Organisations are being invited to apply to deliver the £70m Communitybuilders programme on behalf of the Government. The Communities and Local Government department announced the Communitybuilders fund in its white paper Communities in Control in July. The fund will provide a combination of grants and loans to voluntary organisations for projects that stimulate involvement in democracy and local decision-making.

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2 October 2008
© John Plummer, Third Sector Online

Increasing the number of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality is a priority for many Local Authorities in the region, and the Empowering Communities Partnership, led by Creating Excellence, has just published a report benchmarking the activities of twelve Authorities on this work. The report also explores Authorities’ potential help and support needs in improving their performance. Carried out by SERIO, (Socio-economic Research and Intelligence Observatory) at the University of Plymouth, this authoritative report, commissioned in June 2008, provides in-depth information on how key authorities are approaching the Government’s National Indicator 4, (the percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality), and provides valuable information for developing resources and training to support them. For more information see the executive summary here. Download the Executive Summary as a PDF: www.creatingexcellence.org.uk/ceimages/FinalReportExecutiveSummaryLAANI4Benchmarking.pdf

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2 October 2008
© Creating Excellence

Are you passionate about the welfare of rural communities? Can you help ensure that the rural voice is heard across the country? Our Commissioners have non-executive responsibility for the governance of our organisation, including determining our strategic direction, and also providing impartial input and advice into reports to Government Ministers and to Parliament.
Defra are seeking to appoint three new Commissioners. You must be able to demonstrate knowledge and interest in economic and social issues affecting rural communities. You’ll be familiar with and committed to the principles of public life. We’d welcome applicants who are able to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, with business background and/or knowledge of local government. To address the balance of regional representation, applicants from the East of England, East and West Midlands would be particularly welcome but those from elsewhere in England will also be welcomed. The posts are remunerated up to 3.5 days per month. Legitimate travel and other expenses are fully reimbursed. Download an information pack: http://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/files/80922%20Commissioner%20Information%20Pack%20-%20final.pdf

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29 September 2008
© Commission for Rural Communities

The National Occupational Standards for the community development workforce are being revised by Lifelong Learning UK, to reflect changes in legislation and working practices within the sector. A questionnaire, for response by 7th November, is available at www.lluk.org/community-development-work-nos-consultation.htm

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24 September 2008
© VoluntaryNews

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will this week outline plans to make it easier for more people, from all walks of life, to volunteer for key roles in their local community. Ms Blears wants to modernise the list of activities that entitle people to time off from work to better reflect the kind of roles available and encourage more people to participate - also helping to widen the pool of skills, expertise and experience available. Magistrates, school governors and members of health bodies or police authorities already have time off entitlements. But Hazel Blears wants to take a fresh look at whether this should be extended to other roles to better reflect modern life and the needs of local communities.

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25 September 2008
© Communities and Local Government (National)

A crime reduction charity in Scotland has called for a greater focus on community sentences and bail supervision to reduce offending after the prison population reached record levels. The comments from Sacro follow remarks made by the Scottish Prison Service’s chief executive Mike Ewart. He said prisons were in a state of emergency because of overcrowding. The prison population has reached 8,137, although the capacity is only 6,625. Mr Ewart called for a cap on the number of those being incarcerated. Sacro said short custodial sentences were ‘next to useless’, arguing there was a wealth of evidence to support this view. In 2005/06, sentences of six months or less accounted for 83% of prison terms handed down, while the average time served was 24 days. ‘This is not long enough to help prisoners address their offending behaviour but it is long enough for them to break ties with their families and communities and build new, less positive ties within prison,’ Sacro said.

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24 September 2008
© NewStart

Are you campaigning to keep your local school or post office open? Or campaigning against a windfarm in your local area? Maybe you are trying to keep your village’s telephone box? Do you want to have your say on television? If so, BBC’s Landward programme with Nick Nairn want to hear from you. The BBC are currently looking for local campaigners to speak in front of the camera about issues that are important to them.

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23 September 2008
© Rural Gateway

The JRF’s recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern ‘social evils’ on the theme of ‘a decline in values’. Anthony Browne argues that, in the face of an unprecedented and unsettling decline in values, discussing the problem and its causes is the first step towards making things better. Download the report: http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/pdf/2279.pdf

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24 September 2008
© Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Ensuring community cohesion is as vital in rural as urban areas, writes Cllr Tim Carroll (Lib Dem), leader of South Somerset district council. Community cohesion – meaning a community that is not only at peace with itself but also knows itself – is a necessity and an imperative for any rural council. It is an issue that South Somerset is paying particular attention to. There are the two sets of fundamental changes that have affected our villages and towns over the last 100 years. There are the organic changes seen in all rural areas: smaller nuclear families with fewer ties to support networks, fewer people actually living and working within any village or town, and the attrition of groups that historically formed the ‘glue’ that kept a community together – such as women’s institutes, parish and church groups, and farming networks. More recent changes affect the dynamics of an area: the introduction of technologies that change the traditional ways of doing things, an influx of people from other countries, and the migration of younger people due to higher education and employment opportunities outside the local area.

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24 September 2008
© LGA

Fair pay for work done is the most important message the Scottish Crofting Foundation want to get across to Crofting Minister Michael Russell before he makes his response to the final report from the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting. Although many welcomed the inquiry and its radical report, some of its recommendations came under fire. The Scottish Crofting Foundation have sent a summary of its members’ responses to Michael Russell following an extensive series of meetings. SCF Chair Neil MacLeod said “It is projected that the Minister will make his response to the Shucksmith Final Report at the beginning of October so we have consulted with our membership widely in order to get views to the minister to help him to give an informed response. The most important thing is that there has to be fair pay for work done. It is said again and again that no matter what regulations are in place a crofter can not croft unless there is a fair return. A crofter’s first responsibility is to provide a livelihood for the family. We all want to see new entrants into crofting but they, like existing crofters, need to pay their bills. You can download the full report at: www.ruralgateway.org.uk/download/2454/Crofting-inquiry-final-report.pdf

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24 September 2008
© Rural Gateway