Empowerment: Empowerment: ‘passing more and ‘passing more and more power to more more power to more and more people and more people through every practical through every practical means’means’

Communities in Control, 2008Communities in Control, 2008

Representative Representative democracy still important democracy still important but over past few years a real move but over past few years a real move towards towards ParticipativeParticipative democracy. democracy.

A range of the measures meant to A range of the measures meant to redefine the relationship between redefine the relationship between Government, Local Authorities and the Government, Local Authorities and the People, including Local Strategic People, including Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), Sustainable Partnerships (LSPs), Sustainable Communities Strategies and LAAs, Communities Strategies and LAAs, National Indicators, NHS Trust Boards, National Indicators, NHS Trust Boards, petitions and The Duty to Involve.petitions and The Duty to Involve.

But people are still disengaged from But people are still disengaged from politics. The Government feels this is politics. The Government feels this is because people feel because people feel powerless: powerless: hence the hence the need for EMPOWERMENT.need for EMPOWERMENT.

Participating in Participating in Democracy:Democracy:‘shifting power, influence ‘shifting power, influence and responsibility away from and responsibility away from existing centres of power existing centres of power and into the hands of and into the hands of communities and citizens.’communities and citizens.’

Communities in Control, 2008Communities in Control, 2008

Participatory budgeting – 22 LAs Participatory budgeting – 22 LAs use it so far. All by 2012.use it so far. All by 2012.

New Duty to Promote Democracy New Duty to Promote Democracy on councils.on councils.

Duty to involve extended from Duty to involve extended from April 2009.April 2009.

Neighbourhood (Parish) Councils Neighbourhood (Parish) Councils and right of appeal to Secretary and right of appeal to Secretary of State.of State.

Petitions and the duty to respondPetitions and the duty to respond

Participating in Participating in Democracy: Democracy: There’s more…….There’s more…….

Community Allowance.Community Allowance.

Community Leadership Community Leadership programmes for young people.programmes for young people.

Community engagement in Community engagement in planning - £4million to LAs to planning - £4million to LAs to promote community involvement in promote community involvement in planning.planning.

Support for directly elected Support for directly elected mayors.mayors.

OTS to provide £2million to OTS to provide £2million to support people with disabilities to support people with disabilities to volunteer.volunteer.

Capacity Capacity Support:Support:‘The Third Sector also has a ‘The Third Sector also has a unique ability to articulate unique ability to articulate the views of citizens and the views of citizens and drive change.’drive change.’

Communities in Control, 2008Communities in Control, 2008

RIEPs and REPs to work closely RIEPs and REPs to work closely together and RIEPs to prioritise together and RIEPs to prioritise empowerment and engagementempowerment and engagement

The Empowerment Fund – over The Empowerment Fund – over £1million turnover get £600,000 £1million turnover get £600,000 over 3 years, under £1million and over 3 years, under £1million and over £400,00 gets £250,000 over 3 over £400,00 gets £250,000 over 3 years.years.

National Framework for National Framework for Community Land Trusts.Community Land Trusts.

Asset Transfer Unit set up to Asset Transfer Unit set up to make Advancing Assets make Advancing Assets programme permanent.programme permanent.

Communitybuilders Communitybuilders Fund:Fund:‘The objective of this policy is to ‘The objective of this policy is to develop a new model of support develop a new model of support for community organisations that for community organisations that result in robust and sustainable result in robust and sustainable community anchor organisations community anchor organisations across England’across England’

Government Impact Assessment of Government Impact Assessment of Communitybuilders policy, 2008Communitybuilders policy, 2008

£70 million disbursed by agent to £70 million disbursed by agent to be appointed in Oct/Nov.be appointed in Oct/Nov.

BIG Lottery or Adventure Capital BIG Lottery or Adventure Capital Fund (Futurebuidlers)?Fund (Futurebuidlers)?

Government proposal: 70% Government proposal: 70% loans, 30% grants. Up to £20,000 loans, 30% grants. Up to £20,000 pre-investment support (194), up to pre-investment support (194), up to £50,000 feasibility planning (131) £50,000 feasibility planning (131) and up to £750,000 investment and up to £750,000 investment (65).(65).

For aspirational organisations too.For aspirational organisations too.

A demonstration programme.A demonstration programme.

Community Community AnchorsAnchors‘‘Community anchors are independent community-led organisations. They are multi-purpose and provide holisticsolutions to local problems and challenges, bringing outthe best in people and agencies.’

Transformation through Community Anchors, The Community Alliance, 2007

Asset or premised based. Asset or premised based. Engaged in social enterprise but Engaged in social enterprise but income still a ‘mixed economy’. income still a ‘mixed economy’. Independent.Independent.

Can be big or small – more about Can be big or small – more about function than size.function than size.

Probably have at least one staff Probably have at least one staff member.member.

Will be involved strongly in ‘Voice’ Will be involved strongly in ‘Voice’ work – as representative or work – as representative or through facilitation. through facilitation.

Is a community builder – will be Is a community builder – will be involved in some form of involved in some form of community development work.community development work.

Next Steps:Next Steps:Consultation objectives for Consultation objectives for Community Matters and the Community Matters and the Community Alliance.Community Alliance.

We will submit responses on We will submit responses on both the White Paper and the both the White Paper and the Empowerment Fund.Empowerment Fund.

The Community Alliance will The Community Alliance will probably support the ACF bid, and probably support the ACF bid, and bid to provide some of the support bid to provide some of the support work within the programme, much work within the programme, much as it does now with CAF and as it does now with CAF and Advancing Assets.Advancing Assets.

Community Matters has been Community Matters has been asked to consult with CLG to asked to consult with CLG to produce guidance for LAs to produce guidance for LAs to encourage them to engage with encourage them to engage with the duty to promote democracy. the duty to promote democracy. We will push for LAs to recognise We will push for LAs to recognise the need for the funding, support the need for the funding, support and voice of the community sector and voice of the community sector in order to deliver a thriving in order to deliver a thriving empowered community. empowered community.

The Response:The Response:‘The focus on the citizen’s ‘The focus on the citizen’s relationship with the State, relationship with the State, whilst no doubt important, whilst no doubt important, deflects attention away from deflects attention away from the importance of collective the importance of collective action in creating a healthy action in creating a healthy and vibrant democracy.’and vibrant democracy.’

Toby Blume, Urban Forum, 17.7.08Toby Blume, Urban Forum, 17.7.08

Overall positive. There is much in Overall positive. There is much in here that Community Matters, The here that Community Matters, The Community Alliance and other Community Alliance and other Third Sector groups welcome.Third Sector groups welcome.

However a lot will depend on the However a lot will depend on the detail of implementation by Local detail of implementation by Local Authorities and others.Authorities and others.

Most importantly there is real Most importantly there is real concern over heavy focus on concern over heavy focus on individual citizens, civic as individual citizens, civic as opposed to civil society, and opposed to civil society, and representative democracy.representative democracy.

Real empowerment requires the Real empowerment requires the support of associational life for support of associational life for participative democracy.participative democracy.

FurtherFurtherReadingReading

Community Matters for Advice Community Matters for Advice Helpline details and other services Helpline details and other services including Community Magazine.including Community Magazine.http://www.communitymatters.org.http://www.communitymatters.org.ukukCommunity Alliance for further Community Alliance for further info on Community Anchors.info on Community Anchors.http://www.comm-alliance.orghttp://www.comm-alliance.orgDTA for more on Asset TransfersDTA for more on Asset Transfershttp://www.dta.org.uk/http://www.dta.org.uk/Urban Forum for a good policy Urban Forum for a good policy briefing on White Paper.briefing on White Paper.http://www.urbanforum.org.ukhttp://www.urbanforum.org.uk