Big Society “in our blood” said Birmingham’s Whitby

Britain’s second largest city has pledged its commitment to the Big Society at the Conservative Party Conference.

Birmingham City Council’s leader, Councillor Mike Whitby, launched its ‘Prospectus for the Big Society’ at the party conference in Manchester yesterday, committing the city to working with Government on its vision for the Big Society.

“We believe that Birmingham is the birthplace of the original Big Society, a philosophy which resonates throughout our city’s history and culture,” Councillor Whitby said. “In fact, it’s in our blood: we know the Big Society is about much more than re-invigorating social and community relationships. As Chamberlain showed, it’s also about creating a more dynamic and enterprising economy.”
Phillip Blond, adviser to David Cameron and the brains behind the Big Society concept, has also worked with the city council on the issue, and he welcomed Birmingham’s pledge.

“British civil society is something to be proud of,” Blond said. “The City of Birmingham encapsulates this tradition. I recently had the pleasure of witnessing first-hand, visiting centres of civic activism and social renewal across the city. The joyful enthusiasm I experienced was positively overwhelming and indeed deeply encouraging for a supporter of the Big Society. The wealth of social capital has already made its mark on Birmingham, accomplishing much for residents and local neighbourhoods.”