Responses to Third Sector Review
20th October 2006, 10:45 am
A number of responses to The Treasury’s Third Sector Review (part of the Comprehensive Spending Review) produced by sector umbrella bodies are online. As we only give limited coverage here, do check the links for more details of their proposals.
– That from England’s voluntary sector umbrella body NCVO may have little to surprise those who have been involved in the sector for a while, there are some interesting suggestions within the 47 recommendations. For example, “Government should introduce a small grants programme to support the voice and advocacy work of local VCOs*” and “Government should build an evidence base of the contribution that the third sector makes to all areas of our national life”. Summaries and full report available online via http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/policy/funding/index.asp?id=2777.
* (VCO - voluntary/community organisation)
– Volunteering England’s is at http://www.volunteering.org.uk/campaignsandpolicies/whatwearesaying/, which asks for a Volunteer Centre Modernisation Fund.
– Local infrastructure body NAVCA has made its own response, and also a joint one with Community Foundation Network which proposes investment in 50 Community Foundations across England to grow their endowment funds. http://www.navca.org.uk/news/csrnavcaresponse.htm.
– Charity Finance Directors’ Group and the Charities Consortium joint response at http://www.cfdg.org.uk/cfdg/inf_con_thirdsectorreview.asp. Press release at http://www.cfdg.org.uk/cfdg/prdetail.asp?presscode=CFDG131006 - they say “central government is putting in place policies that are supportive of a balanced relationship that aren’t being implemented at local level where much of the funding is taking place.”
– One from the recently formed Third Sector Network, bringing together representative bodies for social enterprises, co-operatives, housing associations and voluntary and community organisations - press notice at http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/press/releases/index.asp?id=3388.
More responses (later addition to news item):
– The Institute of Fundraising is urging the government to fund and support a public charity education campaign that will raise awareness amongst the general public about how charities work, particularly in relation to how charities raise and spend their income. http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/news_detail.cfm?item=298.
– Community development has been largely ignored by previous government investment in building the capacity of the third sector is one key point from rural community council body ACRE. Response as pdf, 85kb.
– Urban Forum’s summary of recommendations runs to 33 points. Pdf, 56kb, http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/pdf_files/Review%20of%20third%20sector.pdf.
– Charity Commission’s submission: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/response.asp.