Camden CEN
VAC hosts and supports the local Community Empowerment Network (CEN). CENs were established in 2001 under the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal as a mechanism to promote community enagement in local decision-making.
News from Camden CEN
Report on CamdenCEN Seminar March 2011
The Localism Bill: Opportunities, Concerns & How Proposals Might Work in Practice
The Localism Bill was first presented to Parliament in December 2010 and is currently being scrutinised and debated by House of Commons committees. The Bill proposes the legislative foundation for the government’s decentralisation agenda, a shift of power from the state to communities-The Big Society. In March Camden CEN invited members of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) to attend this free seminar to share and discuss their perspectives of the Localism Bill, for example, the opportunities it might present, elements that are of concern, how some of the proposed reforms might work in practice etc. Speakers from Camden Council also attended to discuss their perspectives with the VCS and answer participants’ questions.
To download the report of the event please click here, or contact Alex Charles at cenadministrator@vac.org.uk for more information.
Click on the links below to find out more about other CamdenCEN events:
- Big Discussion about the Big Society – 14 September 2010
- Consultation Meeting about Camden VCS Review – 11 October 2010
Camden Community Empowerment Network (CamdenCEN) is an independent membership structure that brings together voluntary and community organisations working in Camden. The network enables local groups to keep abreast of strategic issues of importance to them, their members and their wider communities, and to influence strategic planning and decision making in the borough.
CamdenCEN has an Executive Board directly elected by registered CCEN members. From within the Board, voluntary and community sector representatives are elected to represent the sector at the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). CamdenCEN also receives strategic advice and support from an Expert Panel drawn from both the voluntary and community and statutory sectors. Click here to visit the CamdenCEN website for more information.
Big Society – Big Discussion Event
In September 2010 Camden CEN hosted the Big Society –Big Discussion event at the New Horizon Youth Centre. Approximately 50 representatives from across the voluntary and community sector attended the discussion to ask questions, share knowledge, and discuss ideas about meeting the future needs of the communities they work with in view of the governments’ Big Society agenda. A report from the event is available at the Camden CEN website at www.camdencen.org.uk.
VCS Review – Feedback on Consultation Event/Seminar (11 October 2010)
The seminar focused on some of the general themes of the Review, including the relationship between the voluntary and community sector, and funding issues. Council officers participated in the second half of the seminar to discuss points that had been raised. A full write up of the event is available on the CCEN website, or, if you’d like to read more about the review and download a copy of the consultation document, click here to visit our VCS Review News page.
For further information about the work of CamdenCEN, visit their website at www.camdencen.org.uk. It’s a great resource for information about local strategies and contains accessible information on, amongst other things:
- The Local Area Agreement
- The Camden Strategic Partnership
- Camden Compact
- The Local Development Framework
- A range of local strategies and policies – including Camden’s Community Strategy – explained in user-friendly Factsheets
- Information on forthcoming strategic meetings and events.
- A useful Jargon Buster.
Contact
Donna Turnbull, Camden CEN Strategy & Policy Support Officer
Tel: 020 7284 6567 (Typetalk: 18001-020 7284 6567)
Email: dturnbull@vac.org.uk