Nick Hurd, the new Minister for Civil Society, has used a cake metaphor to explain to charity bosses how funding might change for the sector in forthcoming years.
Addressing a meeting of the Charity Finance Directors’ Group (CFDG) in London, he said that although the public spending ‘cake’ was shrinking, the slice available to charities should grow.
Concerns from some voluntary and community organisations about the Vetting & Barring Scheme look to have been allayed following this week’s government announcement that the introduction of the registration aspect of the project is to be halted.
Regulations due to come into force on July 26th would have required new employees and volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Many voluntary organisations thought this process would be burdensome and overly bureaucratic.
Cornwall Council wants your views on its draft Local Area Grants policy.
This small grants policy will influence the way the Council funds VCS organisations, and will replace funding arrangements inherited from the previous district, borough and county councils with one unified approach for the Unitary authority.
It relates to funding for specific small community projects, and is complemented by two Cornwall Council funding streams for larger and longer-term arrangements with the VCS.
In a move that is likely to please voluntary and community organisations, the Government has and banned the use of the term ‘third sector’.
New civil society minister Nick Hurd announced the ban at a launch yesterday for the Big Society initiative. It appears the decision to ban the unpopular term comes right from the top. “The boss really doesn’t like it,” said Hurd.
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has gone as far as renaming the Office of the Third Sector as the Office for Civil Society. According to Hurd, this change isn’t just symbolic, and his department will have a much broader remit. “(It’s) more than just the really important work of supporting the sector,” he said. “It is also about the very important job of building the Big Society.”
The sector will be watching closely to see whether the Big Society really can empower voluntary and community organisations, particularly if it starts to feel the pinch from funding cuts.
The Office for Civil Society has identified three broad areas of focus: -
• Making it easier to run a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation
• Getting more resources into the sector: strengthening its independence and resilience
• Making it easier for sector organisations to work with the State
“It is the sector’s commitment and ability to support and mobilise people across the country that puts it at the very centre of our mission to deliver better public services and build the Big Society,” Hurd explained.
“We are committed to bringing a clear vision to the sector that will mean charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations are easier to run and not overwhelmed by interference and bureaucracy.”
The Government has released more detailed information about its ‘Big Society’ plans to empower citizens.
An important part of the Conservative election manifesto, The Big Society caused much debate during the campaign. The published proposals include plans to: -
To read the document in full click here.
NAVCA Chief Executive Kevin Curley has responded to the election result: “We need strong leadership from central government to set the tone so councils and NHS trusts understand the price they will pay if they cut funding of voluntary action” he said.
More detail and links to ‘Third Sector’ articles can be found at http://bit.ly/navcaelect
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