State funding is vital for a Big Society to thrive

This week, we’ve heard more detail about the Coalition Government plans for 'Big Society'. While the schemes announced may be new ones, the ideas and philosophy behind them aren’t new at all.

Our recent research on the history of community and mutual ownership, part of our Community Assets programme describes centuries of development in the field, and clearly identifies the potential that community action has to help meet social needs, even in challenging times.

The voluntary and community sector today ranges from tiny 'micro-organisations' to large development trusts, and all over the UK, communities are running everything from village halls to local park and ride schemes. Similarly, communities are getting involved in decision-making at all levels, and our work on citizen involvement in decision-making makes it clear that people are keen to have more control over the way public services are delivered in their local areas, and that this is something public sector officials welcome.

It would be foolish to think that community organisation and involvement doesn't have a big part to play in getting us out of the economic mess we're in.

However, this kind of community work doesn’t come from nowhere, and doesn’t spring up overnight. Community action is based on building shared values and shared objectives as well as building confidence. Our work in neighbourhoods makes it clear that in deprived communities and communities living through major changes people can need more support to help them get involved, and we know that some groups, such as new migrants, can easily be left out.

Most of all, the idea that communities can step in and provide for themselves when public sector spending is being dramatically cut is a dangerous one. While community organising and community involvement have been thriving over recent years, this was in a context of high levels of investment in public services. As local services disappear, perhaps some community groups will be able to take the strain, but many more will struggle, or even fold under the pressure of local need.

And public sector spending doesn't just mean pay for local authority staff. The most recent National Council for Voluntary Organisations almanac shows that in 2007/2008, £12.8billion of funding for the voluntary and community sector came from statutory sources. When the public sector cuts hit, they will hit the voluntary and community sector directly, just as they are being asked to step up and build the Big Society.

The Big Society is a good idea, and maybe even an idea whose time has come, but strong, vital public services and statutory funding for the voluntary and community sector have to be part of that picture, and not outside the frame.