Does the Community Empowerment Bill really mean Power to the people?

Release date: Friday 16th May 2008

bassac CEO – Ben Hughes - welcomed the announcement by Hazel Blears MP that citizens were to be given new rights under the new Community Empowerment Bill.

“The announcement yesterday was very welcome and reflects many of the findings of our recent research “Calling for Change”. We are particularly delighted that the work of Community Anchors is being recognised and that there will be a process to ensure community voices are really heard. bassac’s members have long held the view that real community empowerment begins by enabling communities to have their own voice about  local issues that matter most to them.  Our members work directly with local people and small groups every day to ensure that individuals have the skills to speak out for themselves and bring positive change to their local areas.”

bassac and the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), in association with the Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) and NCVO, surveyed over 49 voluntary sector organisations and selected Local Authorities to produce research that led to the report  “Calling for Change”.  bassac has always known that its members carry out important community work - building confidence and capacity within their communities to force change - but this new Bill may give them the added impetus needed to leverage change where it matters most – in their neighbourhoods.   

However, there was an important caveat to Ben’s enthusiasm “Whilst we are delighted that CLG has taken on board issues that we’ve been raising for some time, petitioning will not, on its own, achieve empowered communities.  The people our members work with are seldom equipped to speak out. They often have little trust or interest in the state and feel left out; they won’t suddenly engage with petitioning unless you simultaneously strengthen civil leadership and community support..  Challenging the state to act takes guts and perseverance, not just a set of signatures. We must see petitioning as a means of strengthening the community’s spirit, as well as individual rights and responsibilities. It’s only by giving local communities “teeth” that change will happen.  There is always the danger that these “rights” will only be taken up by those already engaged in local change.

bassac, and its partners in the Community Alliance are keen to work with CLG in developing  further ideas that might give communities the rights they deserve over their own futures. They look forward to seeing the substance of the new Bill.

….ends…. notes below

For further information contact Jo Pearce 
Mobile: 0777 5678 545
email: jo@bassac.org.uk

Notes for editors:

• Ben Hughes is the Chief Executive Officer of bassac – the British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres, 33 Corsham Street, London N1 6DR T: 0845 241 0375 www.bassac.org.uk
• bassac is the national network of multi-purpose community based organisations, dedicated to tackling the causes and effects of poverty, exclusion and discrimination. bassac has been working to improve the lives of local communities for more than eighty years. As a national umbrella association, it supports organisations helping deprived neighbourhoods across the UK. For interview opportunities please contact Ben Hughes on 020 7336 9443
• The Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) is a new, independent, charitable research institute, specialising in action research and capacity building with charities and other voluntary, community and not-for-profit organisations (described here as 'third sector organisations').  IVAR has developed out of the highly successful Aston Centre for Voluntary Action Research based in Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham.  Its first Director is Ben Cairns and its Academic Adviser is Professor Margaret Harris.  Through its partnership with Birkbeck, University of London, IVAR has offices within Birkbeck's Faculty of Continuing Education.  IVAR is committed to supporting the development and sustainability of third sector organisations through research, education and training.  IVAR is founded on a belief that these bodies have distinctive organisational features and also need to be understood in the context of their policy environment. IVAR's work is concerned with improving practice and contributing to shaping the policy environment for third sector organisations. For interview opportunities please contact Kulwinder on 020 7679 8841

• For an online version of the report “Calling For Change“

• Community Anchors are defined in the Community Alliance publication.  Further examples of bassac members in action can be found in CommuniTIES