So the Comprehensive Spending Review has finally ‘come out’ – and we can look forward to – well what exactly? We know some things, no more Government Office from April 2011 (and so no secretariat support for the WMRAF); no more RDAs (we knew that already); local authorities facing 28% cuts over the next 4 years; 500,000 public sector jobs disappearing. The impacts of other headline decisions are less clear. How will the cuts in higher and further education affect young people in rural areas? What exactly will be the impact of arts funding cuts of 30% on the cultural life of rural communities? Will there be jobs for the public employees made redundant in rural areas, especially as many rural economies are heavily dependent on the public sector for employment? Will the voluntary and community sector (or Civil Society as we must call it now) have the capacity or resources to deal with the new demands that are being made of it – to fill the gap between individuals and the state? These are as yet imponderables and only time will reveal the full impacts of the handbrake turn that the Coalition Government is attempting. But for certain we are all going to be shaken up as the super tanker attempts this racing car manoeuvre, and undoubtedly some will be badly injured.
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