Policy
4 September, 2007
Prime Minister backs voluntary sector in keynote speech
Reaffirms his commitment to three-year funding as the norm
In a keynote speech on Monday, the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, reaffirmed his commitment to three-year funding for the voluntary sector, saying that at present 75% of small organisations received funding for only three months at a time.
He hoped that the idea of a social investment bank, which is presently being promoted, would facilitate long-term funding to take forward innovation.
He believed that a revised version of the Compact should confirm the right of voluntary organisations to campaign against the policies of government and local councils, even if they were receiving funding from them.
He said that -
'We have to look at how to safeguard your ability to speak out without affecting your ability to raise funds. I will defend your right to campaign, irrespective of funding.'
The Prime Minister also said that he wanted better funding for the management of volunteers, that consideration should be given to charities to give talks in school and that local councils should have a duty to listen to voluntary organisations, as proposed in the local government white paper.
During the speech he called for a new, inclusive form of government and announced that two Conservative MPs' and one Liberal Democrat MP will join his advisory groups on security, children's policy and planning.
He believed that a new kind of politics was needed whereby people co-operated across party lines -
'... to do what is right in the British interest and move from the common ground to the higher ground of each doing what we can to advance our country's best interests and ideals.
The voluntary and community sector understands these principles better than anyone. You are putting them into practice every day. You share our commitment to changing society for the better.'
Commenting on the Prime Minister's speech, Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive of Acevo said -
'It's all very well to talk of engagement, but funding is the cost of effectiveness. You won't get engagement unless you have strongly funded organisations.'
For more information see the Third Sector press release Brown backs sector in keynote speech.
See also the related rightsnet policy new stories -
- Public service delivery by third sector can be undermined by public funding : New National Audit Office report (8 August, 2007)
- Voluntary sector must be pragmatic about full cost recovery: Local councils face choice of funding 'fewer services or fewer organisations fully' (3 August, 2007)
- Government needs to protect grant funding for community and voluntary groups: New Navca report (13 July, 2007)
- Doubts raised about government's increased role in charities : Latest research from NCVO (6 June, 2007)
- Compact work programme announced: Commission launches draft business plan for taking the Compact forward (18 April, 2007)
- Government sets challenge for public service delivery: Third sector to get expanded role in 'truly personalised' services (20 March, 2007)
- Charity Commission delivers 'wake-up call' on public service delivery: Partial funding and short-term contracts key difficulties for charities, says Leather (22 February, 2007)
- Third sector's 'voluntary spirit' affected by government actions: Public service delivery blurring lines between the state and the voluntary sector (4 January, 2007)
