Between 5 and 10% poorest in England	4	1,600	17%
Remainder	6	2,615	29%
Hillfields Total	22	9,140	100%

1.12 Hillfields is part of the economy of northern Coventry where on most indicators; economic performance is substantially below that of the south of the city. Being an inner city suburb and heavily dependent on manufacturing, Hillfields has contributed to St Michaels ward being amongst the poorest wards in England.

1.13 The increasing differential between the economic performance of the richer and poorer areas of Coventry led to the development of the spreading business confidence north strategy. This strategy recognised the northern half of the city was under performing relative to the southern half. Hillfields with its high unemployment and deprivation was identified as a key area in need of additional investment and support.

1.14 Hillfields and the Policy Context 1990-2002

1.15 The period from the economic downturn of 1990 up to date has been a major period of change in urban policies. Where in the 1980’s urban regeneration was seen as a minor part of the drive to liberalise the economy and let market forces allocate resources. The 1990 downturn and a change in administration led to a more concentrated approach towards urban regeneration. In the early 1990’s urban issues grew in importance both in the European and UK political agenda. This is reflected by the growth in the number of initiatives under the Major administration and following the election of the Blair government in 1997.

1.16 In 1997 the European Commission launched a wide debate on urban regeneration following the publication of the Towards an Urban Agenda in the European Union. This paper formed a major contribution to the debate on the old and successful development of urban centres. In the UK, the new government established the Cabinet office Social Exclusion Unit which formulised much of the 1990’s debate and a series of major reports on discrimination and social exclusion, employment policy, transport, area based approaches to deprivation, economic integration, training, sustainability and good urban governance influenced the debate. These policy views and subsequent policy development at the European level have influenced the whole approach to urban regeneration and this is reflected in the UK Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Reports.

1.17 These major policy reports on urban areas and issues influenced the approach taken by the authorities in Coventry. This is partly reflected by the approach expounded in the vision statement of the Hillfields Partnership.

1.18 The UK government (both the Major and Blair administrations) developed a series of regeneration activities that influenced the City of Coventry to strengthen its approach to communities and social cohesion.

ù The area co-ordination approach was adopted by the City Council following Carol Hayden’s successful area trial in the early 1990’s in the Wood End and Bell Green area. The initiative was spread across the city and led to the establishment of the Hillfields Area Co-ordination Office. It is this latter office which provided support to the implementation of the URBAN Programme. The aim of this approach was to encourage the development of innovative and co-ordinated services

ù The Coventry Community Plan established the key priorities for Coventry as it moved into the new millennium. The Plan was signed up to by the main organisations in the city, including the business sector. One of the targets laid down in the Community was to reduce unemployment in every ward to below 10%. At the time the plan was drawn up unemployment in St. Michaels Ward was some 24% (mid 1996.)

ù The development of neighbourhood partnerships such as the Hillfields Partnership, which works for the regeneration of Hillfields. The partnership oversaw the implementation of the SRB I and SRB II bids and played a key role in drawing up the URBAN bid. In 1997 WATCH (Working Actively to Change Hillfields) was formed in order to undertake community based projects on behalf of the Partnership and the Area Co-ordination Office.

ù The Single Regeneration Budget approach which replaced the Urban Programme of the 1980’s. The SRB approach sought to target resources to special areas of need. Coventry bid successfully for £5.5m in Rounds 1 and 2 for programmes specifically aimed at Hillfields. The SRB rounds financed projects between 1995 and 2001. These bids provided match funding for the URBAN programme for Hillfields.

ù The election of the Labour government in 1997 changed government priorities. The Hillfields Partnership has co-ordinated its strategy with the then evolving government policy. This includes the Welfare to Work programme which aimed to shift 250,000 young people from benefits into work.

ù New Deal Programme was established in 1998 to support unemployed people in getting back into work and to provide opportunities for voluntary work, especially for environmental improvements. This initiative provided matched funding for the URBAN Programme in Hillfields. Ecotech in 2002 reported on the success of the policy in its review of the UK contribution to the European Employment Strategy developed following the Amsterdam Council in 1996.

ù Community Action against Crime partnership was set up in 1998 following the successful Safer Cities project. The partnership which has worked in partnership with the Hillfields partnership, aims to combat crime and make communities feel safer and more secure.

ù New issues affected the Community after 1999. The continuing crisis in the Balkans and in South Asia (Afghanistan) and the Middle East led to an influx of asylum seekers and refugees into Hillfields. By 2003 there are some 3,500 located in or near to Hillfields. The growing numbers of asylum seekers with leave to stay and refugees has placed some pressure on resources in the area though many have taken up housing in void properties.

1.19 The agenda changed before and during the period of the URBAN Programme in Hillfields. The URBAN Partnership Group adapted and met the challenges that these changes created. More importantly the Group co-ordinated its activities such that the purposes and aims of the Programme were re-enforced rather than deflected.

1.20 The area has had to face major changes in the local economy and expectations and aspirations of people living inside and outside the area. This change has for many years contributed to the weakening local socio economy and has contributed to the lack of investment over many years. In the early 1990's it was recognised that market forces would not by themselves help Hillfields recover. This realisation led to the formation of the Area Co-Ordination office in Vice Street with the aim of linking Council policies more closely to the needs of local people. This led to the area applying for help from both the Single Regeneration Budget and URBAN.

1.21 Hillfields was and to some extent remains a deprived inner city community. However, its residents, non-governmental organisations and government have taken a pro-active approach in which to turn the local socio-economy. Hillfields has an active community which has a strong desire to bring about he renewal of its area. The Community has sought to maximise the resources available for renewal and there is no doubt that URBAN has made a major contribution to the positive changes that have occurred since the start of the Programme.

1. The Socio Economic Background

1.14 Hillfields and the Policy Context 1990-2002