The BIG Society?

http://www.everyclick.com/normanken
A rant about The Big Society
Ken Norman's personal take...

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Big Society
• Lido
• Fundraising
• Chipping Norton
• nonprofit
• government
• Local Politics
• big brother
• human rights
• psa

[KenNormal]

Hi Ryan - Sorry - I've only just seen your comment. Many apologies. If its not too late then sure! Go ahead.

I would add that the council have been very supportive of late. We have just received a grant from them (for refurbishment of our changing rooms) and they approved our last application for rate relief

[KenNormal]

Having lost DDR last year and having made this video about that we have been granted DDR for 2011/12 season. WODC say it's because our application was much clearer this year. It has nothing to do with the fact that we've had interviews with local and National Press. Apparenty.

[colcfc123]

@KenNormal I am in two minds about this yes you have done well to save and run this service also a well done for taking on and getting the DDR. My problem is why should we as council tax payers have to take these things on as volunteers ? I feel the whole "Big society " ethos is a con and trying to get important services on the cheap. I must confess I have no love for the Tories and see a parliament full of public school millionaires cutting services and giving themselves tax dodges

[KenNormal]

@colcfc123 I really can't disagree - but what can you do. If we had not stepped in the pool simply would have closed. Our attempts at lobbying to keep the facility open failed - we took it over. The BIG Society ethos is not a con - it happens, people organise and do things (and not always in response to a negative!) I think the government are just trying to tap into that spirit in the face of the cuts they have to make. That is often seen as divisive and hypocritical.

[pauldwaite]

Out of interest, how much did the solar panels and ground source heat pump reduce your energy bills by each year? Have you guys got a blog about this stuff anywhere?

[KenNormal]

@pauldwaite It's all very complicated. We're actually not sure at the moment. We've just had one season running with the ground source heat pumps and photo voltaic cells. What's been difficult is getting our energy provider to get the right bills to us. WIth estimates, refunds and erroneous meter readings flying around its simply not clear yet. Also it's taken a long while to sort out our feed in tariff. Nothing is as straight forward as you'd think. No Blog yet - great idea tho'.

[TheGentlemanAdmin]

What a comprehensive dismantling of government hypocrisy. But also what a fine example of a community project and what volunteers and charity work can actually do for a local community. The 'big society' is exposed as politicians attempting to reflect the glory of fine people like this, without actually meeting their responsibilities in supporting them. Ken, I hope you meet your target and more.

[Dreath2623]

Fuck the Tores. Fuck conservatives. Stop the cuts. Start the rebellion.

[rymeryme]

Hey Ken,

I was wondering if I could source this video and the information you put across in an assignment I am carrying out for my university work.

It would be much appreciated as in my opinion Chipping Norton Lido is a textbook example of the Big Society concept in action.

Thanks a lot for your time,

and fantastic video,

Ryan :)

[BritishSnail]

Still superb.  Still tweeting you and God bless.

[pauldwaite]

(perfe@KenNormal Ah! Sure — when I moved into my current flat, the (boring, normal) electric meter had just been changed, and our energy provider couldn’t manage to get a bill to us for a year. I dread to think what you guys are going through.

Great that you’re doing it though — it’s only by people actually trying it that all this stuff will get worked out. Best of luck with it. Feel free to give me a shout if you need any help setting up a blog.

[maureen1359]

makes you almost lose the will - but the fight has to go on!