Setting out the Government's action plan for promoting community involvement notably the 'Together We Can' campaign Mr Blunkett explained how communities need to be backed more and directed less. The Home Secretary also set out plans for a 'clean-up' week in Spring 2005, when local communities will be able to nominate sites to be cleaned up by offenders carrying out community punishments. Mr Blunkett said, "We need to change the relationship between Government and people. We need to build communities' capacity to engage with Government - but we also need to ensure that when they do engage, the dialogue is genuine and they have the power to genuinely bring about change.

"We need to move beyond the false dichotomy that has emerged between the value of choice and the ethos of public service. Choice is a vital part of reforming public services. Not the choice to opt out, but the choice to engage as a community with the way public services are delivered - shaping not just what is delivered, but how.

"The Home Office's £4.3 million 'Guide Neighbourhoods' programme, launched last week, will enable community organisations to learn from each other about the best ways to engage with local and central Government and get their views heard.”