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Making sense of national policy
Robert BeardImproving Local Partnerships Policy Adviser
NAVCA, The Tower, 2 Furnival Square, SHEFFIELD S1 4QL
+(0)114 289 3984
www.navca.org.uk/infobank
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Decentralisation!
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Decentralisation! Decent
what??
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The national context
• deficit reduction• protecting frontline
services and communities• small state
‒ decentralisation
• Big Society– Active citizens– Community groups
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Deficit reduction
• CLG cuts:– Community Cohesion– LAA Performance Reward Grant– Prevent(ing Violent Extremism)– Working Neighbourhoods Fund…
• ‘de-ringfencing’ for local flexibility• overall CLG cuts ≤ 2%
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Deficit reduction – VCS response
• open dialogue with funders• VCS not an easy target• must be able to plan ahead
and deliver effectively
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Cuts case study: Thurrock
• TCVS report• Council consultation
– £1 council funding triggers £9 VCS funding
– increased demand for services
• £4 million cut to Council• no cut to “vital” VCS funding
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Small state – Decentralisation & Localism Bill
• give councils general power of competence
• abolish Standards Board • give communities powers to save
local facilities• give communities right to bid to
take over state-run services• allow councils to return to
committee system
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Small state – decentralisation competition?
• Directly elected police commissioners• Health boards to replace health trusts• Extending academies programme• Local people to take over public services
cf. Tony Travers, LSE
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Small state – Local Enterprise Partnerships
• RDAs axed by March 2012• proposals for LEPs• “natural economic areas”• economic white paper “later in the summer”
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Small state – LEPs and the VCS
• VCS contribution to local economy:
– Lincolnshire: £410 million
– Nottingham: £227 million
– North West: £5.3 billion
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Small state – LEPs and the VCS
• VCS initially ‘overlooked’• NAVCA campaign
Greg Clark: ‘VCS is welcome’• role of local VCS reps
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Big Society – VCS response
• A “fig-leaf” for cuts
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Big Society – VCS response
• A “fig-leaf” for cuts
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Big Society – VCS response
• Reinventing the wheel
to this?
From this…
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Big Society – Communities First fund
• targeted towards the most disadvantaged areas
• start up funds for neighbourhood groups
• charities and social enterprises can offer support
• existing or ‘reinvented’ groups?
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• to capitalise organisations for service delivery
• existing or ‘reinvented’ groups?
Big Society – Big Society Bank
Because it’s
there!
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Big Society – National Citizen Service
• for young people to develop skills for engagement and become active, responsible citizens
• “compulsory volunteering”?
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Big Society – Community OrganisersGod helps those who
help themselv
es!
• Govt will provide training• COs to find their own salaries• unaffordable for communities who
most need them?• leave disadvantaged communities
to sort out issues?• increased demand on services
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Big Society: VCS role in public services
• “a valuable role”• “reach and engage”• “understand need and pioneer new approaches”• bid to run services “where appropriate”• identify barriers and implement measures
Queen’s Speech – Estimates for the public services
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Government priorities for the VCS
• Level playing field• Less bureaucracy• More resources
– less central government money– bigger share of local public spending– diverse income streams to support independence
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VCS priorities for the VCS
• protect and promote interests of excluded people
• promote and train people for participative engagement
• facilitate and develop structures for representative engagement
• empower local people and communities
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What the VCS offers
• essential support for civil society• local intelligence and expertise• democratic renewal• local accountability• economic contribution• Compact compliance• criticism and challenge
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We can ensure that the We can ensure that the
Big SocietyBig Society……
……reachesreaches the the smallestsmallest comcommunitiesmunities!!
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Big
Society…
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Big
Society…
