Evaluation points to success of Market Towns Programme

ECOTEC, working on behalf of Advantage West Midlands in 2007, evaluated the success of the Market Towns Programme since its launch in 2001. Much of the data gathered points towards the success of this Programme. For example:

* 538 projects implemented to date.
*  A wide range of outputs achieved against social, environmental and economic objectives addressing key issues facing market towns:

An increase in partnership working.
Additional investment flowing to the town.
The building of increased community capacity.
More effective governance through local partnership engagement.
Projects delivered more effectively.
Improved communications with and engagement.

* Succession strategies implemented for all towns leaving the programme.
* A well developed regional network and forum.
* £11 million of AWM MTP investment, levering in £21 million of other public investment and £9 million of private/voluntary sector investment.
* A further £15 million of AWM funding invested directly in market towns from non-rural funding streams.
* The critical factors behind the success of the programme were identified as:

The role of the programme manager.
The building of effective town partnerships.
Engagement with the community and determining needs locally.
Adequate funding provision from Agencies and Local Authorities.
AWM support structures to projects and partnerships.

The evaluation proposes a raft of 11 recommendations for the structuring of a future rural development programme for the region, learning from the successes and challenges of the past seven years and experience of market town programmes across the country.

Click here to download a copy of the full evaluation report.