BIG SOCIETY? BIG ALIBI FOR CUTS?

TO: editor, letters pages, Courier

FROM: Steve Dawe, Tonbridge and Malling Green Party

4th March 2011

Dear Editor,

The 'Big Society' idea is open to question (article/editorial 4th March).

First, voluntary organisations estimate a loss of £4.6 billion over 4 years as a likely impact of Government cuts. This is because cash-starved local councils are being forced to cut grants to charities, and national Government resources to charities will also be cut. This £4.6 billion loss compares with about £600-700 million devoted to the 'BIg Society' by the Government including recent additions to compensate charities for imminent losses of income. Since volunteers need to be coordinated by trained, paid workers, the whole voluntary sector faces a rapid loss of resources which will undermine its capacity to support volunteers.

This problem, as the Green Party has noted, is coupled with severe cuts to already under-funded local government here in Kent. This means services we take for granted will diminish as will jobs in local councils over the next four years. Road and pavement repair, services for young and elderly people and above all access to social housing will all be declining. There is no realistic prospect of the voluntary sector taking on the work involved. Why? Because although donations to charities have kept up quite well in the recession so far, research shows that the average number of donors each year is declining and the average age of donors is rising.

Joined-up Government would mean increasing the share of public spending which goes to local councils like Tonbridge and Malling, to allow them to fulfill their statutory duties and support key activities of the voluntary sector for the benefit of our area. Perhaps the Chancellor will improve his Coalition Government's appalling record on tax collection, and step up action against all forms of tax avoidance and tax evasion to help support front-line services?

Yours sincerely
Steve Dawe
TONBRIDGE AND MALLING GREEN PARTY