Following the closure of the Civil Society Strategy consultation, DCMS Secretary of State, Matt Hancock gave a speech on Civil Society in the 21st Century.
He noted that ‘DCMS is working to bring together digital and civil society – both to improve the systems which manage local life, but also to empower local people to direct and own those systems’.
‘I want to preserve and extend the independence of the sector… I want to see it develop a more sustainable operating model… focused on supporting charities and community groups to become better capitalised and more resilient…
The business of civil society is society, and within the limits of charity law, you have the right to campaign, to persuade the public, and to press for change in the systems which affect the life of this country… You need freedom – and you also need clarity on what government wants to do, and how we intend to work with you. And that is what the Civil Society Strategy will set out’.
‘while the Industrial Strategy focused on productivity and economic growth, the Civil Society Strategy focuses on community and social growth. These are the things whose value can’t be measured in GDP – the arts and culture and the sport, the social clubs and faith groups.’
I’m delighted the latest Treasury Green Book, which is the bible of government’s assessment of value for money – now acknowledges the contribution of social factors like these.
‘Government is itself a major funder of civil society. But I don’t think we spend nearly enough on the small or local organisations – whether for or not-for profit – which are often the best people to deliver a local service’.
‘I also want to see more effective co-ordination of different public funding streams, and especially the streams, which flow directly into local places. Conversations are underway across Whitehall – both with Treasury and with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government – to bring greater focus on this. I’m pleased that Big Society Capital is looking at how local approaches to finance, mixing public and private money, can be used to support some of our deprived communities.’
‘Tracey and her team are looking closely at whether we can deliver a new era of public sector grants – Grants 2.0, let us call them – without sacrificing the efficiency and focus on outcomes that contracts are designed to achieve’.