Downing Street Says » Big Society

Asked if it was a good idea to introduce the Big Society at a time of austerity, the PMS replied that a lot of the issues in reports related to local authority funding.

First, local Government spending accounted for a quarter of all spending and at a time where we had a significant deficit we had to look hard at local Government spending as well as central Government spending.

Second, local authorities should be looking at efficiencies rather than going straight to contracts with external organisations and cutting them. We had raised the issue of pay, as well as the issue of accommodation and buildings where significant savings were possible. Birmingham Council would be cutting the number of buildings they used from 55 to eight for instance.

Third, over time there would be significant opportunities for voluntary organisations to provide public services. This would take some time, but we wanted to see a greater role for voluntary organisations for example in the rehabilitation of drug users and prisoners for example.

Put that local authorities were cutting external organisations and could the Government do anything to stop that, the PMS said that we could demonstrate ways in which efficiencies could be made, such as Birmingham Council cutting the number of buildings being used. The PMS said we could also generate more transparency so people could see where local authorities were spending their money and hold them to account.

Asked whether the Government was prepared to admit that it was not an ideal time to launch the Big Society, the PMS replied that it would take some time for these changes to happen. The argument remained that if you had one of the largest deficits in the world, it would need to be addressed. The Government had decided to address that by cutting public spending in certain areas, but a cut in public spending did not automatically mean a cut in services.

Put that the Big Society was being delayed, the PMS said that in the future, we would see a different relationship between individuals, voluntary groups and the state, and that change would not happen overnight, nor was it ever expected to.

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» Monday, February 7, 2011

Big Society

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