Voice4Change England Guide to Big Society Policies and Programmes

Here we provide a glossary of Big Society policies and programmes which have been announced by the Coalition Government.

Alternatively you can download Voice4Change England's Guide to Big Society Policies and Programmes.

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Neighbourhood planning

Proposed new powers for communities to plan for their local areas through neighbourhood development plans drawn up by town and parish councils or 'neighbourhood forums'

Community right to buy

Proposed right for local communities to bid to take over agreed local assets and facilities that are important to them. Facilities could include village shops or libraries.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Proposals to give communities the right to elect Police and Crime Commissioners who will be responsible for the overall performance of their police force.  They will set local policing priorities and decide how your council tax is spent on crime and policing issues.

General Power of Competence

This power, introduced under the Localism Bill, will give local authorities the power to act in any way they see fit provided that action falls within the law and is in the best interest of their communities.  Councils will be able to set up businesses and innovate in ways that have not previously been allowed.

Neighbourhood Councils

Under the Localism Bill parish, town and community councils greater control over local services.

Localism Bill

This Bill provides the legal framework needed for Government’s plans to shift power from central government to individuals, communities and councils. It includes proposals on local government, planning, housing and community empowerment.  It is currently before Parliament and expected to become law in late 2011 or early 2012.

Personalisation

Personalisation is about fully involving individual service users in the design of services and placing more power in their hands to ensure services meet their own unique needs.  This includes using mechanisms such as direct cash payments to individuals or personal budgets.  

Commissioning

Commissioning is the cycle of assessing the needs of people in an area, setting priorities, designing and then achieving appropriate outcomes. The government may buy services from public, private or voluntary sectors powers to deliver services and programmes and meet outcomes.

Payment by results

Payment by results is where a provider delivers a service and payment is made when and if agreed outcomes are achieved.  It is government’s preferred method to ensure providers deliver good services and are accountable to users. 

Right to Challenge

This gives voluntary and community organisations the right to express an interest in taking over the running of a local service, which the local authority must consider and respond to.  Services could mean anything from managing a park, to running a transport service, or providing social care.

Neighbourhood Councils

Under the Localism Bill parish, town and community councils greater control over local services.

Local Integrated Services

Local Integrated Services are where budgets are pooled and residents and service providers co-design and commission services around the communities’ priorities. VCOs could have a role to play by involving communities, as well as ensuring that all voices are heard.  LIS models are being piloted in 13 areas.

Open Public Services White Paper

This brings together plans to reform public services.  Proposals include those to:

1. increase individual choice and control over services;
2. increase the range of providers of services; and
3. give extra support and resources to disadvantaged communities to access public services.

Consultation on plans closed at the end of September 2011. 

Civil Servant Volunteering

Policies to make regular community involvement a key part of civil service staff review processes. The government hopes the policy will result in the civil service providing 30,000 volunteering days a year.

Big Society Capital

A financial institution set up to increase investment based on social impact as well as financial return.  It aims to help social enterprises, charities and other voluntary sector organisations access more money through social investment. Big Society Capital is currently in the process of being set up and is not yet open for business.

Reviewing ‘red tape’

By reviewing a number of areas Government wants to make it easier to run a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation.  This includes scaling back on vetting and barring and looking at ways to improve Gift Aid.  An independent taskforce has made a number of recommendations including to clarify the extent of trustee and volunteer liability, eliminate repeated requests for information by bodies such as the Charities Commission, and encourage the jobless to get involved in volunteering by removing barriers to claiming support.

Rights to Provide

Policies to provide rights for public sector workers to take over the running of services and run them as mutuals. An example would be the NHS where doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff may takeover a service and set up their own organisation with mutual ownership.

Community Organisers

This programme will recruit and train 500 senior community organisers and 4500 volunteers to support local people to take action on the issues important to them. Community Organisers will be recruited and hosted by local community host organisations, often in deprived areas of the country.

Community First Fund

The fund provide £30 million of match funding for grants for community led projects in areas of deprivation as well as a £50 million match funded endowment fund. It aims to encourage the giving of time, money, goods, services, and facilities for wider community benefit by matching these donations with money. 

Community Budget

Community budgets bring various strands of Central Government funding into a single ‘local bank account’ for tackling social problems around families with complex needs. 16 areas are currently involved in delivering a Community Budget.

National Citizen Service

A residential and home-based Summer programme of activity for 16 year olds to bring different people together, build confidence and help overcome barriers to taking action.  In 2012 it will involve up to 30,000 16-year-olds

Social Action Fund

This £21million fund aims to inspire organisations to create new social action opportunities.  Opportunities include people giving what they have, be it time, money, assets, knowledge or skills. Specifically it will support activity for social action: in the community; inspired by the Olympics and Paralympics; and for all ages. 

Innovation in Giving Fund

This £10 million fund is to find and support the growth of the most promising social action ideas that have the potential to create a step-change in levels of giving and volunteering.

Transforming Local Infrastructure

A programme administered by Big Lottery Fund to provide better support for front line civil society organisations by transforming local infrastructure or support services. The Fund will support activities such as local collaboration to create more efficient services for the frontline and better links with local business and public bodies.

Business Connectors

An initiative led by Business in the Community to build networks between local business and the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. OCS has made a grant of £166,000 to support the first 20 Business Connectors.