BIG SOCIETY PRESENTS RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

First comes the prime minister extolling the virtues of the Big Society, then politicians and thinkers of all political persuasions weigh in with their views, but the evidence about all of this was thin on the ground.

Recently, LCR Online, www.lcronline.org.uk and LGC (Local Government Chronicle) (www.lgcplus.com) published a survey looking at the attitudes of principal (county, borough, district and unitary) authorities, local (parish and town) councils and the third sector (charity and voluntary organisations) to the Big Society. The conclusions reached were one where local councils more optimistic than other groups about the potential of the Big Society and a lack of agreement on who should be included in the Big Society.

Now the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has published the results of its analysis of over 70 submissions of evidence from civil society organisations and other public sector bodies on the economic aspects of the government’s Big Society agenda. The report, Economic conditions for organisations contributing to the Big Society in rural England is available at: http://ruralcommunities.gov.uk/2010/10/15/big-society-risks-and-opportunities/

The CRC drew on these submissions to prepare a report to Defra’s secretary of state. This report, Rural Economies Intelligence Report: The Big Society is available here:
http://ruralcommunities.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ruraleconbigsociety.pdf

The report shows that the principles of the Big Society are already well embedded and supported in much of rural England. But that many civil society organisations have significant fears that the current funding climate will significantly damage further progress in delivering the Big Society’s objectives. Moreover, demand for many of their services is growing at a time when resources are reducing.

There is also a fear that rural communities may be disproportionately affected by the forthcoming spending cuts.

There are fears that local authorities and others may set up new delivery organisations that start competing with existing voluntary organisations of various types.

There is a view that in future, local rural communities may have to depend more on actions from their local parish and town councils.

The respondents call for more clarity from central and local government and others on what the practical impacts and consequences of the Big Society approach will be. There is a feeling that there is little hard information available about the Big Society agenda.

The civil society organisations that gave evidence were clear that with the right support and encouragement there is much more that they could do to help rural communities and particularly vulnerable people within our rural communities.