How can charities work better with the public sector? That's a question charities often ask – sometimes with an air of frustration as they see the people they care about getting a raw deal from central or local government. It is also a question good local authorities, health chiefs and others are now asking, not least as the money dries up.

Creating good communities that work for all our citizens is about much more than state institutions. It is about our own individual behaviour, activities and friendships, community cohesion and social capital.