Black Country Churches Engaged

the sub-region’s ecumenical intermediate body

Big Society

A response from

WEST MIDLANDS REGION CHURCHES’ FORUM

c/o Birmingham Churches Together

St George’s Community Hub, Great Hampton Row, Newtown, Birmingham B19 3JG

Telephone: 0121 236 3966 email: office@wmchurches.org.uk

The Big Society

A meeting of regional representatives from the West Midlands Region Churches Forum met on 10 June to consider the Coalition Government’s Policy on the Big Society. They looked at the detail of the policy as set out in the 3 page document looking out for

a) points of connection for Christians

b) issues that may raise concerns

and c) ways in which Christians can offer positive contributions

as the idea of ‘Big Society’ is put into practice in the West Midlands during the life of the next parliament.

They considered 4 of the primary policy areas and the following is a summary of their reflections

1. Give communities more power.

o Goodness should not become lost in the cutting process. Compare to pruning when the cutting is designed to ensure that ‘fruitfulness’ is maintained in the new.

o We hope the process of creative collaborative working across the West Midlands will continue, especially between urban and rural communities.

o Hope that the Big Society will utilise the skills of people who are already enabling Forums at many different levels in our communities – for example, Citizens UK and Mennonite Bridge Builders.

2. Encourage people to take an active role in their communities

o Any definition of community should consider those who travel into a community for work or short periods of time as part of a local community.

o It is important to acknowledge the real struggle of our poorer, more marginalised communities to develop the capacity for active participation in community activities.

o The National Citizen Service: there is a need to clarify the added value that the scheme brings over and above that offered by a well-run school. Has the Government engaged in research to indicate that young people will value the idea, and if so, can this research be shared?

3. Transfer power from central to local government

o Advise gradual transition from national to local to enable the local to develop longer term planning.

o Devolving to local authorities should be the development of a genuine partnership as there is a danger of Government absolving itself from responsibility and washing its hands of local decisions.

o An increased need for organisations that help with 1) strategic thinking 2) signposting to examples of good practices and other agencies.

4. Support co-ops, mutuals, charities and social enterprises

o The value of doing this could be expressed more clearly and carefully

Reflections for Christians/churches considering social enterprise/public funding

o Faith organisations can be a viable option for local authorities to offer public services

o Be aware that the delivery of funder’s outcomes carries of the danger of changing or skewing the church’s priority – mission drift.

o Important to keep true to values and not chase funding for the sake of getting funding

o The Big Society is an opportunity a) to value the gift of the entrepreneur within the faith community b) to explore the traditional disconnection between work and Church and c) to empower and value Christians who work in secular situation.

Revd Bill Anderson, Chair of WMRCF and Chair of the Birmingham District of the Methodist Church

Revd Colin Marsh, Secretary, WMRCF

telephone: 0121 236 3966; email: office@wmchurches.org.uk

Office Address:

18 Selman’s Hill

Bloxwich

Walsall

West Midlands

WS3 3RJ