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Alison Bowerbank
User Profile
I am a UK national and live in England, and am currently employed by the Department for Communities and Local Government (a national Ministry of the UK government). I am a public policy specialist with over 20 years experience of policy development at a national government level. My contribution to PASCAL has been through the PURE (PASCAL Universities Regional Engagement) project and includes being Link Partner for the Thames Gateway region – a pathfinder region for the project being the first region to be subject a consultative development group (CDG) visit (March 2009 and February 2010). I have also been a member of the CDG for the study of Helsinki (November 2009). I also gave a presentation to the 7th Annual PASCAL International Observatory Conference in Vancouver (May 2009) on the PURE study of the Thames Gateway.
Current Position:
Team Leader, Thames Gateway Strategy Division, Department for Communities and Local Government (since May 2008). My main roles have been policy development to support the Thames Gateway ambition:
- working with Regional Development Agencies and other stakeholders to ensure there are robust strategies to support delivery of 225,000 new jobs by 2016;
- developing strategies to support delivery of 160,000 new homes by 2016 while ensuring appropriate levels of affordable housing, high quality design and environmental contributions;
- working with stakeholders across the skills sector to ensure there are co-ordinated strategies to raise skill levels and support economic development, including through the development of new campuses, courses, HE/FE places and opportunities to access employment;
- developing the concept of the Thames Gateway as an `eco-region' and a programme of activity to take this forward;
- developing strategies to secure the delivery of social infrastructure (eg schools, health facilities, etc) to support growth at the pace and levels desired, and to explore ways of designing innovative public service provision cutting across sectoral silos;
- securing delivery of the `Parklands' strategy to ensure high quality local landscapes and heritage in the Gateway;
- ensuring that key CLG policies and agendas are fully reflected in the Thames Gateway, including citizen empowerment, community cohesion and migration;
- delivering the new government’s commitment to localization through decentralization of Thames Gateway strategy.
- Policy development at a national level, reflecting national government policy.
- Relationship management with commercial interests to ensure a positive contribution to regeneration of communities.
- Promoting and ensuring “joined up” working across government.
- July 2007 – May 2008 – Managing the relationship with the Department for Children Schools and Families focussing on ensuring CLG's interests were effectively represented in their policies. Challenging key partners to ensure that their policies complement CLG priorities and that their delivery is consistent with the local performance framework.
- January 2004 – July 2007 - Managing a project to produce a guide for local planning authorities on the importance of equality and diversity in planning. Working with local authorities, other parts of the department, other government departments and stakeholder groups to tackle the underlying causes of friction between Gypsies and Travellers and the settled community, by promoting the delivery of new sites via the planning system and encouraging effective use of enforcement powers. Drafting and implementation of a new planning circular. Providing advice to Ministers on the legal powers available to them to ensure that local authorities make provision in their local development plans for Gypsies and Travellers. Establishing a capacity building programme with key stakeholders. Secretary to the Gypsy and Traveller Task Group.
- I have also been a governor of two local schools for 8 years, participating and actively contributing to securing a positive and rewarding education experience for local children (aged 4-13).
Qualifications:
- BA (Hons) 2.1 Geography and History, University of Kent, 1988.
- Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites – published as ODPM Circular 01/2006.
- Local authorities and Gypsies and Travellers – a guide to responsibilities and powers – published May 2007
(For both of these publications I was responsible for the development of the policy and the drafting of the documents):
- working with Regional Development Agencies and other stakeholders to ensure there are robust strategies to support delivery of 225,000 new jobs by 2016;
- developing strategies to support delivery of 160,000 new homes by 2016 while ensuring appropriate levels of affordable housing, high quality design and environmental contribution;
- working with stakeholders across the skills sector to ensure there are co-ordinated strategies to raise skill levels and support economic development, including through the development of new campuses, courses, HE/FE places and opportunities to access employment;
- developing the concept of the Thames Gateway as an `eco-region' and a programme of activity to take this forward;
- developing strategies to secure the delivery of social infrastructure (eg schools, health facilities, etc) to support growth at the pace and levels desired, and to explore ways of designing innovative public service provision cutting across sectoral silos;
- securing delivery of the `Parklands' strategy to ensure high quality local landscapes and heritage in the Gateway;
- ensuring that key CLG policies and agendas are fully reflected in the Thames Gateway, including citizen empowerment, community cohesion and migration;
- delivering the new government’s commitment to localization through decentralization of Thames Gateway strategy.
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