Office for Civil Society announces priorities
Each government department is producing a Structural Reform Plan to identify priorities for the first years of the coalition government and the Cabinet Office is one of the first to have published their plan. Included in this is the commitment to start work on the Public Bodies Bill in November 2010, through which government intends to abolish selected quangos. Priorities for OCS implementation of the Big Society include reducing the bureaucratic burden on small civil society organisations, setting up the Big Society bank, and supporting philanthropy and charitable giving. The creation of mutuals, co-operatives, charities and social enterprises will be supported, alongside the right to form employee-owned co-operatives. Manifesto pledges around Big Society Day, Citizenship service and developing a community organisers scheme will be pursued.
One new priority is that OCS intends to begin consultation this July on improving 'infrastructure support' to front line organisations to deliver the Big Society which is a long-awaited opportunity to demonstrate the success that can be delivered by rural approaches to supporting community action.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/414879/srp-cabinet-office.pdf © Cabinet Office
