Minister concedes some sector groups will fold due to cuts

26 January 2011

Greetings!

Minister for civil society Nick Hurd explained the Office for Civil Society's priorities to a committee of cross-party MPs yesterday, and admitted that some charities would go to the wall before the Big Society can take shape. But he reaffirmed the government's commitment to the Big Society agenda, and to the sector's right to campaign. Campbell Robb, meanwhile, has condemned the way the government is pushing its reform agenda through, and warned that public disillusionment with its policies could affect sentiment towards sector campaigners too.

Minister concedes some sector services will fold due to cuts

Nick Hurd admitted yesterday that some civil society organisations would "be lost" in the period between the public spending cuts taking effect and the new opportunities afforded by the Big Society becoming available.

Former OTS chief blasts government's policy-making conduct

Campbell Robb, the former director-general of the Office of the Third Sector, has attacked the way the coalition government is pushing through its reform agenda, claiming it is turning a deaf ear to concerns and dissenting voices.

900 staff at Citizens Advice face redundancy and Birmingham's five bureaux to close

Birmingham's five Citizens Advice Bureaux face closure after losing £600,000 in council funding, and 900 staff face redundancy nationally as the charity awaits news on central government funding.

Prince's Trust to merge with Fairbridge

Youth charities the Prince's Trust and Fairbridge will come together on 1 April 2011 and provide a nationwide service to over 50,000 young people.

Bubb asks MPs for meeting to debate criticisms of charity sector

Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo, has asked the Public Administration Select Committee for a session with charity chief executives to address criticisms made towards the voluntary sector in a PASC meeting last week.

Hurd reasserts government's commitment to Big Society

Minister for civil society Nick Hurd has insisted the government is committed to the Big Society despite national press reports this week that some Conservatives are getting nervous about public perceptions of the agenda.

Deloitte report questions clarity of localism policy

Stronger leadership and clarity from government are needed if the Big Society is to succeed, according to a recently-published Deloitte report, A little local difficulty.

In other news...

Parentline Plus rebrands to Family Lives

Parentline Plus, which recently acquired Bullying UK, has rebranded as Family Lives, its registered name with the Charity Commission.

Cass Business School signs Andrew Hind and Stephen Lee

Andrew Hind, former Charity Commission chief executive and current guest editor of Charity Finance, has taken up a part-time post at Cass Business School as a Visiting Professor of Charity Governance and Finance.

Charity Commission clears London Philharmonic Orchestra trustees after fraud scandal

The Charity Commission has cleared trustees of the London Philharmonic Orchestra of any wrongdoing after its former finance director was jailed for four years for defrauding the charity.

Youth Action Network first to fall in Office for Civil Society's strategic partner reduction programme

Youth Action Network looks set to be the first casualty of the Office for Civil Society's cuts to its strategic partner programme.

Save the Children unveils 'most ambitious campaign ever'

Save the Children has launched what it describes as its most ambitious campaign ever, in a bid to prevent eight million children dying each year from preventable causes.

Statutory fundraising regulation and new constitutional form should go, say lawyers

The Charity Law Association has advised the Charity Commission that the Charitable Incorporated Organisation and statutory fundraising regulation should both be scrapped in light of the regulator's forthcoming budget cuts.

Charity whistleblower wins unfair dismissal case

The Charity Commission is to investigate prison counselling charity Forensic Therapies after an employment tribunal ruled it had unfairly dismissed an employee after she raised allegations of misappropriated funds.

New head of charities at Charities Aid Foundation

The Charities Aid Foundation has appointed Colin Walton as head of charities, in charge of charity/client relationships and business development.

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They said it...

"I am a strong believer in investing in the fence at the top of the cliff rather than in the ambulance at the bottom. We don't do enough of that."

(Nick Hurd, minister for civil society)

@CSGovernance

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