Understanding the impact of localism and the big society on tackling homelessness Neil Morland Director of Growth & Regions e: m:

Localism A hot topic – Google search came up with 945,000 results A dictionary definition – a phrase, a partiality, a quality, or a idiom An academic perspective – society and politics were local until 19 th century As a political philosophy – proposes that by re-localising relationships problems will be more definable and solutions more easily created.

Localism Localism Bill – Government published it on 13 December 2010, it contains measures to: – Devolve powers to Councils – Establish new rights for communities – Reform planning – Reform housing – Incentivise economic growth DCLG have published a paper asserting that changes in behaviour, expectation and culture a required for the measures in the bill to be successful

‘Big Society’ You can call it liberalism. You can call it empowerment. You can call it freedom. You can call it responsibility. I call it the Big Society” David Cameron, Prime Minister The third level at which the big society seems to operate beyond asking the question and setting out policies is that of nurturing an ecosystem. I describe this as the big society coral reef, and we are all the fishes” Lord Wei, Government "big society" guru Britain is a Big Society today - generous, volunteering, caring, full of social initiative and enterprise. We helped it grow - we didn't stand in the way or stand aside” Tessa Jowell, Shadow Cabinet Office minister

‘Big Society’ The Big Society is about helping people to come together to improve their own lives. There are three parts to the Big Society agenda: – Community empowerment: – Opening up public services – Social action The Office for Civil Society, works across government departments to deliver a number of key Big Society programmes, namely: – The Big Society Bank – National Citizens Service Pilots – Community Organisers – Community First

‘Big Society’ In an open letter to the PM, Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary organisations says charities face a "tidal wave" of growing needs and rising cuts Spending cuts are undermining Big Society, "Draconian" government spending cuts are destroying volunteering and undermining David Cameron's Big Society, warned Dame Elizabeth Hoodless, executive director of Community Service Volunteers The government's own annual Citizenship Survey reveals that volunteering has fallen for the fifth consecutive year

Public sector reform We will soon publish a White Paper setting out our approach to public service reform. It will put in place principles that will signal the decisive end of the old-fashioned, top-down, take-what-you're- given model of public services. And it is a vital part of our mission to dismantle Big Government and build the Big Society in its place David Cameron, Prime Minster The boundaries between public, private and third sector provision should melt away. This empowerment agenda will have to be forced on to public sector organisations in the early stages to break the tendency to structural inertia David Kirby, Head of Policy Development, Cabinet Office

Health and social care bill Establishes an independent NHS Board to allocate resources and provide commissioning guidance increases GPs’ powers to commission services on behalf of their patients strengthens the role of the Care Quality Commission develops Monitor, the body that currently regulates NHS foundation trusts, into an economic regulator to oversee aspects of access and competition in the NHS cuts the number of health bodies to help meet the Government's commitment to cut NHS administration costs by a third, including abolishing Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities.

Welfare reform bill On 16 February 2011 the Welfare Reform Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill legislates for the biggest change to the welfare system for over 60 years. It introduces a wide range of reforms that will deliver the commitment made in the Coalition Agreement and the Queen’s Speech to make the benefits and tax credits systems fairer and simpler by: – creating the right incentives to get more people into work by ensuring work always pays – protecting the most vulnerable in our society – delivering fairness to those claiming benefit and to the taxpayer.

Impact Savage cuts will leave people sleeping rough on the streets. The coalition government is presiding over a social disaster as funds that helped support people into housing are cut by councils Patrick Butler, Journalist The government is protecting the homeless from council cuts. We have a long-term commitment to support the most vulnerable in this country Grant Shapps, Minister of State for Housing & Local Government

Impact The National Housing Federation, which represents 1,200 housing associations and charities, asked 136 organisations what they had been told to expect by councils. The results show: – Nearly three quarters of respondents (73%) said local authorities they work in had already indicated cuts of greater than 12%. – 41% of respondents expected cuts over 20% in their area, and 18% of respondents expecting cuts over 30%. – 60% of respondents said their organisation would be forced to reduce the level of service they offered

Impact Nottinghamshire – 65% reduction of SP funding Nottingham – 45% reduction of SP funding Devon – 100% proposal to reduce funding for DV support Newcastle – 66% of voluntary organisations in the city only have enough funding to provide their services for up to a year. Hull – 49 charities have been put on notice by the council because it "cannot guarantee" any Supporting People funding after March 31

Challenges and opportunities Postcode lottery of services Community right to challenge to deliver public services Less funding from state for third sector organisations, some services will disappear Outsourcing of public services to end state monopoly, outcome based commissioning with payment by results Speed of change, new relationships

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