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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

robert.beard@navca.org.uk

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…