AMT Public

The new Government is committed to the idea of Big Society.  Some of the areas that Big Society is looking to support include giving more powers to local communities, encouraging people to take an active role in their communities, transferring power from central to local government, supporting co-ops, mutuals, charities and social enterprises and the publication of central government data on local issues.

A discussion group at the Small Towns for Tomorrow Conference focused on the emerging Big Society and explored what this means for small towns and their communities including opportunities to seize.

Key points

• Learning from experience

There is a wealth of experience and good practice available on how small towns have shown leadership and resourcefulness in developing proposals/plans and delivering local improvements. This should not be lost and includes:

* RDA practice and research that needs to be captured and assessed (Rhona Pringle from Yorkshire Forward keen to cooperate on this).

* Ongoing work supported by ACRE network and AMT to deliver and promote Community Led Planning including piloting in urban areas.

• Local importance of local capacity and leadership

The role of local leadership and the capacity and skills of local community groups to get involved was considered key. This needs to be supported by training, capacity building and some professional input if it is going to be most effective.

• Local Economic Partnerships will not be truly ‘local’

LEPs are still Big Government!

New proposals to establish Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) to coordinate economic development are still likely to be too large scale to consider individual towns or give them a seat at the table. A mechanism needs to be introduced for involving and considering the aspirations and proposals of individual towns in LEP considerations.

• Beyond star performers and problem towns

The group recognised that where economic development might focus on small towns, it will be on the ‘star’ performers and the ‘problem towns’. Some consideration needs to be given to those in between – even if it is just so that local government can facilitate an ‘orderly withdrawal’ and assist communities with self-help. This was called a ‘meanwhile approach’ to local empowerment.

Do you agree with these key points? Add your comments below.