The second round of applications for community radio licences in Scotland and Northern Ireland is now open, with a closing date of 16th January 2007. Applications for south-west (which includes Herefordshire) and south/mid-Wales, as previously announced, have to be in by 7th November.

See http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/secondround/. For advice, see ‘Get Your Licence’ from Community Media Association, http://www.commedia.org.uk/getyourlicence.

From the YouthNet blog: “A slightly surprising group of people, ranging from former Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead to children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball, have written a letter to the Times to protest against the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill” (http://www.youthnet.org/blog//page/blog?entry=the_cost_of_safeguarding). A Third Sector article at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity_news/full_news.cfm?ID=20435 highlights the role of the Manifesto Club in opposing this bill, with an online petition and ‘The case against vetting’ at http://www.manifestoclub.com.

The legislation reached its final stages in the Commons last Monday (23rd October) - Hansard record, or see the bill amendments etc.

Andrew Hinds, chief executive of the Charity Commission, has written to Third Sector about last week’s story on paying trustees, “to reassure the sector that remuneration for trustees carrying out their trustee roles remains an unusual provision for unusual circumstances”. He sees voluntary trusteeship as one of the defining characteristics of the charitable sector.

The Charities Bill had its last stages in the House of Commons last week (on 25th October). Provisionally it will briefly return to the House of Lords on 7th November for consideration of amendments made in the Commons, so completing its passage before the end of this session of Parliament.

There were no great surprises in the Commons debate (Hansard record), with amendments and new clauses agreed to reflect changes in ministerial responsibility and the accounting requirements for charitable companies. A proposal to strengthen the public benefit clause fell, with NCVO having dropped pressure for it (see http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/press/releases/index.asp?id=3470) after a 3 year, rather than 5 year, review on the effects of the bill as it stands was promised by government. The Bill and amendments as proposed are at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/pabills/200506/charities.htm.

The Charity Commission has produced three useful items on the new law, listed at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/charbillnews.asp. A parliamentary briefing gives a very good overview of its impact, an appendix on its approach to public benefit and an indicative timetable of bringing the public benefit test into effect. It expects to publish ‘principles of public benefit’ in June 2007 after consultations, with pilot assessments starting in September 2007.

‘Campaigning and consultation in the age of participatory media’ is the first in a series of ICT Foresight reports looking at how new technologies are changing the way voluntary organisations work and the environment in which they operate.

Written by NCVO with the Hansard Society, it looks at drivers and trends under the two headings, the implications and case studies which include Jamie’s Big Voice, Make Poverty History, Netmums and Diabetes Dialogue. http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/publications/publication.asp?id=3458.

Change Within, a report from the Demos think-tank, examines the crucial role played by black and minority ethnic voluntary organisations. It suggests that they play an essential part in building bridges between minority communities and wider opportunities within their area, as well as helping to break down the barriers caused by prejudice and discrimination.

http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/changewithin.

The Director General of the government’s newish Office of the Third Sector, based in the Cabinet Office, is to be Campbell Robb, currently employed by NCVO but seconded part-time to HM Treasury to lead on the third sector aspects of the Comprehensive Spending Review (see above).

News release.

Scottish charity regulator OSCR has made its Corporate Plan for 2006-07 available online.

It clearly lays out vision, values, strategic objectives and performance measures (one example of the latter: 80% of Annual returns and accounts submitted to OSCR on time) and could be of use as a planning example for charities outside Scotland too.

An updated page on Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ web site looks at the position of charities (in Scotland) with respect to political campaigning, the absence of a clear legal position in Scotland and the usefulness of Charity Commission guidance.

As they say, there are no explicit restrictions on campaigning by charities under the new legislation, although political parties or organisations set up to advance a political party can’t be charities. http://www.scvo.org.uk/scvo/Information/ViewInformation.aspx?al=t&from=h&Info=31.

Trust Youth is a new guide to what being a trustee means, aimed at children and young people. It also includes some advice from young people about how to recruit young trustees.

Produced by a partnership of British Youth Council, Children’s Rights Alliance for England and the Governance Hub. The pdf file, 413kb, can be downloaded from here.

Learning to Drive is an e-learning facility for trustees and others interested in good governance, Developed by Suffolk Association for Voluntary Organisations on behalf of the Governance Hub, it launches this month (October).

Much of it appears to be available already (two more courses to come?) at http://www.savo-elearning.org - registration required.

As part of its Community Buildings Campaign, National Energy Action has updated a self-survey pack. ‘Energy Efficiency in Community Buildings’ advises what measures and improvements could be made to, depending on how the building is used and how often, and provides pointers to further support and advice.

Download from Community Matters web site, http://www.communitymatters.org.uk/resources/downloads.php.