By Lucy Phillips
19 July 2010
Prime Minister David Cameron today formally launched the government’s ‘Big Society’ agenda, promising to move powers from Westminster to local communities.
Ina speech in Liverpool, the prime minister said citizens will be given new rights to run parks, libraries and post offices while charities, social enterprises and private companies will be given new opportunities to provide other public services.
He said: ‘It’s time for something different, something bold – something that doesn’t just pour money down the throat of wasteful, top-down government schemes. The Big Society is that something different and bold.’
Four areas – Eden Valley in Cumbria, Windsor & Maidenhead, the London Borough of Sutton and Liverpool – will be ‘vanguards’ for the programme and have each been assigned a government official.
‘We need to create communities with oomph – neighbourhoods who are in charge of their own destiny, who feel if they club together and get involved they can shape the world around them,’ added the prime minister.
Cameron also confirmed that the government would use dormant bank accounts to set up a Big Society Bank, helping to finance voluntary groups, charities and social enterprises in public service delivery.
The Conservative-driven ideas met with a mixed reaction. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations welcomed the push to get more people involved in community work, but warned of ‘the tidal wave of cuts’ about to hit the third sector.
‘The government must ensure that any cuts do not disproportionately hit the most vulnerable and scupper the chances of achieving the Big Society,’ said NCVO chief executive Sir Stuart Etherington.
The Social Enterprise Coalition welcomed the creation of the Big Society Bank but warned that it ‘must be managed independently of government with the ability to operate commercially and distribute funds swiftly and efficiently’.
Labour claimed the programme was simply a smokescreen for public spending cuts, while unions warned it would lead to public sector job and service reductions.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: ‘The government is simply washing its hands of decent public services and using volunteers as a cut-price alternative.’
Rachael Maskell, national officer for Unite, added: ‘The “Big Society” is smoke and mirrors for an avalanche of privatisation under the Tories.’
