Responding to the Comprehensive Spending Review and details of the Cabinet Office settlement relating to the Office for Civil Society both published today, The Social Investment Business Chief Executive Jonathan Lewis said:

“The Chancellor’s commitment to shifting the balance of power from the centre, cutting red tape and encouraging new providers opens up opportunities for civil society organisations to get more involved in public life and public service delivery. This presents real opportunities but has to be done in the right way. I know heads of sector organisations who are concerned they could be seen simply as a substitute for services government can no longer afford.  In fact the sector has much more to offer and many organisations are well placed to bring their creativity and ability to innovate to bear on the tasks of both saving money and improving the quality of frontline services.

“We have helped civil society organisations implement job creation programmes, set up parent-led schools and deliver cost-efficient health and social care services in their areas and there is potential to do much, much more.

“It was made clear today that local authority and health service commissioners will have more power to spend what they have – but a lot less to spend. Now is the time for social enterprises, voluntary groups and charities to be proactive in looking for ways to engage with commissioners to help them find the solutions we know our sector can provide.

“However, commissioners can only do business with organisations that themselves are financially strong. It’s important that Ministers recognise that this transformation in public service delivery and the realisation of the Prime Minister’s Big Society vision rely on civil society organisations themselves being supported to cope with financial pressures ahead. A transition fund announced by the Cabinet Office is a start, but we will need to think bigger.

“New models of financing – greater use of loans, forming sector consortia to bolster bidding power and innovations like social impact bonds need to be developed at speed to help ensure that despite the trials that undoubtedly lie ahead this opportunity to transform the sector is not missed.”

http://www.thesocialinvestmentbusiness.org/category/news/2010/the-social...