Public opinion: Your blogs

Alex Delaney

New Model Army

Young people…they’re everywhere.

And many of them are getting involved in running our towns, cities and villages to make things better for all of us.

Posted on Tuesday, 3rd August 2010 | This entry has 1 comment(s)

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Alex Delaney
Ciara Leeming

The regeneration story no-one wants to hear

Elijah is a 90-year-old war veteran, whose home of 56 years has been CPO-ed. He wants to end his days there and doesn’t see why it should be demolished under Oldham’s Pathfinder scheme – particularly since the recession has led to building been put on hold.

Posted on Tuesday, 3rd August 2010 | This entry has 6 comment(s)

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Ciara Leeming
Jill Theobald

Will LEPs live long and prosper?

‘It’s economic partnership, Jim, but not as we know it.’

Posted on Friday, 30th July 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Jill Theobald
Matthew Scott

Big Society: principled protest or vested interest?

The default position in much of the larger charity sector seems to veer between falsely claiming it has always and forever championed local unpaid community action, or a visceral resentment that there in no longer any money to be had as preferred arm’s length contractors of the state.

Posted on Wednesday, 28th July 2010 | This entry has 6 comment(s)

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Matthew Scott
Iain Mackinnon

Evaluation: does it have to be all or nothing?

I’ll come clean: some of what my company does now as evaluation is a waste of money. Taking really very modest projects and programmes and applying to them the full panoply of the Government’s Impact Evaluation Framework is simply daft. We do it because our clients’ funders require us to do it.

I cherish the moment when a former colleague gave a public sector client a little lecture on how to do a perfect evaluation, only to be told: “we all know about the Gold Standard: I’m interested in what’s realistic”.

Posted on Monday, 26th July 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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Iain Mackinnon
Jamie Veitch

Maude and NAVCA on volunteering

“And what volunteering do you do?”
“I do...golly, what do I do? Umm, a whole load of things....Um, gosh, that’s a really unfair question cold...” (Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude in an interview with Eddie Mair on the PM Programme yesterday evening to talk about the Big Society). There was more:
“Well, I do various things. It’s a great question to err… drop on me err… and if I had time to think about it…”

It was both hilarious but painful to listen to. You can hear the original interview here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qskw or read more about it here: http://jocote.org/2010/07/walking-the-volunteer-walk/

Maude’s interview made an interesting contrast to this exchange within Kevin Curley’s speech at a Sheffield conference yesterday:

Posted on Friday, 23rd July 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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Jamie Veitch
Neil McInroy

Curing ‘bloated’ Britain requires precision surgery

It is now clear, that there is no lack of aspiration, desire and enthusiasm for reform and making UK local government better.

There is a real zeal being displayed, and I think parts of what the government is saying and doing, is extraordinary, ambitious and an opportunity. David Cameron asserting that ‘there is such a thing as a society, it’s just not the same as the state’ reflects an emerging political philosophy in which notions such as Big Society represent an engagement with ideas around reshaping the social contract between the state, community and individual.

Posted on Friday, 23rd July 2010 | This entry has 1 comment(s)

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Neil McInroy
Rosie Niven

National Citizen Service could learn from Blastbeat

Last week I went to my first gig at the O2 arena. Tinchy Stryder and the Saturdays are not the artists you’d usually find on my ipod, but this was no ordinary gig.

Posted on Thursday, 22nd July 2010 | This entry has 0 comment(s)

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Rosie Niven
Maggie Shannon

The short (and sweet) life of National Tenant Voice

My in-box has been a lot busier than usual this week, and I've been getting messages at all hours of the day and night from people with whom I share a common purpose and passion.

Posted on Wednesday, 21st July 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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Maggie Shannon
David Boyle

Why we need a co-production guarantee

Let’s face it, governments are deregulators in their youth – filled with optimism about people and communities – tending towards frustrated and ever more controlling regulators as they hurtle towards pessimistic dotage.

Posted on Wednesday, 21st July 2010 | This entry has 2 comment(s)

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David Boyle
  • Neil Stewart Associates
  • Emmaus Sheffield
  • Hotnews
  • University of Manchester
  • Creative Places 2010

Most recent comments

You don't have to be a site member to comment on any of our blogs, but as a member you can contribute your own and start debate and discussion on what matters to YOU in the sector.

  • Here’s some more information about the passing of Bura from chair Jackie Sadek:

    http://www.estatesgazette.com/blogs/jackie-sadek/2010/08/we-did-everything-we-could-but-sometimes-that-just-isnt-enough.html

  • Rosie Niven on 2nd September 2010:
    Life after Bura

  • I worked in “regeneration” 1996 to 2009.  My last job in this sector was for University College London and was in the built environment.  I remember, very suddenly after starting that job in 2007, suddenly seeing BURA at almost every turn; the organisation was exceptionally well represented in this field.  …

  • daniel gilbert on 31st August 2010:
    Life after Bura

  • Grateful for all the supportive comments about BURA and about the need for some continuing action, particularly on the awards. All ideas and offers of help and involvement are very welcome. We are determined not to lose the accumulated knowledge and connections. Watch this space

    Paul Evans
    (former?) Vice …

  • Paul Evans on 26th August 2010:
    Life after Bura

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