David Cameron gives further details of "Big Society" plans

At a speech in Liverpool, Prime Minister David Cameron this week announced further details of a "Big Society" - a drive to empower communities, allowing them to take more control of services in their local areas.

Describing the idea as his "great passion" Mr Cameron said that local communities should be able to run Post Offices, libraries, transport services and shape housing projects in the future. The idea is to be funded using money from dormant UK bank and building society accounts and will be piloted in four areas of England, including Liverpool. Some of the ideas being championed in these areas include extending the opening hours of a museum by recruiting more volunteers; buying out a rural pub; giving local people more control over council spending; and speeding up broadband supplies.

The Prime Minister described the plan as "the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from elites in Whitehall to the man and woman on the street." He recognised that the changes would not happen over night and rejected claims that this was a cover for huge spending cuts in public services.

Third sector organisations are reported to have been broadly supportive of the plans, but with some concerns being expressed about whether the resources are in place for them to take on more responsibility, particularly in light of the likelihood of public funding being cut as part of the deficit reduction plan. Ben Kernighan from NCVO said "It is going to be very challenging for (third sector organisations) to play a bigger role if they have less resources to do it."

Shadow Cabinet Ministers have questioned where the funding will come from for the plans and have said that the ideas are merely a "rebranding" of plans from the last Government.

If you are a volunteer coordinator in Wirral then you can join our message boards and let us know what you think about these latest announcements. Do you see them as an opportunity or a challenge to your organisation and your community.

Recruiting and Supporting Volunteers Across Wirral

Volunteering Wirral is a partnership project which is dedicated to supporting the growth and development of volunteering in Wirral through working with individuals who are interested in volunteering and organisations that involve volunteers.

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