Interlink RCT

Our thoughts are with all those individuals, communities, groups and businesses devastated by the flooding in RCT. We have been in awe hearing the amazing response from volunteers and communities in helping others cope with the devastation. We should also mention the incredible efforts of all the people who work for RCTCBC including local Councillors, for their extraordinary efforts at this terrible time. Please get in touch if you are a community organisation that has been affected by the floods for help to apply for Grant's for costs or damage resulting from the flooding [email protected] or call 01443 843600.

We have known about climate change for decades. We have known the impact for decades. We have known what we need to do for decades. Heading into 2020 we have demonstrations in Australia; & floods in winter and droughts in summer in the UK. The Dutch government has just been found to be acting illegally after being taken to court by citizens and has been ordered by the Supreme Court to radically reduce emissions. Many of the world's largest cities are becoming so polluted its dangerous to go outside without a mask. Why is there such awful political leadership across the globe? It is having a massive impact now, but this is nothing to what is around the corner. It's already too late and they are still incapable of looking at the evidence and taking the required steps. They spend more time avoiding action. Does anyone understand why?

What a year, so much going on in communities and public services it makes you dizzy. That is a problem, you end up not seeing the wood for the trees. We end up making poor decisions because there are rushed and without the time to learn and think. We waste resources. Neighbours, carers, grand parents and community groups that keep people safe and supported. Then we see the resources go into well meaning but often the wrong services because of the rules around how we can spend the money. Communities get on with it regardless. Many of most vulnerable and excluded, and by that, I mean those that do not get the support they need, fall through the gaps. Often they are blamed and stigmatised for not engaging or being difficult. So we will at Interlink focus on supporting communities to get on with it and ask how other resources can help them lead and get on with it. We will work with partners on how we reduce the burden on communities that has resulted from services and resources being stripped away. If you are interested in being involved in this work, please let us know so we can listen and learn together.

Incredible times as WG have continued to highlight the requirement to involve citizens, communities and third sector organisations in decisions on health and social care. Well the guidance is there, especially with the recent Integrated Care Fund guidance, but why is it that LAs find it so difficult to work with others on an equal footing? The thing is it ends up biting them on the bum as services are ineffective and poor decisions are made by people with limited knowledge of what happens on the ground within communities. Working with others and using the incredible knowledge and skills of the community is the only way to transform public services. It means moving from command and control to collaboration and coproduction with citizens and communities. C'mon, we are better than this, RCT communities are amazing. Nurture dont neutralize #getwiththeprogramme