Abstract
This paper explores three themes central to the Coalition Government's agenda for a 'Big Society'': power and empowerment; participation and involvement; and civil society. The paper draws on national datasets to explore the variation in these themes across the local authority districts of Yorkshire and the Humber, and as such presents a baseline assessment against which to measure change as policies underpinning the Big Society are rolled out. Unsurprisingly, the paper highlights significant variation across Yorkshire and the Humber, and in particular the lower levels of civic involvement in poorer districts. Two central points shape the conclusion: firstly that public expenditure cuts will lead to a loss of civic society organisations, to job losses in the sector and a withdrawal of services and with this the possibility for opportunities to participate; and that current policy design places too much emphasis on the contribution civil society can make to improving policy outcomes.
Highlights
This paper presents an analysis of civil society and involvement in Yorkshire and Humber and in so doing seeks to provide a broad assessment of 'Big Society', the policy agenda of Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government
This paper provides an assessment of these three aspects of the Big Society in one region, Yorkshire and the Humber, under the headings provided by the Office for Civil Society: power and empowerment, participation and involvement and civil society organisations
The analysis shows that there are likely to be marked differences in each of these across Yorkshire and the Humber, to a large extent this place-based variation is explained by factors such as age, socio-economic group, income and qualification levels
Summary
This paper presents an analysis of civil society and involvement in Yorkshire and Humber and in so doing seeks to provide a broad assessment of 'Big Society', the policy agenda of Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government. The paper is not an evaluation of policies, strategies, funding or actions which may promote a Big Society. Rather its focus is to consider the differences which exist between places in terms of social action. The Office for Civil Society, the government unit tasked with designing and coordinating Big Society policy, has published a strategy document Building a Stronger Civil Society (Cabinet Office, 2010). Amongst themes of devolution and transparency of information are three components seen as central to building a Big Society: 1. Place & Policy Online (2011): 5/2, pp. Place & Policy Online (2011): 5/2, pp. 89-106 p
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