Nick Boles: Big Society alive and well in Coalition's planning reforms "You may remember, though many of you won't, that when the Conservative Party launched the election campaign for the last election it was terms an "invitation to the people of Britain to join the government of Britain" or some such phrase," Mr Boles said. And I think it's fair to say that it was a concept that was somewhat mocked it the media at the time. But if you want to see where that invitation has become real and where the whole concept of the Big Society in in fact happening then look no further than the 800 communities in England that are engaged in neighbourhood plans. In recent months Mr Boles has also admitted that reforms to the planning system could cost the Conservatives votes at the next General Election. However, he said that the reforms and the need for locals to come up with "neighbourhood plans" is "profoundly in tune with the change in modern society." "We have taken a process that was previously the exclusive preserve of officials and officers in local authorities and politicians elected nationally and locally - we've taken that and we have invited people who are neither elected officials nor qualified planners to get involved in producing a plan for their area," Mr Boles added. I believe that this is profoundly in tune with the change in modern society, which is that people want to be involved themselves. They don't necessarily want to delegate things to the so-called experts or even to the people that they elect.