Big Society and theEden Vanguard

Julia WilsonACTion with Communities in

Cumbria

•Each parish had a Community Led Plan •Three plans in total – Heart of Eden, Upper Eden and Lyvennet Valley•Community-led projects were already underway e.g. housing, planning, renewable energy, economic development

Learning from Big Society

• Learning from the Big Society project -March to June 2011

• Captured experiences of communities and agencies involved in vanguard

• 6 case studies (covering 9 projects), 5 guidance sheets, conference and report

• Funded by NWIEP through Eden DC

What was on offer to

communities?

• Civil Servants at DCLG appointed to help “bust bureaucracy”

• Raised profile for groups and projects• Grant fund

Lessons for public bodies

• Continue developing their understanding of local needs

• Find ways to enable communities without unduly constraining them

• Continue improving communications and explain the reason for any constraints

• Simplify complex regulations & processes

In short, prevent regulation from being a barrier to community initiative

Lessons for community

groups• Find ways to be representative of, and

accountable to, their own communities• Be patient in working through complex

and often necessary regulation• Be clear about the risks as well as the

objectives – advancing with eyes wide open

• Innovate and find ways to become less dependent on public funding and support

Impact of the Vanguard

• Spotlight and national profile for Eden• A catalyst for community initiatives• Stimulus for change in priorities &

practice• Highlighted good practice • Helped to move forward some

projects

Challenges for Big Society• Making Big Society work in all

communities• Reconciling strategic with local

priorities• Ensuring devolution is appropriate –

one size doesn’t fit all• Give community led initiatives time,

the benefits aren’t easy to measure

Opportunities for Big Society

• Community led initiatives are good value for money

• They can lead to innovative, long-lasting solutions tailored to local need

More information:www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/what_we_do

/big_society