Harriett Baldwin today celebrated the vital local voluntary sector and said the county was already doing ‘outstanding’ work. The MP was talking at a meeting of Malvern Hills Partnership to discuss the Big Society and the upcoming Localism Bill. Harriett highlighted a number of important local initiatives – including the Nora Parsons Day Centre, Alfrick Village Hall and the Kempsey Flood Action Group – which demonstrated that local people are prepared to work together to benefit their local communities. She commented: “There are already a large number of outstanding local groups which work hard to improve their local communities. “The Big Society idea has clearly been alive and well across the county and we must do all we can to encourage it. “I am trying to arrange some time with the Civic Society minister early in the New Year to allow local organisations to join me in bidding for funds to encourage this vital work. “Any voluntary organisation which wants to join this delegation should contact me at the House of Commons as soon as possible.” Harriett also outlined the important role that local councillors will play once the Localism Bill is passed. She added: “The main aim of the Localism Bill is to return decision-making power to locally elected officials and bring an end to unpopular top-down imposed legislation.”