NCVO / TSRC Big Society Evidence seminar October 2010 David Prout, DCLG

1. NCVO/TSRC Big
Society Evidence
Seminar
David Prout
Director General for
Communities
NCVO
11 October 2010

2. The Big Society
“There are the things you do because it’s your duty.
Sometimes unpopular – but you do them because it is in the
national interest. And yes, cutting the deficit falls into that
camp. But there are the things you do because it’s your
passion. The things that fire you up in the morning, that drive
you, that you truly believe will make a real difference to the
country you love. And my great passion is creating the Big
Society.”
David Cameron, 19 July
“To change forever the way this country is run…breaking
apart the old system with a massive transfer of power, from
the state to citizens, politicians to people, government to
society. That is the power shift this country needs today…”
2
David Cameron, 6 October

3. The “Credit Crunch”
Real GDP quarterly growth House Prices
Source: ONS
3
Source: www.thisismoney.co.uk

4. Deficit reduction is the Coalition’s first
priority
The Emergency Budget published on 22 June set out
action to eliminate the bulk of the structural deficit
through plans for additional consolidation of £40 billion
per year by 2014-15 - including £30 billion of current
spending reductions.
4

5. Total Government Expenditure in Real Terms
(FY 1997/98 – FY 2013/14)
Total Government expenditure in real terms 1997-98 to 2013-14
700.0
600.0
500.0
400.0
£ billion
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
2
3
4
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
-1
-1
-1
–9
–9
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–0
–1
–1
11
12
13
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
20
20
20
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Note: figures for 2010-11 to 2013-14 are forecasted expenditure
Uses GDP deflator, 2009/10 as base year 5

6. 6

7. 7

8. The Big Society vision
“The Big Society is about a huge culture change
where people, in their everyday lives… feel both
free and powerful enough to help themselves and
their own communities.” David Cameron, 19 July
Values Principles
Freedom Social Action
Frameworks that What people can do
support social for each other
responsibility and civil
liberties
A Big Society Community
Fairness
matched by Big Empowerment
How people can help
Those who cannot, we
always help
Citizens themselves
Public Service
Responsibility
Reform
Those who can, do
What the state can do
for people
Methods
8
Decentralisation Transparency Providing Finance

9. We will not use a “one size fits all”
approach to decentralisation
Must change happen everywhere?
Must the centre specify the approach used?
Yes No
Universal Bespoke
Yes
Elected police London Mayor
commissioners
Permissive Rights
No Local
Free Schools
Enterprise
Partnerships
9

10. The Coalition Programme’s Big Society
Actions
• reform of the planning system
• support the creation and expansion of mutuals, co-operatives,
charities and social enterprises, and enable these groups to have
much greater involvement in the running of public services
• give public sector workers a new right to form employee-owned
co-operatives and bid to take over the services they deliver
• train a new generation of community organisers and support the
creation of neighbourhood groups across the UK, especially in
the most deprived areas
• ensure that the Civil Service supports communities around the
country. Civil Servants have been working directly with Vanguard
areas on “Barrier Busting” – removing obstacles to the Big
Society
• introduce National Citizen Service
• use funds from dormant bank accounts to establish a ‘Big
Society Bank’, which will provide new finance for neighbourhood
groups, charities, social enterprises and other non-governmental 10
bodies

11. Impacts on the Voluntary and
Community Sector
1. Strong commitment to the Big Society
2. Strong commitment to greater diversity
of supply
3. Strong commitment to decentralisation
and localism
4. Changing the balance of Power
5. Reductions in Government Spending
11