Economics with People
Volume 2: Chapter 5: Anchoring progress: navigating with local anchor institutions
In this chapter, we share our experience of convening the largest anchor institutions in Salford and developing a local anchors network.
This chapter should be especially helpful if you want to learn what a local anchor institution can do or if you want to set up a local anchors network in your place.
We embarked on our community wealth building journey in Salford by identifying the key local anchor institutions that could have the most impact on tackling inequalities in the city.
What are local anchor institutions?
According to the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), the term ‘anchor institutions’ refers to organisations that:
· have an important presence in a place, usually through a combination of: being large-scale employers, the largest purchasers of goods and services in the locality, controlling large areas of land and/or having relatively fixed assets; and
· are tied to a particular place by their mission, histories, physical assets and local relationships. Examples include: local authorities; N.H.S. trusts; universities; trade unions; large local businesses; housing associations; and the combined activities of the voluntary and community sector.
Using this definition, we identified organisations with the greatest power, influence and investment in Salford. Our aim was to create the best possible conditions for success in building, retaining and sharing wealth and health in the city. We looked at a range of organisations and businesses in Salford and assessed who did and didn’t fit into the above criteria at this point. Some organisations felt rooted in the city but didn’t have as large of a footprint in terms of spend or resources so we only went forward with those meeting both elements.
Another key factor in our approach was to engage with local anchor institutions from the private, public and social sectors. This was not only to enable us to maximise the use of local resources, but also to create opportunities for learning and collaboration between diverse organisations, enabling higher-quality thinking.
The membership for Salford Local Anchors Network was based on the above considerations. We recommend thinking about who fits into this from your place and having conversations with each anchor institution to determine the level of understanding of what it means to be an anchor institution and how resources can be used in a different way. Individual discussions will help to assess if the organisation is the right fit, can commit and has the resources to do so.
The founding members of Salford Local Anchors Network
· Northern Care Alliance N.H.S. Foundation Trust
· Peel L&P
By leveraging their planning and procurement powers, their financial and employment capacities, and their use of land and property, local anchor institutions can foster a cycle of value creation that reaches the communities that need it the most, generating lasting social, economic and environmental benefits, with positive consequences for health and well-being.
This can help to move from the current dominant economic system, with its inherent inequalities, to a fairer and more inclusive local economy in a fairer, greener and healthier place.
Listen below to CLES, the curators of the community wealth building movement in the U.K., discuss local anchor institutions and their importance in community wealth building.
What does this mean for you?:
· Who are the local anchor institutions in your area from the private, public and social sectors?
· Would it be better for your area to have fixed criteria for local anchor institutions or to be flexible to any interested organisation?
Local anchor institutions: transforming a place through collaboration and collective opportunities
Through the Economies for Healthier Lives project’s work with each local anchor institution in Salford to adopt a community wealth building approach, it became clear that collective activity around the five principles of community wealth building could create many opportunities.
We found it very useful to learn from the practical experiences and learning of local anchors networks across the U.K. We spoke with Ayrshire, Birmingham, Leeds, London and Sandwell to inform our thinking in Salford.
There are several different models of local anchors networks. Choosing or nurturing the most appropriate version for a place is important for the successful foundation and sustainability of a network. We talk through what this looks like for Salford below.
Additional factors that we considered in the planning stages of Salford Local Anchors Network were governance, accountability, facilitation, learning and reporting.
Salford Local Anchors Network
Salford Local Anchors Network is a collective of large private, public and social organisations. Each member is connected to Salford by its mission, history, physical assets and local relationships.
Each member has an important presence in the city, usually through a combination of: being a large employer; being a large purchaser of goods, works and services; controlling large areas of land; and/or having relatively fixed assets.
Salford Local Anchors Network works collaboratively to have a positive impact in the city. Its members work together to use their collective power and wealth to create a fairer, greener and healthier economy in Salford, with new economic opportunities for all local people and communities.
As collaboration is at the heart of Salford Local Anchors Network, a facilitated partnership model was embedded from the beginning. There is no lead organisation and each member has equal power, responsibility and involvement. The Network is currently facilitated by the resource of the Economies for Healthier Lives project but we are in the process of exploring future resourcing and facilitation approaches that works for Salford.
We hosted an in-person launch event to mark the significance of developing this collective resource in the city and the Network meets on a quarterly basis, all attended by strategic level partner representatives from each organisation. There are additional ‘workshop’ style meetings for specific priorities where required. Representatives at decision-making levels ensure that organisational drivers and priorities are considered and work can progress in line with this.
Salford Local Anchors Network has agreed clear terms of reference. It has confirmed its long-term actions and is working towards agreeing specific priorities on which to work in the medium and short terms. We can provide templates of documentation created or used by the Network. Please get in touch if this would be helpful for you to have.
We spoke with Donna McLaughlin (Director of Social Value at the Northern Care Alliance N.H.S. Foundation Trust) about local anchor institutions, social value and being part of the Salford Local Anchors Network. Listen below:
What this means for you:
· Consider different approaches to resourcing and facilitating a local anchors network- would it work best to have a lead organisation or embed a partnership model with shared resourcing and facilitating?
· What might be the enablers and barriers to convening local anchor institutions in your area?
Next time:
Setting up for success: How did we create conditions for success by getting buy-in from partners and supporters?
Next chapter here:
Anchor institutions and setting up an anchors network is a huge topic so if you have questions that you would like answered next time or think a conversation with us would help you or others, please get in touch with us by commenting below or reaching out to ehlsalford@unlimitedpotential.org.uk.