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Cuts and the voluntary sector: Secretary of State’s speech and VCS letter to councils

Summary: Following the ‘test of reasonableness’ for councils set out by Eric Pickles, voluntary sector organisation leaders wrote to all councils asking them for evidence of how they are applying the Government’s three tests in their work.

Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, gave a speech at the NCVO Annual Conference on 1 March 2011. In his speech, he set out three  ‘reasonable expectations of how Local Authorities will conduct themselves’ in their relationships with the voluntary sector:

  • First, it is reasonable to expect that councils will not pass on disproportionate cuts to local voluntary and community groups. That they will not inflict bigger reductions to your budgets than they take on themselves.
  • Second, any sensible council has known for many months that we were facing tough times – so it is reasonable to expect that they will have been talking to voluntary and community groups at a very early stage about how services need to change.
  • Third, it is reasonable to expect that they will have given three months’ notice or more when they think they need to end or alter a grant, or other support.

Source: edf.org.uk

Link to full news item: http://www.edf.org.uk/blog/?p=10284

Subject(s): Equality general

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