Reframing citizen relationships with the public sector in a time of austerity : community empowerment in England and Scotland

Abstract

This project aimed to investigate how the differing policy stances of the Scottish and UK public sectors to state-citizen relations are being rolled out in a period of austerity. More specifically we examined the mechanisms through which the role of the state in relation to community empowerment is being changed in light of the ‘Big Society’ agenda (including the Localism Act 2011) in England and preparations for the Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill in Scotland. To achieve this we actively engaged stakeholders and community organisations in debates around co-production and community empowerment through: • a practitioner workshop involving grassroots organisations and community workers from the North East of England and Scotland; • a policy symposium with key stakeholders to draw practical and policy lessons from the similarities and differences between England and Scotland in relation to community empowerment; and • a virtual ‘Community Learning and Research Network’ of key stakeholders and third sector organisations. The findings from the workshop and symposium activity reveal a shared sense of anxiety about the likely impact of funding cuts on the future of public services among the representatives of third sector organisations from both Scotland and England, although significant cuts had yet to take effect, particularly in Scotland. This report summarizes the discussions held at the two events and also identifies future directions of research.