Prof Parkinson advises on government regeneration plan
04 November 2011
LJMU’s Professor Michael Parkinson has advised that ministers need to do more for the regeneration of northern cities like Liverpool, following a report released this week as part of an Inquiry into the Government’s plan for regeneration.
Professor Parkinson, Director of the European Institute for Urban Affairs at LJMU, is the Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee Inquiry into the Government’s plan for regeneration.
He told the Liverpool Daily Post:
"The Government is primarily concerned about economic growth and that will go to more privileged parts of the country. It has taken its eye off the ball in areas with long-term deprivation. The price will be paid by those people in those areas that find themselves trapped and abandoned."
He also commented as part of the interview, the Government was starting to realise this through the appointment of a cities minister and praised the evidence given by Ros Green the community representative of a scheme in Anfield, who spoke to the cross party committee of MPs.
"Until Ros came in, no one had quite seen the human consequences. It had an amazing impact on the committee."
The committee delivered a devastating report into the cancellation of housing market renewal Pathfinder funding, which has helped renew run-down housing across Merseyside. Professor Parkinson said the government was focused on economic development in the South at the expense of regeneration schemes in the North.
The MPs found that private sector investment meant to plug the gap has dried up, leaving schemes uncompleted and falling into dereliction.
Read the Liverpool Daily Post story at: http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/politics/2011/11/04/leading-academic-prof-michael-parkinson-says-ministers-have-taken-their-eye-off-ball-on-regeneration-92534-29716435/#ixzz1cjWkBJc6
