The "Big Society"

[Tubey]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Po...The_Governments_Big_Society_Gets_Funding_Axed

A volunteering charity praised by a minister for fighting "cynicism" about the Big Society has hit out after being told its funding was being axed.

TimeBank said it would be forced to make drastic staff cuts, scale back its work and perhaps close altogether after being refused a £500,000 grant.

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Well, that Cameron claptrap lasted all of five minutes.

Worst political idea ever. Slap a label on something that already exists, and then proceed to destroy it.

Gennnnnius. Andy Coulson must be rolling over in his grave.

 

[chicoazul]

Right, don't start pretending you're not a tory now lid. You voted them in, you deal with them.

 

[McBain]

Get real jobs you bludgers.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Still think 99% of people don't really get what the 'big society' thing is all about.

 

[chicoazul]

Still think 99% of people don't really get what the 'big society' thing is all about.

Including David Cameron and most of his party unfortunately.

 

[linglong]

Still think 99% of people don't really get what the 'big society' thing is all about.

Including everyone bar 2 of the tory party and the rest of GB Bruce..it's a sham failure of a non policy it's Cameron's cones hotline.

Move along no one is interested in it

It's a dead parrot,etc,etc

 

[Ezekiel]

Still think 99% of people don't really get what the 'big society' thing is all about.

100% of people don't get it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Yet so many feel able to comment on that which they don't understand. Bit odd isn't it?

 

[Cena]

Yet so many feel able to comment on that which they don't understand. Bit odd isn't it?

I don't understand how laptops are made, does that mean i should never used one??

Cmon Bruce, people are concerned by a poor policy from Cameron and co because they don't understand it, of course they should comment

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Not really sure the analogy fits.

Ok you don't know how a laptop is built, but you can gauge the relative success of that based upon its cost and operation.

The 'big society' has had no time whatsoever to take effect as yet so I don't think you can really gauge its success (or otherwise). So if you can't do that and don't really understand the thinking behind it, then it doesn't really strike me as a topic on which people can talk. Most of the criticism seems to be based on tribal politics whereby emotive responses are metered out.

Let me give you an example. There was news last week about a private company offering police patrols in Essex. Now obviously this hasn't even begun yet so it's impossible to tell if it will work or not, yet the Essex police have (perhaps predictably) criticized it already. No doubt many will have an opinion on such an idea, even if not an expert in any way on policing nor in possession of evidence from the streets on whether it works or not (having only just started). Of course freedom of speech ensures such views are always welcome to be expressed but lets not pretend they are informed opinions.

 

[Ezekiel]

is it an attempt to break up the social services provided by government? then in a kind of 'privatisation' move let private companies run them, oh and get volunteers involved - ie doing the job for no wage when doing work was previously a paid experience?

i seems to stink - i could be very wrong though because i have not really got a fecking clue what it is. seems very vague concept, or is it that very glaringly obvious it quite scary.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Of course they don't want private coppers, they are probably working with the big 'R-Hammer' above their heads.
1st step into privatising the Police Force, then we find that dodgy 'businessmen' are in charge and it's just a gangsters charter.


Privatisation for most people, has seen services become more expensive to the detriment of the quality of service received.

Will these 'coppers' be paid out of the council tax budgets ?
or will everyone have to pay a levy ?

My suspicious mind says that they will be taken out out of the council tax system, along with other things that have to be paid for seperately, then council tax will be reduced in a big fanfare, except that what will happen is council tax benefit will also be reduced, but the crunch is that the benefit system won't contribute to all the things that have become 'Ltd.'

so....

council tax - (bins, coppers, all other services) = smaller bill


smaller bill - any benefits = new bill amount


new bill amount + all the individual levies to private companies = more than it was originally.


smaller bill means less council tax benefit paid out, but those in receipt of it will then have to find extra to get their bin emptied, blazing house put out.... get their collar felt.


they reckon that 1p a litre at the pump adds 3 billion to the treasury, so is all this price hiking for fuel just a bonus for the govt. or will they say that they have a lo9t extra than anticipated and the 'austerity' measures may not need to be as bad as 1st thought ?

 

[linglong]

Yet so many feel able to comment on that which they don't understand. Bit odd isn't it?

How arrogant of you sir,not like you at all.

It may have escaped your notice this is a forum people not commenting would render it useless would it not?

Plenty of people no the MAJORITY of people dont CARE what this stupid policy is or is about,inclusing the vast majority of the tory party MP's and activists most dont even mention it becuase its so utterly unworkable.

But you seem to be the oracle on this and we the great unwashed should bow down before you? no i thought not

Its a silly policy that no one wants nor needs yet they try and push onto to a public that see's this jaundiced government trying to cover creeping privatization with this sham.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

How arrogant of you sir,not like you at all.

It may have escaped your notice this is a forum people not commenting would render it useless would it not?

Plenty of people no the MAJORITY of people dont CARE what this stupid policy is or is about,inclusing the vast majority of the tory party MP's and activists most dont even mention it becuase its so utterly unworkable.

But you seem to be the oracle on this and we the great unwashed should bow down before you? no i thought not

Its a silly policy that no one wants nor needs yet they try and push onto to a public that see's this jaundiced government trying to cover creeping privatization with this sham.

There's only one oracle here and it isn't me However I think if you are to brand something as unworkable then you should at least take the effort to understand the thinking behind it OR wait until there is evidence provided by the plan in action. Now the emphasis here is on attempting to understand things. I get the impression that the majority of people are bashing this simply because it is being done by the Tories.

I do agree with you when you say that most people simply don't care though. It's the same in most spheres of life. Sure there is an increasing number of people who look at how a company supplies a service as well as what they provide, but I dare say the majority couldn't care less about the inner workings of the company that provides their broadband or their groceries. All they want is the freedom to ditch that company if they don't come up to scratch. That freedom of movement doesn't exist in the public sector, (ok you get to vote every 4/5 years but that's hardly comparable is it?), so the general ambivalence towards all things political makes democracy a bit of a sham.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Of course they don't want private coppers, they are probably working with the big 'R-Hammer' above their heads.
1st step into privatising the Police Force, then we find that dodgy 'businessmen' are in charge and it's just a gangsters charter.


Privatisation for most people, has seen services become more expensive to the detriment of the quality of service received.

Will these 'coppers' be paid out of the council tax budgets ?
or will everyone have to pay a levy ?

My suspicious mind says that they will be taken out out of the council tax system, along with other things that have to be paid for seperately, then council tax will be reduced in a big fanfare, except that what will happen is council tax benefit will also be reduced, but the crunch is that the benefit system won't contribute to all the things that have become 'Ltd.'

As far as I can tell the service is funded by individual households paying £1 a week for the service. So it's similar in that sense to a company providing security on corporate premises. You have to admit that provision of private security to companies is not a service over-run by gangsters so this sort of thing should at least be given a chance.