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Friday, 30 July 2010
The Big Society
The new 'Big Society' idea that was conceived and launched by the Tories in opposition in March is now beginning to take shape. Nick Clegg and various ministers recently met a number of civic society chiefs to debate the Big Society Programme and David Cameron last week announced details of the 'Big Bank' which will use dormant account monies to 'fund social projects across the country, creating opportunities for social action and social involvement'. The Big Society Programme is billed to 'create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a Big Society that would roll back big government, bureaucracy and Whitehall power'. Crikey - I really hope it works but somehow, it doesn't feel quite so new to me. I reckon that the Church of England, for one, has been doing pretty well on the Big Society front for years. Hundreds of parishes all over the country work hard with scant resources every day, offering support, advice, space, training, comfort and shelter to all types of people of all sorts of faiths and creeds - masses of 'little societies', quietly getting on with their own local parish business. And so many local and regional museums and galleries would simply cease to function without their teams of trusty volunteers, again already 'actively contributing to their local community'. I worry that by putting a political label on what's largely happening already, the Government is in danger of losing the support of potential new contributors. I'm still hoping for the best ......
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Less than a mile from where The Archbishop of Canterbury gave 'Two and a half cheers' for the Big Society is our local community.
ReplyDeleteIt is a living example of the Big Society that for 40 years has maintained All Hallows Copperfield Street Community Garden in SE1. Unfortunately it is the Church that is trying to destroy it.
For the third time Colin Slee, the Dean of Southwark Cathedral, will be submitting plans to redevelop All Hallows Church and Community Garden, which they had let fall into disrepair, with private flats that will box in our estate and reduce our light and privacy.
The proposal could also ruin and end access to our award-winning walled community garden that was created from a WW2 bombsite by local residents and maintained by us for nearly 40 years.
Once again the Cathedral has ignored the voices of local people and the Save All Hallows group by refusing to consult before submitting their new plan even though we submitted an alternative proposal to help them find a solution.
The claim that the Church "has been doing pretty well on the Big Society front for years" is undermined by Colin Slee ,who has demonstrated once again that he has no vision of society – let alone a big one!