CHAPTER

Two Community development:

historical overview Get access
Michael Pitchford, Paul Henderson

https://doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781847422590.003.0002
Pages 7–16
Published: July 2008

Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of community development
over the period of 40 years to provide a ‘backcloth’ for the
changing practice of community development. The chapter
begins with the 1960s during which social work was prevalent
and community development o cers were rst appointed
within the local authority social work departments. The chapter
then moves on to the radical campaigns of the 1970s and the
challenging reports from the community development projects
(CDPs). In the 1980s, community development su ered
signi cant cutbacks. It was also a period marked by a move away
from social services departments as the ‘sponsor’ of community
development towards that of economic development. This was
developed further in the 1990s with the urban regeneration
programmes in which community development became
intertwined with the community involvement aspects of
regeneration programmes. By the turn of the twenty- rst
century, community development has gained a higher
prominence with the New Labour government that highlighted
the indispensable role of the community in improving public
services and promoting local democracy. However, it has also
brought with it tensions due to the lack of a community voice
which is signi cant for the achievement and success of
community development work. This chapter aims to refer to the
main signposts in community development and to provide
readers an essential background required for the book as a
whole.
 Keywords: social work, community development o icers, social
work departments, community development projects, social
services, urban regeneration programmes, community
involvement, community voice
Subject: Urban and Rural Studies

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