1 Big Society – the changing policy landscape David Gray Improving Local Partnerships Unit  NAVCA, The Tower, 2 Furnival Square, SHEFFIELD S1 4QL  +(0)  

2 Impact of spending cuts VCS organisations being stretched beyond capacity –speed of cuts –front-loading of cuts –implementation of cuts essential services facing real and immediate threat

3 Government on our side? 4 ‘reasonable expectations’: –no disproportionate cuts to VCS –talk to VCS ‘at an early stage’ –3 months’ notice of end or reduction of grant or support –VCS able to propose alternative redesign of services “statutory force”?

4 nef report Cutting it: The ‘Big Society’ and the new austerity “The doors are wide open for big global corporations… to take over state functions…” “How much room will the big corporates leave for… small voluntary organisations…?”

5 Risk of less accountability… “…everything from children’s services to doctors’ practices could end up outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act… “There is a potential for services to become less transparent and less accountable.” Christopher Graham Information Commissioner The Guardian, 21 January 2011

6 Localism Bill new powers for councils new rights for local people and communities –includes ‘virtual’ and ‘causal’ communities – Greg Clark planning reforms make housing fairer and more democratic incentives for economic growth

7 right to buy (offer) right to challenge does not give right to deliver procurement law favours large organisations protection for valued local services? longer than 6 months to bid emergency appeal process Localism Bill – can it deliver?

8 Real power for communities

9 Communities First fund targeted towards the most disadvantaged areas start up funds for neighbourhood groups charities and social enterprises can offer support for “new and existing groups” match funding “not a requirement”

10 Because it’s there! Big Society Bank funded from ‘dormant’ accounts to capitalise and encourage loans to CSOs £200 million loans to launch Big Society Bank BSB loans for existing or only for new groups? too costly for small CSOs?

11 Social Impact Bonds An outcomes-based contract in which public sector commissioners commit to pay for significant improvement in social outcomes (such as a reduction in offending rates, or in the number of people being admitted to hospital) for a defined population.

12 National Citizen Service 1,000 signed up so far NCS facebook page 11,000 places in ,000 places in , year-olds unemployed in Feb 2011

13 Community Organisers Locality (bassac & DTA) contract 10 ‘kickstarters’: existing CSOs −Bristol, Birmingham, Hull, London (2), Norfolk, Cumbria, Manchester, Penwith, Tameside misunderstanding? Labour: Movement for Change

14 VCS initially ‘overlooked’ NAVCA campaign Greg Clark: ‘VCS is welcome’ role of local VCS reps Local Enterprise Partnerships

15 Business Connectors people who connect local business and local organisations target of 1000 BitC – “a crucial role” target “areas that need the greatest help” address “problems that are of greatest concern”

16 Big Society Network deliver the benefits of civic participation encourage people to take part in groups help groups and entrepreneurs to access Big Society powers independently funded partner with government

17 Your Square Mile c. 1 million groups square miles enabling citizens to join and create groups linking groups to sharing resources ‘UK’s biggest mutual’ BIG-funded digital platform YOU ARE HERE

18 Big Society – VCS response Reinventing the wheel? to this? From this…

19 What the VCS offers essential support for civil society local intelligence and expertise democratic renewal local accountability economic contribution Compact compliance criticism and challenge

20 What we can do… use relationships with local public sector engage with LSPs, scrutiny committees and LEPs to identify priorities for community campaign for what’s important campaign against arbitrary cuts –Compact –public law

21 And finally… “The Prime Minister’s Big Society cannot grow in an environment of unfairness and a widening rich/poor divide.” Andrew Hind former CE, Charity Commission Editor of Charity Finance magazine

22 The Big Society Challenge 22 contributors 9 case studies Keystone Development Trust

23 David Gray Improving Local Partnerships  NAVCA, The Tower, 2 Furnival Square, SHEFFIELD S1 4QL  +(0)  