The collaboration involved University of Bristol researchers, including undergraduates working as paid RAs, Locality and 18 Community Anchor Organisations from across Bristol.
The ongoing initiative is concerned with democratic decision-making in cities with an initial focus on Bristol.
The first phase had two primary aims:
1) to identify alternative forms of 'economic development' generated at neighbourhood level by CAOs, and
2) to investigate the relationship between CAOs and their local communities.
The discussion document concludes by pointing to possible future actions:
- Building recognition across Bristol for the day-to-day support that CAOs are providing the many neighbourhoods of Bristol. Amplifying this recognition through shared outputs and utilising their collective insights to intervene in matters of concern.
- A call to better understand to what extent CAOs want to work within the existing systems of city governance.
- Continuing to work with intermediaries to help CAO form coalitions of interest.
- Recognising the democratic potential of the work of CAOs in understanding neighbourhoods and supporting a space for community concerns to be expressed and formed into a political ask.
- Deconstructing and reconstructing existing power relations between CAOs and large governance institutions such as the NHS.
Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, shared his support for the research project:
"Many Neighbourhoods, One City highlights the importance of community anchor organisations (CAOs) across Bristol. Deepening our understanding of city partners’ work delivering on the ground in their neighbourhoods, and how best to measure their impact, is essential to further supporting the diversity of life and need in our city.
We know that there are still two Bristols, and not everyone shares in our city’s success. Throughout the pandemic, we know that inequalities grew but can have hope, thanks to CAOs’ focus on wellbeing, inclusion, and empowerment, that we can continue to bridge social and economic divides.
Working collaboratively, with increasing numbers of community leaders on our One City boards and with these research findings applied, we can keep building a better Bristol.”
(Marvin Rees, April 2022)