NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: CREATE AN ENABLING STATE FOR COMMUNITY ACTION IN WALES

Building Communities Trust’s Policy Officer, Matthew Brindley, describes why supporting communities to develop their strengths and assets should be a top priority for Government and decision makers in 2022.

Over the last two years the pandemic has shone a light on the value, strength and resourcefulness of Welsh communities who’ve provided food, friendship and support with a care and knowledge that only local people can. While most of the focus has been on crisis interventions, the pandemic has also given us a glimpse of the breadth, power and potential of community action to shape Welsh society into the future.

A STRONGER SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Both public perceptions and government understanding of community action have changed significantly in recent months. Last year’s Wellbeing of Wales Report revealed a marked increase in the number of people who feel they can influence decisions in their local area. This dramatically reverses a steady downward trend in the eight years prior to the outbreak of Covid.

This data reflects wider public support for community action, with only 9% of people saying they want life to return to 'normal' once the pandemic is over, having experienced a stronger sense of community in their area.

Public bodies have also shifted their attention to the positive impact local people and their organisations can have. Research by Building Communities Trust and People & Work found many examples of community and public sector relationships being strengthened through collaborative responses to Covid. Likewise, a UK wide survey by the New Local Government Network showed over 90% of councils identifying community groups as playing a very significant role in their efforts responding to the pandemic.  

None of this will come as a surprise to those who were already doing grassroots community work before the pandemic struck. The reality is that many had already developed strong organisations and groups of people supporting one another locally who went on to play pivotal roles helping some of the most vulnerable in Wales weather the crisis. Community groups like MaesNi in Bangor quickly created strong support systems for anyone affected by pandemic, while Pill Unity in Newport focused on boosting community spirit during lockdown making and delivering activity packs to keep local people entertained.

The question now is whether or not Government and decision makers in Wales will respond with equal energy and enthusiasm to this groundswell of support for community action?

WARM WORDS TO ACTIONS

Following last year’s Senedd election the noises from most of the main political parties give some grounds for optimism. There were clear commitments from Plaid Cymru to introduce a “Community Rights Act” and a “Community Wealth Fund” to “empower communities” to buy local assets with the support of a “new national service”. Similarly, the Welsh Liberal Democrats and Welsh Conservatives both committed to introducing a “Community Empowerment Act” with the latter pledging to “empower communities to establish neighbourhood plans” and introduce a “Community Ownership Fund” and “Right to Bid” to help communities take over local assets.

While Welsh Labour’s manifesto was less specific, it did commit to “empower communities to have a greater stake in local regeneration” and prioritise “collaboration” with community groups. In hustings events before the election both Mark Drakeford and Jane Hutt expressed strong support for community action and developing “funding strategies and action plans to make this happen”.

While it’s still early days, there are some signs that warms words are slowly turning into actions. As Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt is now overseeing a programme of work developing a communities strategy. This follows Welsh Government accepting a Senedd Committee recommendation that they should “develop a programme of empowering communities across Wales with the voluntary sector, acting as an enabling state for community action”.      

There is also a strong appetite from individual Members of the Senedd for strengthening the role of communities in Wales. Shortly after last year’s election eight Members from all the main political parties lent their support to creating a Senedd Cross Party Group on Communities with plans now afoot to get the group up and running early in the New Year.  

However, as the pandemic persists and the huge challenges facing Government and policy makers continue, there is always the danger that communities drift off the agenda, that warms words remain just that.

MORE RECOGNITION, RIGHTS, AND INVESTMENT

This is why 2022 is a pivotal year in the campaign for Strong Welsh Communities being guaranteed more recognition, rights and investment.

As a starting point we have identified three key steps both Government and decision makers can take on the road to becoming an enabling state for community action:

• Embed community action and cross sector collaboration into the Covid recovery and beyond

• Enhance community rights to own and run public buildings and land and coproduce services

• Improve access to longer-term flexible funding that enables communities and their organisations to do the things that matter to them

Our Building Stronger Welsh Communities report and Manifesto provide detailed insight into how these steps can be achieved. They are informed by over 20 events we ran in every corner of Wales involving over 250 people from community groups. For many, it was the first time they’d discussed policy, and their experiences and ideas have fundamentally shaped this roadmap for change.

As we edge our way into the New Year, and hopefully a new chapter with the pandemic in decline, there is a huge opportunity to fully realise our communities’ strengths and ambitions and build a more resilient, greener and prosperous future led by local people and communities across Wales.

Let’s hope that those in power are willing to embrace it fully.