Village hall to Whitehall - report
Local government and the voluntary sector: links, opportunities and contradictions
Village hall to Whitehall was designed to examine the changing relationship between the voluntary sector and local government, and to explore the reality of the government’s key objective of devolving power to local communities.
More than 60 participants from voluntary, public and private sectors, and all round Yorkshire and Humber, gathered at the brand new Northern Ballet building in Leeds.
Speeches and presentations
Further reading
Involve Yorkshire & Humber's first thoughts on the Open Public Services White Paper
Photos of the conference
Introductions
Involve Yorkshire & Humber’s Vice-chair Jan Thornton, and Chief Executive Judy Robinson, opened the conference. Judy noted how many questions remained unanswered since the Coalition Government’s arrival in office in May 2010:
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What’s local?
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What is the direction of travel?
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What policy developments are needed to get there?
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How can the voluntary sector put ideas forward to influence thinking and decision-making?
Key points from speakers
(See full speeches and presentations.) 
Karl Wilding (Head of Policy, Research and Foresight, NCVO)
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Since May 2010, economic change and hasty policy changes
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Cuts have impacted significantly on the north; local authorities are making disproportionate cuts on the voluntary sector
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Economic circumstances will get worse before they get better
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The struggle to deliver the Big Society whilst infrastructure support (such as training) is slashed. If this doesn’t work, what’s the government’s Plan B? More SERCO or A4E?
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Emphasis on voluntary organisations being self-supporting or acquiring pro bono private support or peer to peer support
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Or using the web
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Government not interested in evidence based policy making, but in ‘principled policy making’
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Very speedy last minute approach to policy development
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The reality of ‘guided localism’ with nationally preferred options
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Messages from the local to the centre will be even more important in future as diverse activities and solutions appear at local level
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Remember, power is never given away (for example, with the Localism Bill)
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New models of governance are required
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There will be more competition in the policy space
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And more changes in accountability and responsibility, such as with the development of community assets.
To conclude:
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Government believes that it is creating a great environment for the voluntary sector, through its hyperactivity
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We have to rise to the challenge
In questions, the fundamental structural importance of commissioning, and the need to get it right, was emphasised.
Andrea Hobbs (Chief Executive, Ryedale Voluntary Action)
Andrea discussed her rural based support and development organisation, using examples from three villages to demonstrate how the ambitions of localism and Big Society could develop in practice. She noted that, although there are opportunities for becoming more self-reliant and robust, it’s hard:
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relationships with funders and decision-makers are being tested - decisions made behind closed doors or the sector ignored as familiar staff are moved elsewhere or leave
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the volunteer force is changing – with more people who have been made redundant (and are seeking work). Yet change and development takes so long …
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and, ironically, the web isn’t appropriate for working with distant rural areas
Rachel Reeves (Labour MP, Leeds West)
Rachel used her constituency experience in Leeds West, a collection of urban villages, as the foundation for her comments. She noted that:
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the problem is not the concept of the Big Society but the cuts on local authorities, and business being less likely to offer funds
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government may well decide that they want to use what money remains elsewhere
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and new developments are not always what they seem, for example young people are being charged to participate in the National Citizen Service
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of course the government will use the voluntary sector to deliver for them
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the sector is energetic and enterprising, reaching into communities
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and works for a fraction of the cost of other suppliers
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the sector doesn’t ask for enough from business
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get hold of and use the hard business skills
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make relationships sustainable and make sure everyone benefits
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get involved in the Labour Party policy review
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the public sector and the voluntary sector both need to grow and to support each other
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and involve business as well
In that way, disadvantaged communities will benefit from the scale and clout of the public sector; the specialist skills and resources of business alongside the passion, local knowledge and ingenuity of the voluntary sector.
In questions, the importance of embedding localism with social inclusion was emphasised, otherwise the less visible communities of interest will be marginalised. Also the need to choose our terms with care – a social enterprise is not the same as a community forum.
Jess Steele (Director of Innovation, Locality)
Jess updated the conference on the progress of the government’s Community Organisers programme, well illustrated in her slides and described by her as a 21st century home grown community organisation movement.
In questions, she noted that the greatest challenge for the programme would be ‘what happens next’. No specific outcomes are being required by government, simply an understanding that new relationships will develop.
John Mothersole (Chief Executive, Sheffield City Council; Chair, Yorkshire and Humber Local Authorities Chief Executives Group)
Using the local authority as the basis of his presentation, John considered relationships at both local and national levels – with the voluntary sector and with the government.
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In his view, the government’s policy changes are more profound than their financial actions
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We have to respond to the offer so “let’s assume that they mean what they say” (on localism, for example)
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And, self confidently, put in proposals and see what happens
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This should be replicated at local level
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Keen to have a strong relationship with the vcs
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Something based on dialogue, using the energy and excitement of the sector
In discussing his ideas for the council of the future, he commented on
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his exhortation to his staff that “working in partnership is to learn the art of letting go”
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in this context of capabilities, the voluntary sector is often the expert
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the scale of change is an opportunity
John noted that he didn’t feel any “pull” from the sector. Is this because:
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the case he makes for collaboration is weak?
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he and/or his staff are perceived as arrogant, unapproachable?
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the sector hasn’t seized the opportunity yet? Hasn’t realised that local authorities are currently creating the space for (external) ideas that reflect the fundamental changes required?
He urged the sector to:
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offer ideas as organisations or product developers
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make the move from “being valued” to transactions with local authorities that may involve the co-design of outcomes and how they are achieved.
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offer specific propositions which attract investment to deliver the council’s outcomes
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use your excellence!
In questions, John recognised the major deficiencies of the commissioning process: this is currently undergoing review in Sheffield.
Activities
The White Paper – Open Public Services
Participants discussed statements based on the key themes of the White Paper, then wrote comments and questions based on their own experiences. All comments were put on the walls for others to see and add to.
Consequences
Participants wrote down real individual scenarios, which were passed round the table, for people in turn to offer suggestions and solutions. We collected all the individual sheets
We have typed up all the results of these activities. We will use them to inform our response to the White Paper.
Swan Links
Caroline Burn of Northern Ballet led participants in a chair-based energiser, to music, which was extremely well received. 
What next?
Involve Yorkshire & Humber will use the results of the activities in various ways, including in our formal response to the Open Public Services White Paper.
We will also build on the excellent relationships made at the conference.
