This article originally appeared in the Municipal Journal.

*but were afraid to ask

As the challenges facing the UK deepen and multiply, the institutions of our towns, cities and regions are increasingly motivated to work collectively to influence the creation of better lives for people in the places they serve. That is why, today, CLES are publishing our guide to setting up a network of anchor institutions.

From starting up a network to maximising its impact, from big city to satellite town, local authority-led networks to those that have engaged the private sector, How to Build an Anchor Network provides an overview of the different types of networks and the advantages (and disadvantages) associated with them, and how best to exercise your collective power once it is harnessed.

To mark the release, Conrad Parke – Birmingham Anchor Network Co-ordinator and veteran of network establishment across the UK and Ireland – has shared his responses to the questions he is most frequently asked about all things anchor network….

1. What is an anchor institution? And an anchor network?

Anchor institutions are locally rooted organisations with a significant and stable presence in a location and with economic and social power in that area. Traditionally, this definition has been applied to public institutions such as local authorities, the NHS, housing associations and higher and further education. However, increasingly, organisations in the private and VCSE sectors are beginning to play a role.

A group of anchor institutions that work collectively to leverage their resources to support and benefit their local communities is known as an anchor network. By working together, they can identify and develop opportunities to ensure that more of the wealth generated in a place can be owned, circulated and shared by its citizens.

This is far from a new idea – the total place budgeting approach adopted by the last Labour government shared many of the same ideas, and that concept is once again gaining favour in some policy circles with the arrival of the new government.

2. We’re not a big city like Birmingham or Manchester, can we still have a network?

Yes! Anchor networks are completely flexible to geographic need and context. At CLES we’ve worked with boroughs, towns and rural areas on networks. The crucial thing to remember is to find the right partners for you – that might include a mixture of public, private and voluntary sector organisations. You might even want to team up with other areas in your location for a more regional anchor network, particularly in areas where you have regional anchors such as combined authorities, county councils or a cross-authority chamber of commerce.

3. Where do we begin?

Go where the momentum is. Identify the challenges in your area and find champions in other local anchor organisations who’d like to work with you to harness the economic power you wield in your place – be that through the jobs you offer, the money you spend on procurement or the land or assets you hold. You’ll find that other anchors, as well as having economic influence, also have the skills or expertise you may lack – like an understanding of how to support the needs of particular communities, or experience in bringing citizens into decision-making processes. Putting those softer skills and the influence you collectively wield on the health of your local economy is where you will find solutions to your trickiest challenges.

4. Can businesses be anchor institutions?

Yes! If private sector organisations in your area are enthusiastic and willing to participate in the network, then there’s no reason why they can’t join. Private sector organisations often have huge influence in a place when it comes to employment, land ownership and procurement. That said, it’s important to remember businesses are different from public sector organisations – be mindful of their motivations and ensure that the work you do together serves your objectives as much as it does theirs.

5. Will we need funding?

Not necessarily. At the heart of the anchor network approach is a focussed intention on using the collective influence that you already have in a more purposeful way to deliver for the communities you serve. Start by identifying the challenges that you and your fellow anchors can work on together with resources you already have – for example, sharing information that will enable you all to improve how your procurement power supports small businesses in a sector that might be struggling in your area. You might, after an initial pilot, want to consider hiring a network co-ordinator or similar to support the network’s activity. This makes the process much easier and reduces pressures on other staff. You will need money for this, but if all the anchors in a network can pool resource together, then it shouldn’t be a huge amount for each individual organisation.

**Bonus** question number 6. I’m writing a local growth plan – can an anchor network help me deliver it?

If you’ve read this far, hopefully you won’t need much convincing of the answer – yes! Even before the election, the government made it clear that local growth plans should be designed to “build on their local advantages” – that includes the power of the local state, which in many places is the largest, or one of the largest, employers, spenders and landowners. When the time comes to deliver your plan, having a shared understanding of priorities and capabilities, not to mention well established co-operating practices, will stand you in great stead.