Empowerment White Paper launched

A £70m fund designed to support and develop local organisations that provide a vital focal point for community life was announced by the government this week.

The Communitybuilders fund, a joint programme between Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Office of the Third Sector, is the largest single programme in Communities in Control, the long-awaited empowerment White Paper, which sets out a package of measures to empower individuals and organisations.

Communitybuilders will support organisations known as community anchors in promoting community groups, active citizens and local social entrepreneurs.

The white paper, which included few other new initiatives, announced the creation of an asset transfer unit to provide information to organisations wanting to run their own services or assets.

It will extend the forthcoming duty to involve to additional agencies and bodies, including regional development agencies, the Homes and Communities Agency and Jobcentre Plus.

The government will also consult on a draft prospectus for an empowerment fund of at least £7.5m, to be launched later this year.

This will provide support for existing national third sector organisations which are helping local communities turn proposals in the paper into practical action on the ground in areas such as community leadership, involvement in planning and social enterprise.

But the White Paper has been criticised for ignoring the power of community action.

Communities in control