Guidance from CLG that councils should not pass on ‘disproportionate cuts’ to the voluntary sector comes six months, almost to the day, since Eric Pickles promised it to the NCVO annual conference. Back in March the sector’s representatives celebrated – though even then it was far too late as budgets were already being drawn up with devastating consequences for many charities.
The funding guidance is a slimmed-down rejigging of what went before. Ominously, it does not define ‘disproportionate’ too closely, allowing statutory services to perhaps mount stronger defences than discretionary ones. It also redefines the playing field by saying that cuts to ‘the voluntary and community sector and small businesses as a whole’ should not be disproportionate, thus opening the door to allowing one hundred per cent cuts in the funding of some voluntary sector organisations offset by minimal cuts in commercial payments to private businesses.
The guidance is silent on what will happen to councils who fail to heed it: judicial review is an expensive and risky undertaking for a rejected small charity to mount. It is also silent on CLG’s enthusiasm for the Compact – Labour’s code of practice for third sector-government coworking which Nick Hurd relaunched in January – thus confirming the widespread belief that Pickles doesn’t give a damn about the Compact.
Putting aside the question of whether such guidance is true to the spirit of localism, is it worth having? Yes, but not for the reason of disproportionality.
In a single page the guidance redefines ‘best value’ in a way we should have done years ago. Fans of corporate social responsibility will recognise the sentiment embodied in the phrase:
‘Under the duty of best value, therefore, authorities should consider overall value, including economic, environmental and social value, when reviewing service provision.’
Here is the concept of the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit within a government policy and it is very welcome indeed.
However… A year ago, the first steps towards writing these revolutionary criteria into the law relating to public procurement were made. Tory MP Chris White proposed his Public Services (Social Enterprise and Social Value) Bill which, with the deserved support of many Labour MPs, including Hazel Blears, got its second reading on 19 November last year. A money resolution was subsequently passed enabling it to ultimately become law but what has happened to it since? In 10 months no time has been found for its committee stage which is not currently scheduled, let alone its third reading and Lords stages. Have the forces of the ‘big society’ deserted the standard of ‘social value’?
Labour MPs should be pressing the government to get the White bill back on its feet; ministers say they support it. Had it already been in law much of this new, brief CLG guidance would not have been necessary and an important principle about procurement, partnership and fair play would have been won.
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Tom Levitt is former MP for High Peak and writes a monthly Third Sector column for Progress
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Tom, do you not accept that you were complicit in the demolition of an organisation (CDF) (whenyou were Chair). CDF could have been well placed to advocate against what the Tories have done? Why did you permit it to be so weakened that it is now an embarrassment. What a waste. Did you give a damn?
I have been a chair of a Caring committee for seven years, it has been at times very difficult. The hardest bit is handing out redundancy notices to some very good workers, who had been working very hard, They had no large pay rises no big business backing , they even painted the new offices we moved into our new offices…. loyal and hard working staff … it did not help that some of our monies for cares was reduced. Not because of the council but government grant was cut…. they had not realised how much the carers had saved the government only because they know it is easy because they cares are busy and don’t have the time or energy to start having their voice heard. I have encouraged our members to push themselves forward. The Labour Council had very hard decisions, and I feel
We also need to look into how we can help young carers to have a childhood this needs to be encouraged by schools to help with seeking out and offering help with information schools should be aware that ther is help out there……..
I have seen the light and changed from Liberal Dems to Labour and feel very comfortable.
Sadly it was under Labour, following the third way and service delivery model, that the VCS was badly undermined and even more sadly Tom played a part in doing that. This gave carte blanche to the Lib-Cons to continue. The remnants that remain and call themselves community bodies are peopled with those that like to think of themselves as social entrepreneurs. They are quick buck candidates, with big ego’s, who do not understand policy or community development. Is Labour going to call time and begin to let communities have a voice again?
” I’m a grate big Tory man/ And I need a little smack/ Vem Labour lads/Playing hard to get/Are never coming back/The twists and turns of government/To stuff money down my crack/Team of expert number pumpers/Befuddle oiks and drabs/Tickle tickle silver lining/The country’s up for GRABS.”