[Campaignforrealdemocracy] Public Space, 'Public Service Delivery Plan', Democracy and NCIA

[Mark Barrett]

Dear Sally, James and the rest at Campaign for Real Democracy

Did anyone read recently about Brown's commitment to 'compulsory
volunteerism' or did I just imagine it?

The attached and below is from a colleague at NCIA. Do you have any idea how
we should respond, individually or as a group? Personally I think this is a
great initiative, but wouldn't it be good to put the CRD angle in?

Maybe with a call to the VCS in general to respond to the
clampdown/co-option the NCIA identifies with an even greater commitment to
inclusivity in decision making and action. And maybe for the coalition to
consider if it can make its position on democracy more plain at some point?
Independence is vitally important, but democracy doesn't get mentioned much,
if at all in the leaflet or the list of target topics. Community development
and / or the grassroots representation is quite close though, but shouldn't
it go further?

In addition, maybe another topic could be included, and to which we could
contribute by way of a collation of our group discussions. What I have in
mind is on political literacy. This relates in the NCIA context as a
recogniton of the need for an enlargement, and not further eoncroachment
on  public space of (necessarily independent) contention, rather than spaces
and groups becoming part of a process of co-option. And, linked to this, the
nature of consensus decision making. I was reminded of the 'agonic' question
(ie contention, 'agony' or passionate adversariality being the nature of
'the political' just last night, in a meeting with Teresa Hoskyns and
discussion about the need for an 'agonic sphere' as part of the Right to the
City movement. See, for example
http://books.google.com/books?id=wq1PpO-6dqQC&pg=RA1-PA116&lpg=RA1-PA116&dq=agonic+sphere+mouffe&source=bl&ots=mjh-B7kYU9&sig=WTixVzPArkpnAhFD8GRvMRp53Hg&hl=en&ei=byeESqjyKZS7jAfDz7iRCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=agonic%20sphere%20mouffe&f=false)


While I come to think of it I will cc this to Teresa.

What do people think. Should / could CRD contribute?

Let me know what you think, and thanks Penny, Andy and Co for the worthwhile
initiative - have a good hol
:-)
Mark
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Andy Benson & Penny Waterhouse <info at penandy.co.uk>
Date: 2009/8/11
Subject: A COALITION STAND - what do you think of this?
To: andyl at penandy.co.uk


 Hello Coalition Assembly,

You're bound to remember that we're embarking on work intended to make clear
where the Coalition stands on a variety of the issues facing the sector. The
starting point for this is to produce a leaflet that will set out our stall
in broad terms - why is the Coalition needed, what are we doing, why people
should join us. We intend that this leaflet should be available
electronically and in printed form. We hope it can be used to send/give to
people making enquiries, given out at meetings, used to start conversations
about the issues and so on.

TWO THINGS TO ASK FROM YOU......

1. Attached is a first draft of this leaflet. It's a first stab at trying to
compress what is very complicated into something of realistic length. The
boxes, which are intended to includes case studies, are not yet filled in.
We may also give the whole thing to a journalist or editor to work it over
and make it as accessible as possible. But before doing anymore, it would be
really useful to have some feedback from Assembly members about both content
and form. Does this say the right things in the right way? *Any comments you
have will be welcome* and please send them back to me at info at penandy.co.uk.

2. Secondly, beyond the leaflet, we want to work up a series of papers which
address particular issues that affect the future of voluntary and community
action and particular areas of work. *We need some help with this, so are
looking for people willing to lead and/or make a contribution to any of
these papers. Can you help? *

Our initial 'hit list' for separate papers is that listed in the leaflet
draft viz:

Topics:

§         ‘partnership working’;

§         funding regimes and the move to ‘procurement and commissioning’;

§         ‘new managerialism’ ;

§         ‘Quality assurance’ systems;

§         Use of jargon and language;

§         privatisation of public services and the complicity of parts of
the voluntary sector in this;

§         How the sector is represented and by whom;

§         The loss of collective action and the need to get it back.



Areas of work:



§         Arts and culture

§         Criminal justice

§         Economic and social justice for minority ethnic communities.

§         Environment and climate change

§         Legal advice and rights work

§         Health and social care

§         Refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers

§         Housing and homelessmess

§         Community development

§         Representation and grassroots support



We hope that by addressing what it happening in these particular zones we
will make it clearer to people just what it is we are banging on about. Much
of this, we reckon, can be done electronically and much also, will be able
to draw on material that some of you have already written. Looking at the
list you may also think that we need to add other topics or areas of work -
if so please tell us that. We're aware that the above is a bit of an
assorted selection.



Maybe you could have a think about this and *let me know if you're able to
contribute to this exercise? *After this week, I'll be away for 3 weeks on
holiday (back week starting 7th September).It would be lovely to have a
deluge of positive responses waiting for me when I get back!!



In the meantime, good wishes from,



Andy Benson



from NCIA
21 Yoakley Road
London N16 0BH
0208 800 7509
have a look at our new website - www.independentaction.net




-- 
"We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there no
man speaketh as we speak in the street.”
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