MONEY to help people in Oxfordshire become part of the Government’s much-heralded Big Society is now up for grabs.

Bids can be made for a share of a £600,000 pot of cash as Conservative-run Oxfordshire County Council moves to give residents power.

It came as MPs in the county last night offered their interpretations of what the Big Society actually means.

The county set £119m of cuts on Tuesday and launched the fund the next day.

Kieron Mallon, the cabinet member for policy co-ordination, said: “It is only over the past 15 years or so that people have got used to and expected the state to provide everything. Even if we weren’t in the economic climate we’re in now, there’s a place for the Big Society.

“It is communities, individuals, voluntary groups taking back power to themselves – running the services for their community the way they would like to see them done and not run how a council or Government department or the European Union tells them they have to be run.”

Twenty libraries and more than 20 youth centres are set to lose funding because of the cuts. Mr Mallon said: “It isn’t just about libraries. It’s about elderly people, youth provision and what ever goes on in that community.

“We are looking for people to come up with imaginative bids and if they can combine with other groups in the area, I think that would add value to their bid.

“It’s start-up funding there to kick start these initiatives off. It’s not ongoing funding year after year.”

Asked if the idea was at risk of failing and leaving communities without services, he said: “It wouldn’t be from the want of trying on our part.”

He added: “The Big Society is nothing to do with the cuts.

“If we were still in Gordon Brown’s economic bubble people would still want to decide what happens to their locality and would want to have more of a say in how it is run and we are hoping to give people that opportunity.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Zoe Patrick said: “We have always been in favour of devolving power down to the people. I think it could have been more money but we have to do what we can with what we have got.”

For full details, see oxfordshire.gov.uk/ bigsocietyfund or call 01865 815526