by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Businesses of all sizes are being encouraged to play their part in the Big Society.

A conference in Dover yesterday debated what was accepted as a "vague" concept but destined to shape community life for years to come.

With local councils facing a 28 per cent cut in funding, services will be slashed. The Government is looking to local people, businesses and voluntary organisations to fill the gaps.

The event, run by the East Kent Local Strategic Partnership, looked at how this could be done.

Chairman Geoff Miles, co-owner of Maidstone Studios, said the area faced hard times, with job losses across the public sector.

But he was confident there was enough local resilience to pull together and get out of the mire.

"We have to provide enough shovels to enable us to work together and dig ourselves out of it," he said.

Piotr Brzezinski, of the Big Society Network, said businesses as well as individuals would be empowered by the new idea.

The Big Society already existed with "thousands of people doing unbelievably inspiring work in their communities" but it was patchy.

He admitted that business had not been engaged enough in the debate.

"Businesses are often deeply embedded in local communities, know the people there, know what the problems are and help shine a light on what the solutions are."

Paul Watkins, Dover council leader, praised the good work already being done by small businesses such as providing equipment and vehicles free of charge for good causes.

"Small businesses are involved with the voluntary sector more than people recognise," he said.