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It is just over 12 months since the UK general election, and the subsequent negotiations which led to the formation of the current coalition government. Sir Stephen Bubb is chief executive of the Association of Chief Executive of Voluntary Organisations There is no doubt that the pace of change over the last year has come as a surprise to many. There have been proposals to completely overhaul parts of the NHS and the education system, detailed discussions around new models of delivery across the public service spectrum, and the redefining of the relationship between individuals and the state through the localism agenda and the Big Society vision. Certainly no-one can accuse this Government of being idle or timid. But where does this leave those in the voluntary sector who are currently working with local government partners to deliver services to local communities? These are uncertain times for voluntary sector leaders. There have been some fairly ambiguous messages disseminated from senior government figures which make many doubt whether there is sufficient clarity around the role the sector is anticipated to play in the next few years. On the one hand, we hear prime minister, David Cameron, advocating voluntary sector service delivery as a key cornerstone of his Big Society vision and, on the other hand, we hear Lord Wei, the Big Society tsar, berating large charities, accusing them of getting fat off the state and failing to innovate. The Government cannot have it both ways, and it would be naive of its members to think that very small charities, mutuals, co-operatives and community groups alone will be able to take over where statutory agencies withdraw. If we are serious about creating the best public services in a period of huge fiscal restraint, it will be necessary for the Government to incentivise a diverse market of providers so that the organisation best placed to respond to local need is able to compete and win in a simple, fair commissioning process. As the coalition enters its second year in power, there are clearly opportunities and challenges ahead as the consultation and debate on reform ends and implementation gets underway. Partnership working will be key as leaders from the voluntary and public sector seek to navigate a path through the turbulent waters ahead. ACEVO will be looking at all opportunities to work with statutory agencies to explore the potential for the combination of cuts and public service reform to lead to a new era of service delivery in which the voluntary sector is seen as the key vehicle for transforming the lives of individuals across the country.

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Inside View

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