Rural community groups warn councils not to set up competing operations

Local authorities should not use the Big Society as an opportunity to transfer some of their functions and teams in competition with existing civil society organisations, a study of third sector bodies conducted by the Commission for Rural Communities has warned.

The report – following a survey of more than 70 community and voluntary groups and local authorities – said councils and other public bodies should be encouraged to carry out and support asset transfers for long-term social and financial outcomes, not just short term cash receipts.

The respondents to Economic conditions for organisations contributing to the Big Society in rural England also called on the government to provide more clarity on issues such as how the Big Society will be supported (including financially), how the role of local authorities is going to be affected, who should deliver essential services in rural areas and how this would happen, and what the expectations are for joint working between councils and the voluntary and community sector.

“Central and local government should avoid dismantling what works, ‘reinventing the wheel’ and duplicating efforts,” it was argued.

Other key recommendations include:

• Funding should be made accessible with simpler application and management processes, “including the adoption of more standardised processes to save organisations their scarce time and resources and encourage them to get involved in new projects”
• The government must take measures to ensure that civil society organisations are not viewed as soft targets when implementing spending cuts. “This might include ring fencing of funds that are passed down from central government to local authorities to be allocated to the Big Society or civil society sector”. Similarly, vulnerable groups should not be disproportionately affected by spending cuts.
• The government needs to understand that the Big Society, although cost efficient, is not cost free and some communities do not have the capacity to get involved. “Ongoing and long term funding as well as professional support is still needed to carry on delivering their services and taking on additional responsibilities”
• Mechanisms should be put in place to ensure that vulnerable groups’ voices can be heard when building the Big Society
• The actions and experiences of civil society and the local parish and town councils need to be “recognised, celebrated, supported and built on”.

The groups largely welcomed the Big Society concept and believed they were well placed to deliver its ambitions, the report said.

“At the same time, many have concerns about their capacity to take on more responsibility, not least because of the effects, and anticipation, of funding cuts,” it added.

“To date many have been able to absorb cuts in income and ensure that provision of services is maintained as much as possible by cooperating with others and/or seeking new sources of income. However, others have been forced to reduce their services or withdraw them completely.”