Banker with the mask off
In the next couple of years the existing, real ‘Big Society’ is going to be bulldozed. The grant cuts to local authorities are going hack to death many local excellent projects. For example there will probably be 250 Sure-Start schemes axed.
These schemes help turn around mothers in the most deprived areas and help them and their children have a better life. If each project helps just one family then the state is repaid many times from the tax the family will pay and the less benefits the state has to pay out. Keep one kid out of jail or help one mother through depression and maybe into education and in the long term a career and you’re doing what Cameron seems to be saying.
In reality these schemes help many families. They build up networks, which in turn help others who are not involved in the scheme. These schemes are funded by a mixture of charity and local authority grants. There could also be some support from being given subsidised accommodation for meetings and maybe and office.
The drastic cuts in a short time scale and seemingly aimed at poorer communities mean that councils have to cut or generate income. They will cut discretionary grants first, which will over night close thousands of projects. In addition it will close many of the community meeting places, which in turn will force other organisations to close down.
Then spread this approach to all the other charities and projects – youth projects, addict support projects, mental health support, support for young mothers etc etc etc a high proportion will close because of lack of funding, many more will die slowly as costs will rise.
Another result will be ten of thousands of people working full time/ part time on these projects – most on low wages will be made unemployed – so more benefit costs and will be unable to get another job.
Also the policy is affecting volunteers. Under Gordon Brown the Experience Corp was set up to encourage the over 55s to do voluntary work. I used to do quite a lot, but I stopped as I didn’t want to be counted or the credit for my work being taken by politicians. If I help someone I don’t really want any more thanks than maybe the odd cup of tea.
I’ve also had to be careful. As an ex-lecturer I was going to work as a volunteer at my local adult education centre until I found out that I going to be used to replace a paid worker – I don’t want to put someone out of a job.
While I accept the need for cuts I recognise that Alistair Darling and Vincent Cable, (before the election), had it right. The drastic, clearly not thought through, cuts and the radical changing of everything mean that most of us just keep our heads down.
The Big Society is nothing but a smarmy project probably based on some fantasy of picket fence America, which in reality does not really exist. The model that this government and in fact all governments should be northern Europe, such as Holland, Denmark and Germany where all parties compromise and work together to achieve far better services that we do in this country, primarily as they don’t change say the management of the health service every two years or have a new educational policy every time the minister has a bath.
Make it so that we’re really all in this together and the public will help – don’t and we won’t.
Must go and lie down now.