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In June the PM asked me for proposals to sustain the community spirit we saw during lockdown. Levelling Up Our Communities is out today: see it (and the PM's response) here https://www.dannykruger.org.uk/communities-report.
My thanks to @dianabarran @dcms for advice & encouragement. Summary thread:
1/8
My thanks to @dianabarran @dcms for advice & encouragement. Summary thread:
1/8
The crisis has exacerbated our social & economic injustices - and it has exposed the enormous strength of our communities. We need the latter to fight the former. In a nutshell, we need a new era of COMMUNITY POWER to replace the era of large public & private bureaucracies.
2/8
2/8
I suggest a bunch of ideas (mostly taken from other brilliant people in the social sector), including:
A ‘Community Power Act’ to give local people power over the design and delivery of public services
‘Pop-up parishes’ with time-limited powers and freedoms to innovate
3/8
A ‘Community Power Act’ to give local people power over the design and delivery of public services
‘Pop-up parishes’ with time-limited powers and freedoms to innovate
3/8
A Volunteer Passport system to match the supply & demand for voluntary help
A new National Volunteer Reserve to help with future emergencies & ongoing environmental challenges
Paid ‘service opportunities’ for unemployed young people on social & environmental projects
4/8
A new National Volunteer Reserve to help with future emergencies & ongoing environmental challenges
Paid ‘service opportunities’ for unemployed young people on social & environmental projects
4/8
An annual Neighbour Day bank holiday to celebrate communities and volunteering
A deal with faith communities to work with the public sector on big social challenges
A deal with Big Tech to design new ‘digital infrastructure’ for communities
5/8
A deal with faith communities to work with the public sector on big social challenges
A deal with Big Tech to design new ‘digital infrastructure’ for communities
5/8
A new £500 million Community Recovery Fund, financed through the defunct National Fund
A new £2 billion endowment, the Levelling Up Communities Fund, for investment in long-term, community-led transformation in left-behind areas, financed through dormant insurance accounts.
6/8
A new £2 billion endowment, the Levelling Up Communities Fund, for investment in long-term, community-led transformation in left-behind areas, financed through dormant insurance accounts.
6/8
It all adds up to what I call a 'social covenant', namely 'the mutual commitment by citizens, civil society, businesses and the state, each to fulfil their discrete responsibilities and to work together for the common good of all.'
7/8
7/8
This is the gentle revolution we need: conservative radicalism for a time of crisis. I don't think this agenda belongs to Left or Right and I would like to work with people of good will from across the political spectrum to improve these ideas, and try and make them happen.
8/8
8/8
