Competition and Area Selection in Scotland's New Urban Policy

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Abstract
Competition has become increasingly important as a method of allocating resources in urban policy, particularly with the shift towards decentralised, area-based strategies. This has created uncertainty about the rules of the game and aroused suspicions of arbitrary manipulation of area selection. In this paper, we investigate how area regeneration bids are assessed. We examine the reshaping of the Scottish Urban Programme under Programme for Partnership and the targeting of support on fewer priority areas. How were the successful areas chosen, and how fair and consistent were the procedures? We reveal discrepancies between the criteria put forward in the official guidelines and the outcome. Bid quality and social need seem to have been downplayed in relation to other considerations. The conclusion suggests how the policy might recover credibility and how government support for urban regeneration might be enhanced.

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