Community Development Project (1968–1983)

The CDP Programme was introduced by the Labour government and administered by the Community Programmes Department (I Division) of the Home Office. Its aim was to examine inner city deprivation and poverty and work with local communities to find solutions. The Project ran from 1968 to 1980 and covered twelve areas of the UK: Coventry, Southwark, Liverpool, Paisley, Birmingham, Cumberland (Cumbria), Glamorgan, Oldham, Batley, North Tyneside, Newham and Newcastle. The projects were loosely co-ordinated at first but by 1971 the need for shared information led to a monthly newsletter and quarterly bibliography with a member of the Home Office Research Unit acting as a liaison officer. By 1973 this grew into a larger central research team (Information and Intelligence Unit) to improve contacts and promote exchange of ideas, funded by the HO.