Dame Elisabeth Hoodless is using her imminent retirement as the perfect opportunity to voice the sector's concerns that the government's policies on the Big Society are piecemeal and flaky, with no strategic plan to hold them all together. Meanwhile, ministers seem to be hoping that insisting local authorities are transparent about the funding they give to their local voluntary sector will make them think twice about cutting that funding.

Councils should reveal voluntary sector funding, says decentralisation minister
 

Greg Clark, minister for decentralisation has written to all council leaders asking them to reveal their voluntary sector spending.

Big Society 'not strategically planned' says Dame Elisabeth Hoodless
 

Outgoing Community Service Volunteers executive director Dame Elisabeth Hoodless has criticised the Big Society agenda as "not strategically planned", advising that the government must act fast to prevent a "multiplicity" of initiatives across the nation from closing.

Acevo trading arm to sell sector intelligence to private companies
 

Acevo has set up a trading company that is exploring the potential for selling market intelligence about charities to private companies wishing to target the sector.

New reference guide outlines charity tax requirements
 

The Charity Tax Group has teamed up with the Nuffield Foundation to produce the Charity Tax Map, a study of the impact of taxation on the sector. 

London Councils launch Big Society funds for small charities
 

Croydon Council has launched a temporary £100,000 Big Society Fund in response to fears that the increasing commissioning of services from charities disadvantages small local community groups.

Council gives charity three weeks' notice of eviction after 40-year tenancy
 

London Friend, the UK's oldest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered organisation, has launched a capital appeal to buy its rented premises in Islington after the local council tried to auction the building giving the charity just three weeks' notice.

Employment minister says welfare-to-work providers must accept financial risk
 

Employment minister Chris Grayling has said the welfare-to-work industry should not be afraid of a new funding environment where they take on big financial risk through the payment-by-results model.

Charity Bank launches ethical cash ISA 

Charity Technology Survey 2011 - win a £100 Amazon voucher
 

The Charity Technology Survey is your chance to input into the most comprehensive analysis of IT, accounting and CRM software in the charity sector, and win £100 in the process. 

Running costs as you've never seen them before
 

Chester Mojay-Sinclare set up charity comparison site Alive and Giving last year. After Oxfam partnered with PayPal last week to offer "100 per cent" of donations to the cause, he wonders if the action is giving the right message for the sector. 

What's all the fuss about the Forestry Commission?
 

Gordon Hunter thinks the plans to sell off forests are 'pedestrian' and could go further.

Another day another dollar?
 

It's tempting to look to the United States for inspiration, but we're very different demographics, says Niki May Young.