Francis Maude defines and defends the Big Society

Tim Montgomerie

Today's newslinks include a number of attacks on the Prime Minister's Big Society project. In an article for The Times (£) Francis Maude defends the concept and also produces a very good definition for something that has often struggled to be understood until now:

"Building a Big Society is not about pouring taxpayers’ money into the voluntary sector. It is about opening up public services, localising power and enabling and encouraging an already rich tradition of social action in this country. It is about allowing communities more control over decisions that affect them and about doing things differently."

Mr Maude goes on to list some of the Coalition's Big Society initiatives:

• The Department for Work and Pensions will shortly be announcing new contracts for its work programme and voluntary organisations are likely to become important providers...
• Frustrated frontline workers will soon have the right to take control of the services they deliver...
• The National Citizenship Service which will eventually open to every 16-year-old and which will be piloted this summer...
• Training 5,000 people to become community organisers...
• The Big Society Bank will invest monies from dormant bank accounts in new social ventures...
• New measures to encourage charitable giving including donating at cash machines...
• £100 million access fund for charities badly affected by local government cuts.

On ConservativeHome tomorrow I'll offer my own thoughts on the future of the Big Society.