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The political parties are vying for the sector's affections - Labour is hoping to entice some sector figures onto its civil society policy review team, while the government is seeing if it can squeeze any more cash out of the Treasury for the Transition Fund. And the cross-party Public Administration Select Committee is trying to rescue the Big Society with an inquiry.
 

Labour invites sector participation in policy review
  

The Labour Party has invited a range of sector bodies to contribute to its civil society policy review. 

Government looks to 'top up' Transition Fund
  

Minister for civil society Nick Hurd has confirmed that the government is considering "topping up" the Transition Fund but warned that there are "limited means available". 

NCVO to intervene in Tribunal hearing on public benefit of independent schools
  

The NCVO has applied to intervene in the Attorney-General's reference and the judicial review of the Charity Commission's interpretation of the law relating to the public benefit of independent schools. 

Civil society gets low profile in Work Programme shortlist
  

Just two of the 35 organisations that have been shortlisted by the government to bid as prime contractors for the Work Programme are civil society organisations. 

Government must correct 'polarisation' of business and charity, finds Social Enterprise Coalition
  

A study by the Social Enterprise Coalition has concluded that the government must reconfigure the role of businesses in social benefit in order to achieve its Big Society aims. 

Commission publishes top-line priorities for future strategy
  

The Charity Commission has decided it will reduce its one-to-one advice to charities and its interventions in individual cases, as it focuses on its key regulatory priorities in light of a 30 per cent budget cut over the next spending period. 

PASC to launch inquiry into the Big Society
  

The Public Administration Select Committee is to launch an inquiry into the Big Society in an effort to pinpoint how to make it a success. 

Any optimism among charities that the government might reform the tax system to encourage philanthropy from higher-rate taxpayers has been significantly dampened by both a peer and a Cabinet Office representative speaking of government reticence to implement change. 

Last chance to complete Charity Technology Survey 2011 and win a £100 Amazon voucher
  

The Charity Technology Survey, which closes tomorrow, 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.  

"Voluntary organisation and charities are not run like businesses, we deal with the most disadvantaged people in very deprived areas, most of whom have been forced to have a bank account to put in benefits - if this wasn't the case, they wouldn't have one, let alone get a loan from the banks."

"The term big society (whether proper noun, or compound adjective)is a meaningless phrase. It was always intended as a fig leaf to cover ideologically motivated cuts to public services."

"Let's recognise that if we are going to use the word 'dysfunctional' then it applies to managers as well as managed."

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Source: Time for Social Enterprise report by the Social Enterprise Coalition