New government: The regeneration sector reacts
Voluntary organisations have warned the new government that they must be properly supported in order to achieve its vision for a Big Society.
Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, said his organisation looked forward to helping prime minister David Cameron refine that vision and clearly set out the role our organisations can play within it.
He said: 'We recognise that these are difficult economic times and the government will have to make some tough decisions.
'However, it is important that spending plans recognise the role that voluntary and community organisations' play across many policy areas and that they are properly supported to play those roles, not because of who they are, but because of the real difference they make to the lives of individuals and communities.’
Matthew Scott, director of Community Sector Coalition, echoed Mr Etherington's call for the sector to be properly funded: 'If the Big Society is going to work it must now prove it is not just code for big cuts.
'Community action is not a soundbite; it grows up over years of hard work, and this needs protecting and investing in. Now is the time to get real about what it takes to build society from the grassroots.'
Meanwhile, the New Local Government Network welcomed the promise of a review of local government finance. Acting director Anna Turley said that political devolution, as advocated by both parties, can only occur alongside financial devolution.
'Councils remain too reliant on centralised grant funding and overly dependent on council tax as an income generator, and they do not posses enough financial levers to properly shape their local economies,' she said.
'The business rates system should be reformed to allow councils greater flexibility and incentives to encourage new commerce, and any review of local government grant allocation must ensure that funding is distributed in a fair manner.'
The think tank also welcomed the commitment to ensuring welfare to work provision reflects more closely the results achieved in getting people back into work.
But others warned that the commitment to immediate spending reductions could harm the economic recovery.
Grahame Smith, Scottish Trades Union Congress general secretary, said: 'This deal spells disaster for the economy. Savage cuts in public spending this year could well tip our fragile economy back into recession.'
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