David Cameron’s guru attacks the failings of the ‘big society’

ResPublica thinktank set up by Phillip Blond rails against ‘appalling experience’ of too many British children David Cameron’s “big society” project is failing children as parks, play schemes and community projects close across the country, a hard-hitting report by one of the prime minister’s favourite thinktanks has declared. A study by ResPublica – which was set up by Cameron’s intellectual soulmate, Phillip Blond – will raise fresh doubts about whether the government’s localism and “big society” agendas can succeed as public service cuts bite. Its publication comes amid rumours that Cameron’s most trusted strategist, Steve Hilton, one of the chief architects of the “big society” concept along with Blond, is growing frustrated with its lack of progress and with the government’s apparent stalling on public service reform as a result of pressure from the Liberal Democrats. Commenting on the report, Children and the Big Society , Blond said: “Our poor record on child welfare obscures the dark reality – the appalling experience that some children endure on a daily basis. Our research found a strong correlation between low levels of trust and poor environment and poor health, negligent parenting, child abuse and low achievement.” In another sign that pressure is mounting on the government over children’s services, a nationwide network of campaigners battling to save Sure Start centres launches an attack on Cameron on Father’s Day in a letter in today’s Observer . Claiming that the prime minister has broken his pre-election promise to protect them and build on their success, campaign groups from across the country write: “His cuts mean some areas have 25% less than last year to spend on early years’ services, and the loss of the ringfenced funds [to local authorities] means councils don’t even have to spend that money on children. “As a result, the Sure Start network of centres is being hollowed out. The loss is greater than he may imagine… We simply ask David Cameron to keep his promise; to rethink his cuts, or at least reinstate the ringfence.” The ResPublica report will be formally launched this week by Andrew Stunell, the communities minister, in a move that confirms the coalition is taking its findings seriously. It criticises the closures of facilities for children, including parks, play schemes and community projects , suggesting that the government should protect them and give children the right to challenge decisions that affect them. The current economic climate was no excuse for failing to act. “It is possible to build connections between children and between families – it is easy and it does not cost extra,” says the report. Among its recommendations is a plan to pilot a number of large-scale, comprehensive community building projects to protect and help vulnerable children. Friends of Hilton have dismissed suggestions that he is on the brink of quitting Downing Street because of a lack of progress on the “big society” and public service reform, although he is said to be frustrated at the way the plan has failed to take off. A joint Daycare Trust/4Children survey on Sure Start children’s centres showed that 250 centres (7%) will close or are expected to close, affecting an estimated 60,000 families. Staff at 1,000 centres (28%) have been issued with “at risk of redundancy” notices. A Department for Education spokesman said local authorities had been given funds to provide facilities such as Sure Start centres and that, if they decided not to do so, they would be held accountable. “Local authorities have statutory duties to meet local need with sufficient childcare and children’s centres, and to support vulnerable children, young people and families. Councils … are accountable to the public for the decisions they make,” said the spokesman. “In a tough financial climate, we have given councils greater freedom over how they can spend taxpayers’ money, including the £2.2bn in early intervention grant in 2011-12 and 2012-13, to ensure it is spent on the services and support needed most in their area.” Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said: “David Cameron should listen to mums and dads across the country who are desperately worried their local children’s centres are being axed because of the scale of the Sure Start cuts. “The prime minister promised to protect Sure Start, but he has cut the budget by 20%. He clearly doesn’t get how much Sure Start means to families across the country.” Public services policy David Cameron Public sector cuts Public finance Children Thinktanks Toby Helm guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 18, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.