Cameron says social enterprise is key to Big Society reform

Social enterprise is at the heart of a ‘deep and serious’ reform of public services as part of the Big Society agenda, Prime Minister David Cameron said today.

Following a meeting with ministers and community activists, Cameron said the new government would support social enterprises, mutuals, co-ops and charities to give them greater involvement in the running of public services.

Funds from dormant bank accounts to establish a Big Society Bank have been confirmed, although there is still no mention of the amount of cash pledged.

It is one step in the plan to empower local peopleand roll back big government, bureaucracy and Whitehall power, Cameron said while declaring a new era of people power at the centre of the new government.

Today’s announcement comes aftera round table event at Number 10 with deputy PM Nick Clegg, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude and minister for civil society Nick Hurd.

Other policies include:

• Extending powers for local government by giving a ‘general power of competence’ to local councils and conducting a comprehensive review of local government finance to help remove restrictions that limit the work of local councils
• Giving local people more of a say over local amenities like post offices and pubs, and a greater say in the planning system
• Creating a generation of ‘community organisers’ to set up neighbourhood groups and encourage philanthropy
• Encourage volunteering and involvement in social action, including a ‘Big Society Day’
• Piloting a National Citizens Service giving 16 year olds the chance to get involved in their communities
• Increasing access to government-held data through a ‘new right to data’ for citizens, with the police obliged to publish monthly crime statistics

Announcing today’s Big Society policies and reiterating his election pledges, Cameron said: ‘I said that the idea of the Big Society would be marching through the corridors of power – and it’s happening right now. Today is the start of a deep and serious reform agenda to take power away from politicians and give it to people.

‘That’s because we know instinctively that the state is often too inhuman, monolithic and clumsy to tackle our deepest social problems. We know that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the top down. We know that when you give people and communities more power over their lives, more power to come together and work together to make life better – great things happen.’

Clegg added:‘We need radical change that puts power back in the hands of people. Only by bringing down vested interests and giving people real control over their lives will we build a Britain that is fair.’

• Today also heard the announcement that Nat Wei, founder of Teach First, has been appointed advisor to the government on Big Society and will be made a member of the House of Lords. Wei is also a partner of the Shaftsbury Partnership, which aims to create scalable social reform. Wei will work alongside Nick Hurd to lead on the delivery of the Big Society programme.