A high profile seminar to discuss the implications of BigSociety and Localism reforms and the ways in which they can beeffectively implemented was held today by the City of LondonCorporation and London Councils at Central Hall Westminster.

The seminar was inspired by a report - Engaging London"sCommunities " The Big Society and Localism - authored by ProfessorTony Travers of the London School of Economics and PoliticalScience, and published by the City of London Corporation bearingthe same title.

After Professor Travers presented his findings, there was adiscussion panel featuring the City of London"s Policy Chairman,Stuart Fraser, Chair of London Councils Mayor, Jules Pipe, and theMinister for the Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Francis Maude MP.

Policy Chairman Stuart Fraser said:"The City of London has a long-held commitment to wider London,recognising that strong communities are vital to London"scontinuing success, reflected in our support for this research.

"Of course, no one size fits all solution is likely to work forevery local area, and whilst we must recognise that the City ofLondon " the world"s preeminent global financial centre has a veryparticular set of requirements " we welcome this report"scontribution to a considered debate on the practicalities ofembedding both Big Society and Localism in a pragmatic andeffective way."Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Rt Hon Francis Maude MPsaid:"We must empower individuals, communities and councils to findlocal solutions to local problems and not impose a uniform approachto different communities. We are committed to giving people thetools to help each other out and make the changes they want to seein their communities.

"There is a lot happening already " we have recruited CommunityOrganisers in Southwark, Newham, Tottenham, Kings Cross,Cricklewood and Merton to listen to residents and act on theirbehalf to tackle problems on the ground " eventually 5000 peoplewill be trained across the country. A new £80 million fundwill provide small grants to community groups and local socialaction projects, and this summer up to 30,000 young people willengage and deliver social action projects through the NationalCitizen Service."Download Engaging London's Communities: The Big

Society and Localism report (PDF, 1mb)