Survey of civic activity by local community groups launched
The largest ever survey of civic activity by local community groups has been launched to reveal the influence of the civic society movement in villages, towns and cities across the country and strengthen its future.
The survey can be downloaded and completed online
The civic society movement is one of the country’s unsung treasures and its network of over 1,000 voluntary civic and amenity societies and 250,000 members plays a crucial role in defending and celebrating the character and quality of the places where we all live.
Civic societies provide a focus for voluntary and community action. Launching the survey, Tony Burton, Director of the Civic Society Initiative, said: 'Civic societies are rooted in local communities. They celebrate local character, help us discover our roots and campaign for a better future. At a time when people’s faith in politics and institutions is in decline and too much development and change is harming the local environment, we need vibrant and active civic societies more than ever before.
'We would ask anyone with an interest in the character, heritage and future of their local neighbourhood to respond to the survey and help to strengthen the civic society movement across the country.'
Related stories
- Government Red Tape Challenge spotlights housing and construction: excessive regulation to be sent to the scrapheap
- Shapps: New toolkit for regeneration highlights range of powers and tools devolved to Town Halls, businesses and residents'
- Neighbourhood planning 'should contribute to sustainable development' says Localism Bill as it clears Lords review
- Localism Bill: Provisions enabling small local groups to call referendums have been dropped
- Bishop Review: should developers pay for design review, and why communities are the new clients
- The Brixton Pound launches UK's first local e-currency on second anniversary
- Leaflet explains five key stages to neighbourhood planning, from definition to legality
- The Green Infrastructure Partnership will support creation of rooftop gardens, community gardens and living walls
- More front runner neighbourhoods selected to 'test out neighbourhood planning'
- Publication of public sector asset information to be used alongside new community rights to improve resource management
- NYC makes support for urban farming and rooftop greenhouses official: city to maintain a database of unused land for urban farms
- 'Comprehensive' suite of free resources for community enterprises launched
- Peers call on ministers to remove top-down micromanagement from the Localism Bill and also debate local finance
- Action plan calls for more support for self builders and self build communities
- Big Society vanguards are helping local communities to take control of local placemaking
- Meanwhile use of spaces given boost by removal of planning permissions to temporarily change use
- Input needed for new standard, BS 8904, on the sustainable development of communities
- Community groups campaigning to save local assets can apply for Compulsory Purchase Orders
- Benefits of green space will become part of neighbourhood planning policy
- Councils say 1,000 community asset transfers are underway in many urban and deprived areas: rationale is to 'save money'



