David Cameron on the Big Society
Posted on 18 February 2011
By Kevin Maton, SEWM Network Director
Last weekend (12/13 Feb) saw an upturn in the level of media comments about ‘The Big Society’. The Prime Minister was part of it, writing an opinion piece in the Observer and he clearly draws the conclusion that this level of activity endorses his view that “he’s on to something”.
There is now general agreement that ‘The Big Society’ is not a programme or a single policy area but amounts to a vision statement for the Prime Minister. It is a picture of Britain in his mind that he wants to see become a reality. It is therefore pointless trying to analyse the policy because it does not exist. Instead you have to unpick the picture that is in David Cameron’s mind and test whether one’s own ideas fit alongside it.
He does though give a number of clues – in his writing he gives concrete examples of what he’s thinking about. An example from Sunday’s article:
“So the big society doesn’t apply to one area of policy, but many. For example, if neighbours want to take over the running of a post office, park or playground, we will help them. If a charity or a faith group want to set up a great new school in the state sector, we’ll let them. And if someone wants to help out with children, we will sweep away the criminal record checks and health and safety laws that stop them.”
Firstly this illustrates the problem – it’s a mish mash of ideas, some of them quite dangerous. I don’t think there are many parents that would be entirely comfortable with their children being looked after in schools with no health and safety checks for example. But for those of us in the social enterprise sector, running say a post office is exactly up our street. David Cameron suggests that there will be help to run that Post office business. And for communities looking to take on a major undertaking like a post office, making that help available is absolutely essential.
On the positive side, the announcement of the Big Society Bank (see here and here) should encourage the social enterprise sector to feel that they can access the loan funds they need to see their ideas develop. However, we should not forget that Unity Bank, Charity Bank and Triodos, along Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFI), have existed for years responding to the investment needs in the same way that BSB will. Duplication? Re-inventing the wheel?
But much more important has been the massive reduction in the availability of subsidised business support tailored to meet the needs of those communities in Cameron’s vision setting up a Post office. I suspect without that initial subsidy communities will be reluctant to take on the inevitable personal risk.
Cameron has a response to this reduction in the availability of support outlined in his article
“We are not naively hoping the seeds will grow everywhere of their own accord; we are helping to nurture them. That’s why we will soon be announcing the partners who will help us deliver our commitment to provide 5,000 community organisers in the areas where they are needed most.”
If this meant 500 additional trained social enterprise business support professionals and community development specialists for the West Midlands this would be have to be welcomed. But we are closing down organisations that already have that expertise and I suspect that these organisers, like their counterparts in the reformed national Business Link call centre will be simply provide a referral and signposting service. This despite the fact that we know that when setting up or expanding their social enterprise, people want access to good quality and experienced advisors who can work with them and alongside them as they progress their business idea. I could be wrong but already we seem to be bringing in a new idea rather than building on what has been shown to work – the existing network of qualified social enterprise specialist business advisers.
Despite all the column inches expended on the Big Society the central fact remains that the shift towards more locally run services and social enterprises will not materialise without additional investment inappropriate training and business support for those who want to take on these responsibilities. And that is the investment that appears as eidetic as ever. Unfortunately.