Reclaiming Space, Rebuilding Futures: How Thanet District Council Missed the Mark with People Dem Collective
In the story of Margate’s regeneration, there’s a recurring theme: community voices being sidelined while institutions leverage grassroots organisations to secure funding. For People Dem Collective, a Black-led organisation working tirelessly to empower the community and reclaim space, this dynamic has been particularly stark. Their experience with Thanet District Council highlights a systemic issue: the exploitation of grassroots groups to attract investment, followed by a failure to support these groups in realising their vision.
This isn’t just a local story—it’s part of a broader narrative of neoliberal governance, where councils focus on market-driven regeneration while community needs fall by the wayside. Let’s explore this failure, backed by theory and the lived experiences of People Dem and similar organisations, including our own at GRASS Cliftonville CIC.
Leveraging People Dem’s Vision for the Margate Town Deal
People Dem Collective is known for their community-driven initiatives, including their efforts to create inclusive cultural spaces in Margate. Their work embodies the principles of asset-based community development (ABCD), which builds on local strengths and leadership. However, during the Margate Town Deal, it became clear that their role was being tokenised.
Thanet District Council leveraged People Dem’s credibility and community trust to secure funding as part of the £22 million regeneration package. Yet, once the deal was signed, People Dem found themselves battling for inclusion in decision-making processes and struggling to secure the resources they needed to deliver their transformative vision.
Neoliberalism and the Margate Town Deal
The experience of People Dem reflects broader critiques of neoliberal governance. As theorists like David Harvey have argued, neoliberalism prioritises market-led solutions, often at the expense of community-driven initiatives. In this framework:
- Councils focus on attracting investment and securing funding streams.
- Grassroots organisations are used as a means to an end, providing legitimacy and community buy-in for regeneration projects.
- Once funding is secured, the priorities shift to profit-driven outcomes, sidelining the original community vision.
People Dem’s exclusion from key decisions in the Town Deal aligns with Harvey’s critique: community groups become “decorative” participants rather than genuine stakeholders in regeneration projects.
The Council’s Failures: A Case of Tokenism
- Exploiting Credibility Without Providing Support
People Dem’s involvement in the Town Deal lent much-needed credibility to the council’s bid for funding. As a Black-led organisation with a proven track record of community engagement, they represented the inclusive future that funders sought to support. However, once the funding was secured, the council failed to provide them with the resources or influence needed to realise their goals. - Exclusion from Decision-Making
Despite their central role in the Town Deal’s success, People Dem was often excluded from meaningful conversations about how the funding would be allocated. This mirrors what Freire describes as the oppressor-oppressed dialectic, where those in power maintain control by limiting the agency of marginalised groups. - Sidelining Grassroots Leadership
The council’s actions demonstrate a lack of trust in community-led initiatives. Instead of empowering People Dem to lead on projects they conceptualised, the council maintained top-down control, undermining the collective agency needed for transformative change.
Theoretical Context: Tokenism in Community Development
In their book Community Development for Social Change, Beck and Purcell highlight the dangers of tokenism in participatory governance. When councils engage with community groups without genuinely sharing power, they undermine the principles of empowerment and equality. This not only damages trust but also weakens the outcomes of regeneration projects【87†source】.
Gramsci’s theory of hegemony provides further insight, explaining how dominant institutions maintain control by co-opting the language of inclusivity while preserving existing power structures. By using People Dem to secure funding, the council projected an image of community-led regeneration while ensuring that real control remained firmly in institutional hands.
The Broader Impact on Margate’s Communities
The failure to support People Dem isn’t just a betrayal of one organisation—it’s a disservice to the entire community. Margate’s most marginalised residents, particularly those from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, lose out when councils fail to follow through on their commitments to equity and inclusion.
For organisations like GRASS Cliftonville CIC, the experience of People Dem resonates deeply. At The Oval Bandstand, we’ve faced similar challenges in securing the resources and support needed to deliver community-led initiatives. The pattern is clear: councils are quick to leverage grassroots organisations for funding but slow to support them when it matters most.
Moving Forward: Supporting Community-Led Change
To avoid repeating these mistakes, local councils must:
- Centre Community Voices: Grassroots organisations must be treated as equal partners, with genuine influence over decision-making processes.
- Provide Sustainable Support: Councils need to back their rhetoric with action, offering long-term funding and resources to empower community groups.
- Challenge Neoliberal Priorities: Regeneration efforts should prioritise social equity and community well-being over profit-driven outcomes.
How You Can Support People Dem Collective
People Dem’s Crowdfunder, Reclaiming Space, Rebuilding Futures, is a direct response to these systemic failures. By supporting their campaign, you’re helping to ensure that the vision they fought for isn’t lost to bureaucracy and tokenism.
- Donate: Every contribution makes a difference.
Support People Dem Collective - Share Their Story: Amplify their voice by sharing their campaign on social media.
- Hold Councils Accountable: Demand transparency and genuine community involvement in regeneration projects.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Space, Reclaiming Power
People Dem’s struggle is a powerful reminder that regeneration must start with the community, not be imposed upon it. Their fight is a fight for equity, for inclusion, and for the right to shape Margate’s future. Let’s stand with them and ensure that this time, the community wins.
Support Their Crowdfunder Today
Together, we can reclaim space, rebuild futures, and demand a better way forward.
Stephen Darrer, Community Advocate and Director at GRASS Cliftonville CIC
