A very interesting article on risk and the big society appeared on The Guardian's website a few weeks ago. Written by Garath Symonds, who works in young people's services at Surrey County Council, the article asks the question of whether the big society is simply far too risky to work

The idea he puts forth is that allowing local communities, and community organisations such as charities or social enterprises to 'do it themselves' in providing social support services, will be unacceptable by the current risk standards of government and councils, as well as by the standards of risk aversity of the public as a whole. Some examples that he gives are the volunteer who offers to cook dinner for their elderly or disabled neighbour in place of meals on wheels, the employer who takes on an informal intern without the usual risk assessment that's required, or the charity that takes on delivering a statutory service for less than a council can provide it for.

Of course, when bearing the onus of responsibility means taking on the threat of litigation, it is unlikely even the most well meaning of people will be tempted to help out - a shame, and a tragic waste, considering a recent OECD survey that shows the British people are some of the 'kindest', and most willing to help others, in the world.

For the big society, as in business, reducing regulation to a manageable level for small organisations or individuals is critical. It's a serious barrier to people starting up and growing - whether they are building a profit making enterprise or a social organisation. We can all accept that some regulation is necessary, but there is undoubtedly an excess of red tape, and unnecessary barriers, around today.

Therefore we must, for both social and economic reasons, look seriously at how we can reform as well as reduce regulation across the board (whilst retaining those regulations which are most useful and important to us). And hopefully if that is achieved, a longer term cultural change might take place in our society, where individuals feel more confident in taking on manageable risks, and also that they will not be exposed to extreme risk in doing so, in the form of litigation. If and when that change happens, we might see entrepreneurship, and the small business sector, as well as (perhaps) the big society, really start to grow.