Political updates
This page will be updated regularly to provide you with relevant information on key policy changes, budget cuts and new reponsibilities under the new coalition government.
Big Society and other policy announcements
The concept of Big Society is central to the coalition government's thinking. NAVCA have a page on their site that is keeping tabs on Big Society announcements at http://www.navca.org.uk/stratwork/bigsociety/ Some of the key papers include:
- The government's initial announcements about Big Society: Click here
- A new action plan: Click here
- The Big Society blog is available here
- Details of the four areas in the UK to trial the Big Society concept: Click here
A voting referendum on changing the UK's voting system is planned for May 2011. Click here for more information.
The coalition government is asking for people's input to reduce the number of laws, and protect 'freedom'. The consultation website is at http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/
The first Pathfinder mutuals have been launched by Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office. The Pathfinders will be run by entrepreneurial public sector staff, who will take over delivery of their services. Click here for more information.
The emergency budget in June 2010 announced substantial cuts: a summary is available here. The Directory of Social Change (DSC) has produced a report outlining what they think the Emergency Budget could mean for charities. Click here to download the report. Russell New has also produced a document highlighting what they think the Emergency Budget could mean for charities. Click here to download the document.
Regional changes
The government has announced the closure of Regional Development Agencies including the East of England Development Agency by April 2010. Click here for more information.
The newly formed East of England Local Government's Association (EELGA) has been dissolved, although some parts of the staff structure such as training and HR services may continue. Alongside this is the scrapping of all the regional arrangements for the development and delivery of regional strategy, including the Regional Strategy Board and its Development and Implementation Boards.
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has announced the end of Regional Spatial Strategies and their centrally imposed building targets. Click here for more information. This has implications on the East of England Implementation Plan which was published last year. As far as we know development of the Skills Strategy is continuing however.
Strategic Health Authorities and PCTs are being scrapped as well, as announced in the new health White Paper.
Ministers have announced plans "in principle" to abolish regional government offices. Click here for more information.
Sector specific changes
Immigration
The Government has made a statement about the limit of non-EU migrants entering the UK. Click here for more information.
Children and young people
The Vetting and Barring Scheme has been halted. Click here for more information.
The government has launched a families and childhood taskforce to resolve fundamental coalition differences in policy around families. It will report near the end of 2010.
The 'Building the Schools for the Future' programme has received significant scale backs
Skills, training and employment
The Department for Work and Pensions has advertised the establishment of a framework agreement for the provision of employment related support services, helping people to select, train for, obtain and retain employment suitable for their ages and capacities. Click here for more information.
YPLA has taken over funding from Local Authorities for 16-18s. Click here for more information and click here for the Association of Colleges' response.
MPs have approved Academy legislation. Click here for more information.
Health and social care
The Government has launched its Health White paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. It sets out how power will be devolved from Whitehall to patients and professionals. Click here for more information. Click here for a timeline for implementation.
An NHS Commissioning Board has been announced. GP practices are set to be handed responsibility for most health services under ministerial plans for a radical shake-up of the NHS in England. Click here for more information.
Rural
Defra has announced its Structural Reform Plan. Click here for more information.
Crime
The Ministry of Justice has launched a Structural Reform Plan which sets out the top five priorities for restructuring the criminal justice system. Click here for more information.
Ken Clarke has set out his ideas about criminal justice reform in a speech available here. His proposals would mean more community service options to cut down prison costs, and VCS offender services would be delivered on a payment by results basis.
A rapid review of counter terrorism powers has been announced. More detail availabile here.
A radical new programme of reform to change the face of policing and re-establish the link between the police and the public, tackle organised crime and protect UK borders has been unveiled by the Home Secretary. Click here for more information.
Higher education
Vince Cable has made a speech about higher education funding available here that suggests a graduate tax in lieu of tuition fees. Lord Browne is currently carrying out an independent review into higher education and finance. Click here to go to the review website.
Other
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has published its Structural Reform Plan. Click here for more information.
The Equality Act brings together nine separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Click here for more information.
The Default Retirement Age will be phased out from April 2011. Click here for more information
Cut announcements
ACEVO have launched a cuts watch website pulling together news articles about cuts to date: http://www.cutswatch.org.uk/main/
Cuts list to date:
- BECTA (Government agency leading the national drive to ensure effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning) has been abolished. Click here for more information.
- QCDA (Government agency responsible for developing the curriculum, improving and delivering assessments, and reviewing and reforming qualifications) has been abolished. Click here for more information.
- Defra have announced that the Council for Rural Communities (CRC) will be abolished. Click here for more information.
- The Food Standards Agency is to be abolished. Click here for more information.
- Environmental Quangos are to be abolished. Click here for more information.
- The roll out of universal broadband has been postponed until 2015. Click here for more information.
- The Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit will close at the end of August. Click here for more information.
- Caroline Spelman has confirmed that a further 35 defra bodies are to be axed. Click here for more information.
- A review of arm's length bodies (ALBs), published by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley outlines cuts and streamlining for a number of organisations. Click here for more information.
- The Office for Civil Society has cut £11m from Capacitybuilders, v and the Commission for the Compact. Click here for more information.
- The Ministry of Justice has had £2billion cut from its £9billion budget. Click here for more information.
- The Office for Civil Society has cut its number of strategic partners from 42 to a maximum of 15 and reduced their funding by nearly 40%. Click here for more information.
- Eric Pickles has announced plans to disband the Audit Commission. Click here for more information.
Programmes that have been axed include the Future Jobs Fund; The Child Trust Fund; free swimming lessons for children under 6 years old and adults over 60 years old in the UK. Home Information Packs (HIPs) have also been scrapped.
Information on specific projects being cut can be found here and here.
The BBC has produced a guide on what is being cut by the coalition government. It is updated regularly to provide department by department cuts information in the run up to the spending review on 20th October 2010. Click here for more information.
New reponsibilities
Click here for a full list of new Ministers. Or for specific departmental responsibilities see:
Other relevant resources and blogs
Nick Robinson's Newslog is updated regularly and provides a forum for discussion about the latest political updates. Click here for more information.
The BBC's political editor for the Eastern Region has a blog at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/deborahmcgurran/
Voluntary Sector North West's Big Society policy resource provides up to date information and opportunity for discussion. Click here for more information.
The Guardian's 'comment is free' page provides a forum for comment and debate on news stories, including those about emerging policies. Click here for more information.
