The UK General Election is only four months away. This will be a very significant general election with potentially major implications for the future of the state, the economy, society and consequently for the charity and voluntary and community sector...

Communities across the country have borne the brunt of austerity and related policies. They have experienced the adverse effects of a raft of unpleasant and destructive policies and social conditions including public expenditure cuts, rising poverty and inequality, the inadequacy of supply of affordable homes, and much more.

Some communities have felt isolated as the political rhetoric and media stories...

The charity and wider voluntary and community sector faces many challenges, most of which originate externally. However, I do fear that an unfortunate proportion (hopefully not too large a proportion)of these challenges are self-generated, and of these...

I am delighted to have been invited to be a judge for the National Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2015/16. Having judged these awards in previous years I know that there is some remarkable procurement policy and practice across the public sector. Unfortunately, I also know that there is some very...

It would be fantastic if we could have the confidence that 2015 will be a better year than 2014. It would be too easy to be pessimistic rather than optimistic. Does this have to be the case?

There will be an UK wide general election: with the possibility of a minority or coalition government. An election at which it would...

I have been involved with schools for many years first as a student and then as a governor and parent as well as a member of a local authority. I am currently the chair of governors of an all-through academy - the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Co...

The public finances are getting no better, and we are faced with the prospect of ever more severe cuts. Time to shed some light on their impact

The government has failed to meet its stated targets for reducing the deficit and the national debt – indeed the trend has been in the other direction. It has signalled that still more...

Whatever sector and level you identify yourself with (public, social, voluntary, community, social enterprise, voluntary, NGO or business sectors), it is a given that leaders, managers, employees, service users and customers are facing the fastest pace...

Over the last few weeks, there have been several announcements and commitments to major mega-infrastructure investment, including the HS3 northern rail link. Mega-infrastructure is always welcome, provided that it will add value to the regional economies and national sustainability. And even if the economic benefits of many schemes will take many, many years to come to fruition, there is...

John Tizard has contributed to this series of essays on the future of the voluntary and community sector. His essay is about the importance of local community social action and civil society in every community.

The book of essays has been published by Civil Exchange

http://www.civilexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Making-Good-Essays-web.pdf