'Lessons for the Big Society: Planning, Regeneration and the Politics of Community Participation', co-authored by Dillon.

Professor Marjorie Mayo of Goldsmiths said of the book:

‘This important book illustrates the impacts of successive government policies to engage communities. These are explored through experiences of planning and regeneration in Haringey, North London – itself a microcosm of wider social divisions and spatial inequalities. Despite decades of policy initiatives, the voices of less advantaged communities were still not being heard effectively, in comparison with the voices of more advantaged residents, in leafier parts of the borough. As this topical book concludes, there are key lessons here in relation to the current policy context.’ 

The book comes after Dillon studied a PhD on community involvement and started researching how residents groups can prompt council action across the borough.

He said: “One of the conclusions of the book is that, historically, the council hasn’t had a good track record of engagement with the eastern part of the borough.”

He added that the “Big Society” - a flagship policy from the Conservative party - may work in areas with a history of community involvement, but areas like Tottenham will need “ongoing public investment”.

Dennis told me that Harringay Online even gets a mention (though whether good or bad, I'm not yet sure).

Dennis has added an event listing with the book details here.