The Big Society explained

pruary 8 2011 | THE TIMES THE TIMES | Tuesday February 8 2011 2GM Big Society News mn ities MAITHEW SW FT FOR THE TIMES The Big Society explained 2. FUTURE Big Society COMMUNITIES (Individuals join forces locally to take over pubs, lay own broadband, run Neighbourhood Watch, stage community lunches) 1. NOW Big Government O Power and responsibility for providing some services devolved to communities (via local government) at neighbourhood level Communities O Public services opened up to new forms of social organisation such as free schools and employee-owned co-operatives Individuals and businesses encouraged to donate time, money or expertise Government and public services t's £100 million transition ned as emergency aid for be increased urgently. ancils are to slash charity more than 50 per cent. The ector's income will fall by this year, the Association ecutives of Voluntary Or- said. Charities promoting gin Wokingham and Liver- other combating domestic Devon, were among those Mr Kernighan said. man for the Cabinet Office ne Government would be proposals to make it easier s and voluntary groups to sector contracts. However, in charge of implementing Charities Business YOU Government (central and local) provides bulk of public services with little engagement by communities Volunteers take over running of post offices and libraries O Charities provide services such as debt counselling, daycare centres for elderly, training programmes • Employee-owned co-ops to run public services such as leisure centres £1lbn money charities receive from government and local councils annually GETTING Parents to set up free schools INVOLVED The Big Society is in danger, sald Dame Elisabeth Hoodless £10bn money charities receive from public donations GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES (role of State shrinks RUNNING O Red tape cut to allow charities to take over more public services: forests; National Volunteer Service £6.4bn as power is devolved) FUNDING MORE ety suggested that the Gov- vas deliberately cutting s to charities because they e "too dependent on the k Hurd, the Minister for y, said that they would be ards greater independence. in The Times, Francis Cabinet Office Minister, to- es Dame Elisabeth's claim vernment lacked coherent volunteering. "She is utter- That we are doing is support- ulture where everyone gets nd society stops relying on provide all the answers." from other sources SERVICES Big Society Bank funded by £60m from dormant BUSINESS (More philanthropy: corporate volunteering: payroll giving, donations from bonuses) CHARITIES (Traditional charitable activities funded by donations : medical research; animal protection; emergency appeals) bank accounts Financial products to encourage social investment such as social impact bonds £4.2bn amount the Charity Commission calculates • Targets for corporate giving charities will lose as result of government cuts over next four years on's plan se cuts Deadline too tight' for charities to buy woods Populus poll for The Times Voting intention (Change from Oct) Lib Dem 11(-4) MATT CARDY /GETTY Ben Wębster Environment Editor confirms that the Government is not se- rious about wanting these groups to take part in the sale. This is an ideologi- cally driven initiative to shrink the state as fast as possible by getting it into the hands of the private sector." Mary Creagh, the Shadow Environ- ment Šecretary, said: "This document shows the hollowness at the heart of the Government's proposals. The Big Society will be allowed to compete with private companies to buy land it already owns. There are very few towns or villages that can raise six- figure sums to save much-loved local woodland." Lab 39 (+1) in the argument that £81 bil- ding cuts and tax rises over ar years are justified. ts are striking because they while 74 per cent think the sa whole will fare worse ext year, far fewer are de- hat ministers switch to a tha slower rate of deficit re- e economic outlook is the itain since March 2009. tive voters are most likely usiastic about the deficit -lan, with 65 ner cent giying Charities and community groups will be given only 28 days to raise the money to buy public woodlands, despite the Government's claim that they would be given priority in the privatisation of forests. A clause in the Government's sales criteria for Forestry Commission land states that bidders from the voluntary sector will have to prove that they have sufficient funding in place to pay the full market value of the woodland. If they cannot provide proof within 28 days of being notified that the land is Tory 36 (1) Other 14 (+4) O How do you think the British economy will fare over the next year for the country as a whole? Well 23% (44%) O And for you and your family? Well 38% (from 47% in June) ANDS OFF OUR Inside today