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Jess Craig

@jesscraig.bsky.social

830 followers 450 following 89 posts

Policy at Power to Change. Talking about communities, social connection, high streets, politics and policy.

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Reposted by Jess Craig

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 13d

Wrote something for @powertochange.org.uk about the fact that government policy must include a new category - digital social policy - to address the social impacts of technologies. Tech policy has to be more than cutting-edge innovation and growth www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

Reposted by Jess Craig

Power to Change @powertochange.org.uk · 12d

💭 We're reflecting on a busy #LabourConference 2025, where the power of community, and the importance of growth that everyone can see and feel, were central themes.

Here are our 5 key highlights: #Lab25

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 16d

@powertochange.org.uk last event of Labour conference getting underway! Our community business reception is all about how communities create growth you can see, feel and that everyone benefits from.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

Nick cites examples like @kindredlcr.bsky.social in Liverpool City Region and the Market Drayton community covenant as examples of good practice in LAs/CAs sharing power and resources w their communities; says we need more of them to make this culture shift. www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

New neighbourhood partnership puts community power to the test as government attempts to empower communities - Power to Change

Power to Change has launched its first Community Covenant Test and Learn Partnership in Market Drayton, empowering residents to co-shape services with local ...

www.powertochange.org.uk

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

Responding to new Pride in Place announcements, both @nickplumb.bsky.social and @dhnnjyn.bsky.social say this investment needs to embed new routes for community power and participation…

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

Mayor of East Mids Claire Ward talks about the need for inclusive economic development that brings people on the journey of growth. She says her Mayoral Community Development Fund will ask communities what they want and need in their place and what would make most difference in their lives.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

@nickplumb.bsky.social (in jazzy headphones) kicks off a Reclaiming Our Regional Economies panel on resisting the rise of the far right with a striking stat that £2.9bn of assets sold by councils in last two years, leading to loss of vital shared spaces for connection.

Panellists seated on a stage wearing large headphones (jazzy) in the middle of the Labour Conference exhibition centre.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

On new pride in place programme, @anooshc.bsky.social says locally-driven renewal could be the much-needed narrative for govt’s wider policy agenda, but that gov needs to make a bigger deal out of it so it gets needed recognition. Love her idea that PM should be announcing policy at a community pub!

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

She said she wants to see more civil servants based around the country and getting out to see - and be inspired by - the good practice taking place in communities.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 17d

Nice to hear @georgiagould.bsky.social speaking on the need for culture change at the centre to enable communities to drive change in their local areas. She says govt can decide the outcomes it wants to see but needs to be flexible on the ‘how’ so places can deliver on the way that works for them.

Panelists Georgia Gould, Matt Hyde, Jonathan Stater and Anoosh Chakelian

Reposted by Jess Craig

Nick Plumb @nickplumb.bsky.social · 18d

@kirstymcneill.bsky.social - bangs the drum for Pride in Place announcements, arguing that they are a radical new form of statecraft.

And sets out a really clear view of how difficult working relationally is, but also how rewarding and meaningful it is.

Reposted by Jess Craig

Nick Plumb @nickplumb.bsky.social · 18d

Packed room for our first conference event with @joshsimonsmp.bsky.social, @kirstymcneill.bsky.social, @morganj0nes.bsky.social, Andy Jackson @right-here.org and Frances Foley @compassoffice.bsky.social - discussing communitarianism (Beyond Blue Labour)

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 18d

Craig from @futureyard.org shared that from their community engagement he knows local people overwhelmingly trust Future Yard to deliver the change they want to see in their neighbourhood - mirrored at a national level in recent @moreincommonuk.bsky.social polling for our new report: buff.ly/MIQNu9O

Returning power to the people: What community empowerment can do for the public and for politics - Power to Change

At a time when the government faces enormous pressure to mount a response to the sense of discontent and decline that the public is feeling, giving communit ...

www.powertochange.org.uk

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 18d

Lots of appetite among those around the table for new community-powered policies and pride in place funding - of which Birkenhead Central, where we met, is due to receive investment. But there’s a clear message to central and local government to let communities take the lead in local renewal.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 18d

Felt right to start Labour conference yesterday with an event with Merseyside community leaders, @coopparty.party.coop and Birkenhead MP (and new MHCLG minister) @allymcgovern.bsky.social talking about how community business drives pride in place, connection and an economy that works for all.

A group of people seated at a U-shaped table talking.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 20d

I’d hope these can help communities receiving investment build entrepreneurial organisations that can own assets and trade to build sustainability/longevity beyond the period of investment - a key lesson from previous neighbourhood regen programmes as I set out here:
www.themj.co.uk/sustainable-...

Sustainable regeneration: Looking back and moving forward

This week, the Government announced its Plan for Neighbourhoods, a £1.5 billion, decade-long neighbourhood regeneration programme for 75 communities in the UK. The...

www.themj.co.uk

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 20d

- Plans for a ‘Network for Neighbourhoods’ to facilitate connection and peer learning between communities
- Delivery of a new cooperative development unit…

From govt’s pride in place strategy:

156. We will establish a Network for Neighbourhoods across the UK to build connection and learning between community leaders, convene the partners that support and strengthen community organisations, groups and social clubs, and embed participatory approaches in how local decisions are made. With the Pride in Place Programme at its heart, the Network will share learning and best practice across the Neighbourhood Boards and beyond, to support strong, capable and empowered communities to lead change locally.

From govt’s Pride in Place strategy:
139. A new Co-operative Development Unit within MHCLG will contribute to the doubling of the sector by supporting local authorities in England to grow their cooperative and mutual economy.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 20d

A couple of interesting things in the strategy:

Some long awaited detail on the Community Wealth Fund. I haven’t read the government’s response in detail yet but looks like this will be £1-2.5m pots over ten years for social capital + social infrastructure development

www.gov.uk/government/c...

Government response to the technical consultation on the design of a Community Wealth Fund in England

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 20d

This also really chimes with what we’ve seen in new @moreincommonuk.bsky.social polling for @powertochange.org.uk. People want communities to have more power to change things in their local areas, and they trust community organisations to make good things happen.

Graph of a polling question, ‘How important to you, if at all, is it that your government gives you and other local people more control over what happens in your local area?’
Extremely important - 37%
Quite important - 45%
Not very important - 7%
Not important at all - 1%
Don’t know - 9%

Top graph reads ‘from the following list, who do you trust the most to deliver positive change for your local area?’
Community organisations - 36%
The council - 19%
A mayor - 7%
Central government - 9%
Don’t know - 30%

Bottom graph reads, ‘and from the same list, who do you think the government trusts the most to deliver positive change for your local area?’
Community organisations - 8%
The council - 22%
A mayor - 9%
Central government 29%
Don’t know - 31%

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 20d

I’ve been reading through govt’s new pride in place strategy. I like this sentiment a lot, but making sure the Pride in Place programme delivers outcomes that are genuinely community led will be its real test.

Screenshot from government’s Pride in Place strategy:
Giving communities a stronger voice in local decisions
130. For too long, communities up and down this country have felt that their voices have been ignored by those in power.
Residents know best about what is needed in their neighbourhoods but are shut out of decisions that affect them and the places that they call home.
131. This is wrong. Instead, we want to empower communities across the country to have their say in local decisions and to influence the change that they want to see at a local level. Devolution is not just about bringing powers to regional Mayors, or even to local authorities. It's about making sure that everyone, regardless of where they live, sees government delivering the things that matter to them in their neighbourhoods.

Reposted by Jess Craig

Nick Plumb @nickplumb.bsky.social · 20d

1/4 | Our @powertochange.org.uk response to today's announcement.

Today’s Pride in Place announcement should be applauded. In targeting investment at the hyper-local level, the government has shown that it understands...

Starmer gambles on ‘levelling up’-style initiative to tackle Reform threat

Deprived communities to be given tens of millions to patch up derelict shops, pubs and libraries and ‘restore pride’

www.theguardian.com

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 24d

And lastly, for any high streets/regen and housing people who find themselves in the Nort West on Friday - Make Hamilton and @futureyard.org are hosting a conference to shape the national conversation on high streets and housing from the bottom up - worth checking out makecic.org/events/flipi...

FLIPIM - Building from the bottom up

A day of ideas, panels and workshops where we’ll be flipping the conversation on building new homes and reviving our highstreets.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 24d

We're also hosting a community business reception for the second year running. Come for stimulating speeches on how community businesses are building prosperous local economies that benefit everyone; stay for award-winning pies from Homebaked Bakery (likely the best food you'll eat at conference!)

A flyer for Power to Change's community business reception at Labour Party Conference. 'Growth you can see, feel and be part of, with community business', happening Monday 29th September 17:00-19:00 at Baltic Creative CIC, 49 Jamaica Street, Liverpool. RSVP: https://powertochange.typeform.com/to/DAkE176K?typeform-source=www.powertochange.org.uk.

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 24d

Lots going on from @powertochange.org.uk at Labour Conference including events with @coopparty.party.coop, @hopenothate.org.uk, @uclpolicylab.bsky.social and @right-here.org. More info here: www.powertochange.org.uk/event/party-...

Party conferences 2025: bringing community business into the room - Power to Change

Find out how we’re backing community business at Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Conservative Party conferences in September and October 2025.

www.powertochange.org.uk

Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · 24d

Happy conference season to those who participate. I'm heading to Labour conference this weekend and Conservative conference next weekend - please get in touch if you'd like to get coffee (I'll be needing lots of it)