In Redditch, the decision to use waste heat from the crematorium to heat the adjacent swimming pool has sparked something of a controversy. Some described it as taking Big Society a step too far. Few seemed to savour the thought of relaxing in a jacuzzi unwittingly warmed by local citizens making a final contribution to society. I have to say I find it a very sensible idea. But you’ll tell me I’m in a minority. I suspect that as Big Society slowly turns from political rhetoric into practical reality, we’re going to encounter more controversy. After all, making cost saving lists is one thing: introducing the changes quite another. Change is uncomfortable for many and inevitably every proposal will be met with opposition of some kind: a kind of social Newton’s Third Law perhaps. And surely it was always thus? When Victorian innovators proposed cremation as a solution to the … (To read the full article, subscribe below)
Robert Ashton is a social entrepreneur, author, campaigner and charity patron: www.robertashton.co.uk
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