Last week witnessed David Cameron's launch of the Big Society.

I know many of you reading that first sentence will immediately think "What on earth is that about?" and I wouldn't blame you. However, its importance is difficult to overestimate.

The coalition government is attempting to bring about radical change in how our society operates. I'm not talking about social engineering, but more an adjustment of the way the state has grown to such a size, in such a top-down manner, that it has distorted the way communities naturally function.

We want to reverse that process.

The former government thought that the state knew best, which is why we saw the number of people it employed grow by over 600,000. We think people know best, that it isn't Whitehall that understands the needs of a community. It's the people who live within that community. One of the barriers for any community or society to begin to get involved is a lack of money.

Today David Cameron will announce the creation of a new Big Society bank.

Using all of the dormant funds in existing banks this will help finance charities and voluntary groups. He will announce a right for community groups to bid to run local assets and public services.

Last week in Westminster, I met a number of Bedfordshire charities who had grouped together and were excited at the prospect of being able to do and deliver more in their local communities. That demonstrates that the will exists, but up until now, the environment towards charities getting involved has been hostile.

We also realise that one of the big stumbling blocks today, for any group wanting to become more involved is the bureaucracy and red tape; health and safety legislation that erects the barrier, which allows the state to grow big, and the people stay small.

David Cameron will also announce today the beginning of a bureaucracy-busting exercise, which will wipe out much of that legislation, freeing up the opportunities for philanthropy and social action.

This week will see the first steps towards power being transferred from Westminster to the people of Bedfordshire.

There are many I know who will welcome that.