Author: Guardian Society

 

As communities get the power to run their own public services, Jessica Shepherd attends a workshop on the art of influence

The faces around the table are growing redder as both sides become exasperated. A council leader has agreed to meet with a local campaign group that wants to change his mind about shutting a centre for disabled people in the borough. “I’m afraid difficult decisions must be made,” the council leader says. “I have another meeting now so we’ll have to wrap up…”

Desperately, the campaign group’s leader searches for a trump card. “We are inviting you to visit the centre. Will we have to tell the local press you won’t be coming?”

“That’s it! Use tension. Make specific demands. Speak to his self-interests,” the session leader calls out.

No real council leader is present and the scenario is fictitious. I am at a two-day training event for would-be community organisers run by Citizens UK – the biggest alliance of community groups in Britain – and we’re learning, through role-play, how to negotiate with, and win over, individuals in authority, such as council bosses.

“Don’t forget how effective it is to use testimony,” the leader of this session, Stefan Baskerville, tells the campaigners.

“Oh yes,” one says. “We’ve brought along Fred, who uses the centre, and he’d like to tell you what a difference it makes to his life…”

“Good,” says Baskerville, a recent graduate and a former president of Oxford University Student Union. “You have to practise this. Next time think: ‘Have I got a plan, have I thought about their interests, what is their agenda?’

“Think about which of you is going to be in charge of keeping time, which of you will tell the story and which of you will be in charge of telling the media … We are talking about the importance of a caucus.”

Community organising is a way in which local groups can unite along shared interests to improve society and stand as a long-term force to be reckoned with against powers, such as the government, the City and the media. It was a technique that Barack Obama used to secure victory in his 2008 US presidential campaign.

The popularity of community organising is growing in the UK. David Cameron made the idea a centrepiece of his launch of the “big society”. He has said the Treasury will pay 500 full-time community organisers £20,000 a year each and foot the bill for a further 4,500 to be trained to work part-time all over the country.

The importance of community organisers will be reiterated in next week’s white paper on public service reform. Private companies, voluntary groups and charities will be given the right to run almost all of our public services. Meanwhile, Labour’s Movement for Change is charged with reconnecting the party with its traditions of grassroots activism.

Citizens UK has tapped into this civic mood. It trains about 200 people a year on two-day courses, such as this one, or five-day residentials for “local leaders”. The number of organisations that belong to Citizens UK has risen from 60 to more than 200 in the last six years. The courses are free for those who belong to a member organisation, but cost between £400 and £2,000 for those that don’t.

In my group, there is a headteacher of a Muslim school, a detective inspector for Greater Manchester police, a head chef, a synagogue youth worker and a vicar.

After our masterclass in negotiation skills, it’s time for a session on “power”. We are asked to think of a definition of power. “The ability to compel,” someone says. “The ability to act,” says another. Later, we do a “power analysis” of London and are encouraged to do this before meeting people in authority. “There are two forms of power – organised money and organised people,” says Bernadette Farrell, a lead organiser for South London Citizens, who is taking this session. “Power targets the weak … Disorganised people have least power; organised people have more power,” she says.

Then it’s back to community interests. “If you don’t understand the interests of those you are standing up to, then you are just people with placards and bumper stickers and those in power can say, ‘They don’t understand what it is like to make hard decisions and to have a limited budget.'”

Next, we are taught “the secret weapon” of citizen organising: face-to-face meetings. Citizens UK says this is the way to probe another person’s vision, talent, energy and interests.

Over two-thirds of the people in my group are from churches, mosques, synagogues and temples. Why have so many of these religious organisations joined Citizens UK when they already have an umbrella group, such as the Church of England, to represent them?

Father Steven Saxby, of St Barnabas church in Walthamstow, east London, says his church joined in December to benefit from the network of organisations that Citizens UK engages with in the field of social action. He wants to help immigrants who have been in this country for years, but are paid below the minimum wage and have no permanent right to remain.

Chris Connelley has come on the training course because he is a founder of a community action group in Seven Kings, near Ilford in Essex. He has been campaigning against the closure of a local library and when I catch up with him a few weeks after the course he says he has used the techniques we were taught to good effect. “The threat to Goodmayes library has been lifted as Redbridge council has removed it from its cuts prospectus after the most massive local campaign – 5,000 signatures in three weeks,” he says.

“I used a number of the methods and ideas from the course. Our sense is that they worked and established powerful new relationships … which we are all now resolved to build upon and strengthen.”

Could the establishment come to rue its newfound commitment to community organisers?

 

Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA) is poised to become the first Housing Association in the UK to develop a community scale wind farm. 

“We are very keen to ensure local residents are fully consulted on our proposed development” said Helen Forsyth, BHA Chief Executive, explaining that the Housing Association has already distributed two editions of a wind farm newsletter to all households within the vicinity, written to all local councillors, MSPs and MPs, and attended a meeting of Cockburnspath Community Council. “We’ve also sought a meeting with East Lammermuirs Community Council in neighbouring East Lothian since the development is very close to the East Lothian boundary. A meeting will be held with Michael Moore MP later in March”. Berwickshire Housing Association will also commission a telephone survey of local residents after the public exhibitions in order to gauge the overall level of public support.

Partners in the development are registered charity Community Energy Scotland (CES), a specialist organisation providing support and advice to communities across Scotland seeking to develop renewable energy projects. “This is a very attractive project” commented Nicholas Gubbins, Chief Executive of CES “and we are delighted to be involved as a junior partner to BHA. Whilst we have provided support to many housing associations, this is the first time we have joined with a housing association as a partner in a revenue generating scheme. It’s a very exciting prospect.” On completion CES will own one third of the project and BHA two thirds, each organisation receiving profits in proportion to their ownership.

Based on average energy use the wind farm will generate twice the electricity used by BHA’s tenants. Given that approximately 1 in 5 of all Berwickshire residents live in BHA homes Helen Forsyth considers this is a very significant development, both for BHA and for Berwickshire. “At a time when public expenditure on new social housing development is being squeezed, yet demand for affordable rented housing remains at record levels, it is important for us to develop sustainable and significant sources of revenue beyond the rentals paid by our tenants. Hoprigshiels Community Wind Farm provides the potential to greatly improve the Association’s environmental impact and to provide much needed funds for investment.”

Beyond the community benefit arising from BHA and CES ownership of the project, the two bodies also plan to establish a community fund contributing approximately £30,000 per year to community projects in the immediate vicinity of the wind farm. Given the proposed scale of the development (6 megawatts) this is a significantly higher level of community fund contribution than that typically made by commercial wind farms. “All profits for community and charitable benefit. That’s the reality of community ownership, that’s the reality of Hoprigshiels Community Wind Farm” said Helen Forsyth.

 

The Grow your Own Working Group Report  (for full report click here) was sent to the Minister Roseanna Cunningham on February 14th . The members of the Working Group trust that she will endorse their recommendations.

 

The Working Group was set up by the Scottish Government to take forward that part of the  Food and Drink Policy relating to growing your own food. 

* Ensure that allotments and “grow your own” projects are strategically supported. 

* Produce practical advice and best practice guidance that will appeal to public bodies, communities and individuals to help them develop local “grow your own” initiatives . 

 

The Working group had a strong input from  community growing initiatives – allotments, community gardens and orchards, together with involvement from the public agencies, local government, NGOs and the private sector.  The report reflects the interests and concerns of a wide range of organisations. The initial remit of the working group was to produce the Report but the members have agreed to continue meeting to work on implementing the recommendations of the Report.

 

Recommendations from the working group

Planning

1 A Planning Conference to be staged involving senior planners from

Government, Local Authorities and Health Boards jointly with the

professional bodies to produce improved policies and guidance for GYO

initiatives.

2. Identify best practice food growing policies and practice from local authority

Open Space Strategies, and use this to encourage other local authorities to

support the protection of existing and establishment of new allotments and

community food growing projects.

3. The Working Group and all members to feed into consultation on Permitted

Development Rights (due spring 2011).

4. Promote the benefits of Grow Your Own to planning authorities, making them

aware of the need to identify locations and encourage their establishment to

meet community demand for growing spaces.

5. On land scheduled for development but delayed, planning policies to

dictate the “meanwhile use” of the land.

6. Local Authorities to use Section 75 Planning Agreements to support GYO

projects.

Legal

7. An amendment to the Allotments Act that specifies a timescale for allotment

provision and number of allotments per head of population.

8. A change to Public Finance Manual Rules that allows the Scottish

Government, its agencies, and government-related organisations to

lease or sell land at less than market value for local GYO initiatives.

9. GYO communities to make use of the Freedom of Information facility to ask

Local Authorities how they are dealing with meeting the duties imposed on

them by the Allotments (Scotland) Acts and disseminate this information.

Skills

10. Training in horticultural skills should be recognised by an awarding body

where appropriate and such training should be progressive i.e. each course is

certified and builds to higher qualifications.

11. Local Authorities should consider training needs as part of their

Allotment/Growing Space Strategy.

12. To review commonality across education bodies to set standards and offer

similar courses.

13. Bank of information and learning material to be held and managed by a

central organisation linked to the web site.

Community Land

14. The establishment of a community land bank service developed to facilitate

access to land for GYO initiatives and provide specialist support to

landowners and food growers.

15. Government to instruct its agencies, Local Authorities, Health Boards,

government related organisations and other public sector bodies, to examine

their land assets and determine what surplus land will be made available for

local GYO initiatives and to publicise this information.

16. Public bodies to use the Forestry Commission Community Leasing Scheme

as an example of long term leasing of public land and other land for

establishing GYO projects.

17. Every local authority to produce a strategy for community growing that

establishes policy and planning. They will address the need to meet demand

with appropriate supply and agree land and management issues.

Guidance

18. “Allotments, A Scottish Plotholders Guide” covers the basic culture of

allotment gardening and allotment law. Completed

19. Production of a landowners’ and land users’ guide, including development and

template leases, collating those that are available.

20. Production of a users’ and providers’ good practice guide on design and

development of new and existing allotment sites that links to the improved

planning policies.

21. Production of guidance on understanding soil contamination and how to grow

on contaminated land.

22. Encourage organisations to set up a central web site or develop existing site/s

to collect and disseminate information to the community GYO sector.

23. A travelling seminar to raise awareness at local authority level to identify and

promote the benefits of community growing.

Funding

24. Provision of a “Soft Loan” scheme such as a Community Credit Fund for GYO

initiatives.

25. Continual mapping of funding streams to be available on a central site.

26. Request that the administrators of funds are trained and briefed on the

needs and limitations of those applying for funds for GYO projects.

27. Request Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) management board to

consider funding needed (via the CSGN development fund and any future

funds) to deliver the CSGN target of a threefold increase in the area of

growing spaces in the CSGN area

 

 

Membership of group

John Beveridge Greenbelt Group Ltd

Peter Duncan Fife Council

Elaine Gibb greenspace scotland

Bill Gray Community Food and Health (Scotland)

Stan Green Growforth Ltd

John Hancox Commonwealth Orchards

Antonia Ineson NHS Lothians

David Jamieson City of Edinburgh Council

Sarah-Jane Laing Scottish Rural Property and Business Association

Eleanor Logan Soil Association and NOURISH

Jenny Mollison Scottish Allotments and Garden Society

Catriona Morrison Scottish Natural Heritage

Helen Pank Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens

Julie Proctor greenspace scotland

Heidi Proven Landshare (Keofilms)

Wayne Roberts Elmwood College

Mike Strachan Forestry Commission

Scott Walker National Farmers Union Scotland

Judy Wilkinson Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society

David Wood Planning Aid Scotland

Peter Wright Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society

 

 

 

 

 

The 8th Principle, published by the CREATE Consortium recognises the “community dimension” in tackling worklessness. Without this principle DWP risk not only missing out on an important part of the problem and the solution but David Cameron’s vision of all government departments supporting the development of the Big Society.

Louise Winterburn, Director of the CREATE Consortium said: “The 8th principle addresses David Cameron’s challenge to all Government departments to support communities to develop local solutions. With £1.5 billion already guaranteed to be spent by the Government on welfare to work next year, it is vital that a “Big Society” principle is included in Welfare Reform to ensure that deprived communities will benefit from this money for the long term.”

Recognising the relationship between individuals on benefits and the communities in which they live, would also give a major boost to Iain Duncan Smith’s plans to get long-term unemployed people back into work. The Create Consortium are proposing a “Community Allowance” which offers a practical and affordable way to create new jobs in the most deprived communities. This could create the paid “stepping stone” jobs envisaged in the 21stCentury consultation document, while enabling communities to ensure vital community work is done – showing how Big Society and Welfare Reform could work together.

The CREATE Consortium draws on the direct experience of community-led organisations working with individuals in some of the most deprived communities across the UK. St Peter’s Partnerships, in Ashton-under-Lyne (described in August by David Cameron as “inspirational”) is one such organisation that has been supporting local people to get back into employment. St Peter’s Partnerships want to be able to offer the Community Allowance – developing new part-time jobs in the community with wraparound training and support for long-term unemployed people. Their work with Micky, a local resident in the area shows why a Community Allowance could help those who want to get back into work and out of the ‘benefit trap’.

Micky’s attempts to move off incapacity benefit and into work have proved confusing, time consuming and unproductive. Despite this, he is still desperate to get back into work in a fulfilling, high value job that supports his community. He is determined that he will get a job. Unlike the majority of people on incapacity benefit who are more likely to die or retire than find a job after being on incapacity benefit for more than two years.

In his own words;

Community Allowance is for people like me who want to get out, want to work, want to get on. Real people, who aren’t doing anything wrong, who are getting kicked from pillar to post. It’s that step up – the pride that you need back, the commitment, everything really… All I want to do is to get on the ladder but it’s impossible at the moment – you need that step up first.”

With over 100 organisations, from large international NGOs to small local tenants groups, supporting the creation of a Community Allowance, CREATE’s ‘8th Principle’ is one that the Government cannot afford to ignore.

To read a full version of the 8th principle click here

Author: Nick Petrie, The Guardian

 

A round up of advice and top tips provided by an expert panel at an event held on asset transfer for social enterprises

Annemarie Naylor, DTA

The whole point of community asset ownership and community asset transfer is to empower communities. So, to the extent that communities can come together to address local needs, and form social and community enterprises benefiting from limited liability structures, asset transfer holds out the prospect of them proceeding from a position of relative financial strength to explore together how to realise their aspirations. Clearly, the proposition is based upon the development of realistic enterprise plans and the transfer of viable assets. But, the opportunities are immense and broad-ranging, as the activities led by DTA/bassac (soon to become Locality) members across the country make plain.

Our experience of working with many councils who rightly call for solid business plans from community organisations, is that many lack the in-house skills and capacity to assess them. That’s why the Asset Transfer Unit was established to support both councils and communities to further transfer initiatives upon a partnership basis, why 20% of our enquiries to date have stemmed from public bodies and why we continue to build capacity for both parties.

Clearly, the increasing speed and scale of requirements from both is something which we are monitoring closely. It would be tragic were this alternative to disposal which is benefiting so many communities to become “tarnished” by excessive haste and poor quality decision-making.

On the speed and scale of public asset disposal – this is something we’re hearing from a lot of partners and local community organisations at present. While data transparency is liable to aid communities, there are perhaps bigger issues at stake where new approaches to community asset transfer are called for, to take account of the new operating environment.

This partially explains why we’ve moved in recent months to invest – with the Social Investment Business – in work to explore the potential for multiple asset transfer in 5 self-selecting areas. And, it is certainly something we anticipate working on in greater depth with many more communities over the coming months.

Charles Woodd, Department of Communities and Local Government

The government is keen that the community right to buy proposals don’t get in the way of asset transfer at less than market value, but complement it. They do this by extending across a wide range of public and private assets, and giving communities the right to take the initiative, by identifying and nominating assets for listing, so that, if listed, they get time to put together a bid to buy the asset.

The government is certainly encouraging local authorities to rationalise their assets, with other local public bodies, but also to think broadly how working in partnership with their communities through Cat could help them achieve broad community benefits that justify any loss of capital receipt.

Local authorities can always sell assets on the open market. The community right to buy doesn’t make any difference to that. However, it will give communities the opportunity to assert the community value of particular assets, particularly in areas where the local authority has not embraced or understood the benefits of asset transfer. The window created by listing the asset will give groups more time to lobby and negotiate with councils to make the case for asset transfer, rather than open market sale.

Incidentally, do spread the word that we are consulting on the secondary legislation for the CRT Buy scheme, which will set out much of the detail. Here’s a link to the consultation document and a number of events.

Lis Burnett

Caution should be exercised when taking over a derelict or neglected property. Surveys should not be undertaken by well meaning volunteers without the usual liability insurance.

That said, the greatest risk is probably over-optimism driven by local passion for the property or facility. There must be a fully costed business plan based upon fairly hard evidence. Yes, it will include the mixed resource base of social enterprise such as volunteers, time-banking and grants as well as traded income, but it has to demonstrate clearly how it will be economically sustainable.

I recently helped an organisation explore the possibility of establishing a catering operation. One option was to re-establish a meals on wheels type service for local vulnerable people. However, those individuals were very happy buying chilled meals from a local supermarket. Hence, no market. There are amazing examples of communities that have got it right, but if the budget will only stack up with substantial amounts of grant funding included then the proposal is probably not viable.

Beth Margetson, Anthony Collins Solicitors

There is no doubt that it will be difficult for social enterprises to make a case for a transfer at below market value in the current economic conditions. However, local authorities will also need to be aware of their enduring role in helping to promote and sustain vibrant local communities.

Local authorities are not required to obtain a full market rent or price when disposing of assets where a social enterprise has been able to make a robust case showing how the transfer is likely to contribute to the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of the area. It will be the relationship between the social enterprise and the local authority and the strength of the social enterprise’s business case that will make the key difference.

Where social enterprises are considering taking a transfer of an asset, they need to be aware of the preliminary steps that need to be taken before they start considering the detail of the document transferring the asset. In particular, some of things the social enterprise needs to consider include:

(a) If it is a suitable vehicle for the transfer: Local authorities will be interested in the track record of the social enterprise or, where a track record has yet to be established, that the social enterprise has the support and advice of experienced individuals. We also recommend that the transfer is made to an incorporated company, so that individual liability is minimised. Charities, community interest companies and industrial and provident societies tend to be the preferred vehicles.

(b) Checking the asset: Understanding needs to be reached about whether the asset can be used for the purposes proposed. Some land is subject to restrictions on use imposed on the title or through planning. We also recommend that an assessment is made of the state of repair of the asset. Will it need a lot of money spending on it to make it suitable for use?

(c) Agreeing an outline of the transfer terms: Care should be taken to understand on what basis the local authority is willing to transfer the asset. Will tight restrictions on how the asset can be used be imposed by the local authority in the transfer? Will a capital receipt be required (albeit less than full market value)? It is best to understand what the local authority wants to achieve at the outset so that you can check your approach is compatible with achieving a successful transfer.

Jane Lowrie, CIPFA

Taking over a physical asset requires a clear understanding of what that entails in general (legal and other responsibilities, for example), but any social enterprise would also need detailed information about the asset in order to develop a realistic business case. Asset managers in local authorities have a lot of data available to them and are able to identify which assets are poor performers in terms of supporting service delivery, but also in terms of ongoing costs and liabilities.

These are likely to be the assets they are keen to release to support the financial savings agenda. Hence any social enterprise needs to get hold of this information and be realistic about the long term sustainability of the building. Hopefully this information would be willingly shared to support the wider community and social agenda. There will be costs to put the building into a suitable state of repair, or to develop it to provide appropriate facilities, but equally importantly, there will be ongoing running costs that need to be met year on year. Awareness of current and historic costs, the condition and future maintenance liabilities and professional advice are essential to ensure the long term viability of a project involving a physical asset.

David Alcock, Anthony Collins Solicitors

There are a number of, not so much barriers, as limitations in the new provisions in the localism bill. The issues about the community right to buy have been explored above; the limitations on the community right to build are going to be about scale. There’s nothing in the bill, but the associated guidance suggests that it will only apply to very small scale developments.

The issues for social enterprises trying to take advantage of the right to bid will be as they are now – procurement technicalities, the difficulty of competing against large private sector providers, the need to have an established track record. All the bill does is open a procurement process (provided the boxes are ticked). Welcome, on balance, but limited.

Rick Rijsdijk, Think Research

Potentially there could be many benefits for local authorities – community cohesion, social capital, better services for the residents, to name but a few. The problem is that many councils are very cash driven and will try to sell the redundant assets to the highest bidder, and try to offload assets that have no real commercial value to social enterprises/community groups. The point is that not all buildings that are portrayed as assets are assets. Many are liabilities and local social enterprises should be cautious of what they take on.

Caroline Forster, Communitybuilders Director

It’s important that organisations plan and research what they would do when taking on an asset and making sure that it helps them as an organisation as awhole and doesn’t become a liability. It should help them become more sustainable as an organisation and give them the opportunity to develop new and diverse income streams. In essence, this is about business planning.

Annemarie mentioned the importance of patient and mixed capital finance. Through both ACF and the Communitybuilders programme we have been able to help organisations both research and plan use of assets and then make larger investments that help them to implement their plans. As the investments are a mixture of both loan and grant over a long term and are tailored to the needs of individual organisations, this gives them a good platform from which to grow.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To find out about forthcoming Q&As, sign up to the voluntary sector network.

 

AS the ‘Fair Deal for Forres and Kinloss’ campaign gathers pace to put the area firmly in the spotlight, one organisation, founded four years ago, is promoting various projects to help townsfolk help themselves and lift the doom and gloom surrounding budget cuts, job losses and the increasing cost of fuel and food.     Transition Town Forres (TTF) is putting Forres at the forefront of the fight-back, by trying to make everyone more resilient to the challenges we are facing, with initiatives to save money and help secure a more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

The group was started in 2007 by a small number of residents who were concerned about the increasing economic crises, dwindling fuel resources and climate change. They joined the national movement which looks to find local, grassroots solutions to these problems. In a very short time, TTF has grown rapidly and now has over 70 volunteers and members locally.

The board has expanded as well, and now has 12 directors bringing a wide range of skills and experience to the organisation. All directors either live in, or have close links with the Forres area, and come from all walks of life. They are also passionate about finding ways to make the community of Forres resilient to adverse changes in the environment.

One initiative which has grown in popularity is the monthly farmers’ market, which is due to start again on Saturday after a winter break. They are usually held on the second Saturday of every month in Anderson’s Primary playground but, this month, it will be held in the Drill Hall on the High Street opposite Grant Park. Once the weather warms up, the markets will be back outdoors. Shoppers can choose from a range of locally grown or produced food and crafts.

TTF board member, Jane Cotton, believes that a successful market means that local producers can thrive, which leads to more jobs. “It brings people into town to shop, which keeps the town centre healthy and everybody wins,” she said.

TTF also pionered a successful project to create allotments in the area, to encourage more people to grow their own food. The community garden at Bogton Road now has more than 50 people as members. The keen gardeners are growing a range of produce, from vegetables and salads to herbs, fruit and flowers.

“These are all being grown and the social life down there is growing too,” said Jane. “Growing your own food does not just bring health benefits and give you exercise – it saves you money as well. An average family can save around £150 a year.”

The pavilion at Bogton is also being upgraded, so that it can be used as an environmental centre, teaching and sharing skills on a whole range of subjects, from bees and composting to textile crafts and nutrition. The building will be heated by an energy saving biomass system.

“Saving energy not only means our fuel resources will last longer, but also brings us immediate financial savings,” said Jane. “Biomass may not be your option, but those who came along to the Energy Day held last month will know that there are many ways to improve energy consumption – and there are grants available at the moment for people in Forres to upgrade their homes and bring down their bills.”

Increasing petrol prices is also of concern, but TTF is on the case. The price of an energy efficient car is not within most people’s budgets, however, some of us may be able to car share on occasion and can see the benefit that brings. TTF members are looking at an up-to-date version of car sharing which is being tried in other parts of the country, where there is a pool of cars for use and you become a pool member. There will be more information about this at a later date.

Meantime, TTF are supporting the ‘Make and Mend group’, who meet regularly at the Forres House Community Centre to help people learn new skills.

“There is great satisfaction to be had in using your hands and brains to make things for yourself and your family,” said one of the group organisers. “Or to be able to fix something that is broken rather than throw it out and buy another, mass produced, item.”

Everyone is welcome to go along to learn and share all sorts of useful craft skills, as well as have a good old-fashioned chat.

To find out more, or be involved with the transition movement in Forres, contact Bill Race, TTF administrator on 01309 672244 , e-mail ttforres@googlemail.com or visit the TTF website www.ttforres.org

 

Despite The 2006 Planning Act, there are still some fundamental problems within the planning system.  This is particularly evident in the housing market where, despite the recent downturn, the general trend over recent decades has been one of rapidly rising house prices with the average house price in Scotland going from £69,312 in 1999 to £174,433 in 2009.  This has made housing far less affordable, particularly to those on low incomes and first time buyers, has had a destabilising effect on the economy and has diverted resources away from other parts of the economy.  Although a number of factors have contributed to the rise in house prices, one of those factors is the limitation in the supply of land for housing which is an indication that the planning system is not responding adequately to demand signals in the economy.

Our proposals would make the planning and housing systems in Scotland more responsive to the needs and wishes of people living here.  The 2006 Planning Act was a step in the right direction since it increased the opportunity for people to become involved in the planning process from an early stage.  However, we need to go further and give local communities and people much greater control over their housing as well as how their parts of Scotland develop.  This is the best way to ensure that we meet our future housing needs, allow the economy to develop in a sustainable way and preserve the environment of Scotland.

Full report can be downloaded here

Locality, the charity formed by the merger of Bassac and the Development Trusts Association, has been awarded a £15m contract to deliver the government’s community organisers programme.

The programme, part of the Conservative Party’s general election manifesto, will recruit and train 5,000 community organisers to help local people develop community projects in deprived areas in England.

Five hundred of these will be senior community organisers, who will be trained and paid £20,000 each for their first year. A further 4,500 will be part-time voluntary organisers.

A statement from the Cabinet Office said the programme was about “catalysing community action at a neighbourhood level”. It said organisers would also help communities take advantage of big society initiatives such as the right to buy, enabling groups to take over public assets for community use, and the right to bid, which will allow them to try to take over the running of some public services.

A Locality spokeswoman confirmed that £10m of the £15m would be spent on paying the bursaries and £5m would cover the other costs of running the scheme. She said the first projects would base community organisers in existing third sector organisations in 10 areas in England, listed below, and would begin in April.

Among the organisations whose applications to run the scheme were unsuccessful were the Community Development Foundation, Citizens UK and the Civil Society Alliance, a group whose members include the Workers’ Educational Association, Navca, the Women’s Institute, Democracy Matters and Community Matters.

Neil Jameson, executive director of Citizens UK, said: “Our principle for the past 22 years has been never to apply for government money, but this contract looked like it was written for us so we abandoned that principle and bid for it. “We were surprised not to have won it, but I think this was because our bid was too expensive. It’s damaging for the vocation of community organising that the government has gone for a cheaper bid, rather than one from an organisation with experience.”

Jameson said the tender document produced by the Cabinet Office for organisations hoping to run the scheme was “very imaginative”.

One of its ideas was to run a scheme based on the principles of the American community organiser Saul Alinsky and the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.

Titus Alexander, convenor of Democracy Matters, said: “All of the members of the Civil Society Alliance recognise that they will have to work together to make the programme a success. One big challenge for the government will be that the community organisers may well be challenging local authorities over spending cuts.”

Steve Wyler, chief executive-designate of Locality, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for everyone – from national government to local groups and individuals – to work together and help ordinary people achieve extraordinary things and shape the future of their localities.”

The community organisers programme, which will run until 2015, will account for a large proportion of Locality’s funding. Accounts filed with the Charity Commission show that in 2009/10 Bassac had an income of £2.6m and the DTA’s income was £5.6m.

The first 10 projects will operate in:
– Barton Hill Settlement, Bristol
– Birmingham Settlement, Birmingham
– Cambridge House, south London
– Community Links, east London
– Goodwin Development Trust, Hull
– Keystone Development Trust, Norfolk
– Kirkgate Arts, Cumbria
– Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester
– Penwith Community Development Trust, Cornwall
– St Peter’s Partnerships, Tameside, Greater Manchester
 

 

The drive to put civil society at the heart of the reform agenda aims to create a new relationship between the state and users of public services. To achieve this the local community, and not just the town hall, must respond to the needs of the people who live there. However, as community groups are keen to point out, this goes beyond merely boosting the number of people who are prepared to volunteer. The development of what is being called “social capital” is an ambitious undertaking and, as the government is finding with its “big society” initiative, turning it into a practical reality is no easy task. But there is already evidence emerging that it can bring significant changes to the lives of people most in need of support, with the potential to take the policy of person-centred care to the next level. And, at a time of spending cuts, it is also saving money. Leading lights from the public and voluntary sectors, who are helping to build community capacity in social care, recently had the opportunity to showcase what they are achieving and explain how their model could be rolled out nationally in a Dragons’ Den-style event. The proceedings were hosted by Society Guardian and sponsored by the Association of
Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) and the Think Local, Act Personal partnership, which is the name given to a sectorwide commitment to move forward personalization and community-based support.
Each of the eight organisations delivered a 10-minute pitch in front of a panel of six experts to convince them why they had the winning formula to build social capital and create sustainable local communities.

Spice
Spice designs and develops time credit systems that reward people for helping their local communities. Time credits can be exchanged for access to local leisure services or cultural events, such as football matches or concerts
Panel’s verdict “This should be rolled out nationally.”

Community Catalysts
Community Catalysts is a social enterprise  giving support to “micro providers”, which are individuals or very small local enterprises that provide a range of social care, housing, leisure and health services.
Panel’s verdict “Vividly explodes the myth that communities are leader deficient.”

Connected Care, Hartlepool council
Hartlepool council’s Connected Care project, based on a model developed by Turning Point, has recruited a network of community navigators who support people, helping them access personalised
services and information.
Panel’s verdict “People have a lot to learn from what you have accomplished – We applaud you.”

Health Empowerment Leverage Project (HELP)
Help is a community development approach pioneered by a former health visitor, Hazel Stuteley. Her method of bringing together citizens and local professionals to build trust, networks and improve services has helped to transform deprived communities across the country.
Panel’s verdict “The health dimension is really exciting.”

Friends and Neighbours, Sandwell council
Friends and Neighbours was set up to encourage participation, build support networks and make the most of the assets in the community, including people’s skills, time, energy and personal budgets as well as traditional services and facilities.
Panel’s verdict “Pooling personal budget will prevent [the personalisation] agenda resulting in individualism.”

The Active Communities Team (ACT), Lambeth
The ACT team in Lambeth council aims to develop third-sector markets, coproduce prevention services and build resilience in local communities. Asset transfers to voluntary and community groups are a key factor in achieving this – so far £3.5m of council assets have transferred to the community. This could rise to £10m.
Panel’s verdict “Entrepreneurs at the heart of a local authority is mind blowing.”

Shropshire Age Concern Help at Home scheme
Paid home-support workers provide practical help to older people while volunteers provide friendship and signpost to other agencies. So far more than 3,000 older people have been helped to stay in their own home.
Panel’s verdict “Top class – accruing £1.3m of new [welfare] benefits is incredible.”

Neighbourhood Networks, Leeds city council
Some 37 neighbourhood networks, run by older people in their own locality, are delivering services to their peers. The council and primary care trust have assigned the networks a £2m annual contract for the next eight years to meet health and social care outcomes.
Panel’s verdict “You have to love the depth of this project.”

Author: Brian Wilson, West Highland Free Press

Maybe it is a sign of going soft, but I am not as dismissive of David Cameron’s Big Society as is fashionably correct. At least it’s better than John Mayor’s Cones Hotline or Margaret Thatcher’s view that “there is no such thing as society”, big or little.

Indeed, I reckon that community land ownership, community co-operatives, community energy, community enterprise, housing associations, credit unions, to mention a few, all fit comfortably within the Big Society.  And, since I have spent much of my life advocating all of the above, why should I be against them just because David Cameron might be in favour?

It occurs to me that the West Highlands and Islands, where this philosophy is well advanced, might be prepared to take advantage of the Big Society (and its bank) while the rest of the country is pretending not to understand what it is about.  If it is about the empowerment of communities to shape their own destiny, then bring it on – and the money that goes with it.

Neither is the concept relevant only in rural areas.  Nobody who has observed the intractable nature of urban problems can believe that handed-down policies, however benignly intended by local councils or anyone else, offer the only solution.  Empowering people to identify their own needs and then respond to them is essential, and a lot of that goes on already.

In a different economic climate, Mr Cameron’s attempt to parcel some of this into a Big Society/Big Idea might have stood a chance.  Now it is doomed to ridicule because it is against a background of savage cuts, which flow from a more familiar brand of Tory ideology.  When every area of useful public spending is being cut, from Coastguards to care centres to classroom assistants, it will be difficult to persuade anyone that the Big Society is more than another cheapskate device.

If Mr Cameron is going to demonstrate sincerity, he must recognise that each component part of his vision costs money to start with, even if it is then dependent on community effort to sustain.  That is why the Big Society Bank is an interesting idea – but only if it makes the delivery of outcomes easier, rather than becoming just another strand in the nightmarish complexities of putting any funding package together.

So let us be generous of spirit and try to extract the best from Mr Cameron’s crusade, rather than assume the worst.  Apart from anything else, it would do no harm to enshrine the same concept into political thinking for the future, no matter who is in power and perhaps in more favourable economic circumstances.  Empowering communities by investing relatively little money is a good, big idea for any government or party.