Empowering Communities – where next?

Empowering Communities – where next?Don FosterParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

2

370 Assets of Community Value listed

3

327 areas designated for neighbourhood planning

4

100 community asset acquisitions

5

20 Expressions of interest under Right to Challenge

6

£9 million raised from communityshare offers

7

12 neighbourhood budgets

8

We’re driving action and creating a critical mass by……..

Targeting communications to tap into people’s passionsSolutions focussed messages - tailored to different interest groups Making it easy for people to get help and support via revamped web and phone offerPioneering digital media to highlight successes

Getting out into communitiesSpreading the word, joining up with Government Initiatives like community organisers, encouraging communities Creating networks – by area, initiative and profession Getting people over the line

Harnessing other people’s enthusiasm and resourcesCampaigns: CAMRA / Supporters Direct / Theatres TrustBig Society Capital and Big Lottery commitment of £250 million availableto communities with ambitions to own local assets. Recruiting champions – enthusiastic and credible in their communities100 each planned for Neighbourhood Community Budgets and Neighbourhood planning

We persuaded CAMRA to run a ‘list your local’ campaign to protect 300 pubs

50+ local newspapers

and consumer magazines

running tailored rights articles reaching 7.5m

Most re-tweeted policy. Pinterest and facebook accounts

9

Challenges - Joining it all up

10

Challenges – winning hearts and minds

Engaging with local government on community delivery of services.

Making this the norm across communities.

Changing the language.

11

Ambitions

Why not have

• 10,000 assets of community value listed?

• £100 million invested in community shares every year?

• A Neighbourhood Community Budget in every area that wants one?

• Hundreds of Neighbourhood plan referenda?