VolResource Newsletter 360

11. Pay scale increases for 2008/09 agreed, sort of
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A partial agreement has been reached on this year's settlement on local government NJC pay rates, widely used or referenced in the voluntary sector. The National Joint Council, representing local government employers and staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, has agreed to a rise of 2.45% which will be backdated to 1st April 2008, with an extra £100 for the lowest paid (scale points 4 to 6). However, the trade unions see this increase as an interim measure pending an arbitration process, but the employer side sees it as implementing their final offer and separate from arbitration with ACAS.

For links to pay scales and further updates see either Northern Ireland's NICVA http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/news
/key/NJC_pay_Nov08 or NAVCA,
http://www.navca.org.uk/localvs/scales (alternative link).

12. Child Protection Guidelines for Arts NI
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Best practice child protection guidelines for arts sector organisations have been developed by Volunteer Development Agency on behalf of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, for use by organisations within the local arts sector. It covers legislative and good practice issues for working with children, which organisations should adapt to suit their specific activities and structure. News item at http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/news/2008/new14102008.html or download direct (pdf, 220KB) from http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/news/2008/files/ChildProtection.pdf. (Source: NICVA eNews)

13. Reducing carbon footprint of goods and services
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A new standard launched by BSI British Standards, the Carbon Trust and Defra aims to provide a consistent way of counting the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in goods and services throughout their entire life cycle. We haven't seen the detail and expect that it will be of limited use to smaller voluntary organisations but there are possobilities to make a real impact. News item at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/081029b.htm or go direct to
'PAS 2050 Specification for the assessment of the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services'.

21. Climate change and non-environmental groups
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The Carnegie Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society has two projects to engage voluntary organisations in the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity, in particular groups that have a social rather than environmental focus. 'Climate change and resource scarcity: A discussion paper for non-environmental civil society groups' can be downloaded (pdf, 204KB).

An online questionnaire aims to gather information about how such organisations are currently thinking about the effects of climate change and resource scarcity on society and on their future plans, and what areas they feel uninformed about and would like more advice or discussion. A second study is exploring how the social justice and climate change agendas may be bridged practically. See http://democracy.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/node/326.

31. Scottish regulator fails charities under Rolling Review first phase
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Phase 1a of Scottish charity regulator OSCR's Rolling Review, with 30 charities undergoing the charity (public benefit) test, has been concluded with the publication of a full report and updated guidance on Meeting the Charity Test. A majority of the charities passed the test, but of course the media focus has been on the four private schools which failed - see the Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/29/
publicschools-schools for instance. These four have been given a year to put forward plans to expand bursaries to meet the test. Seven other charities are required to address issues on wording of their constitutions.

Three key lessons quoted by OSCR chief executive Jane Ryder for all (Scottish) charities to consider prior to assessment: make sure that your constitution is up to date, make sure that both this and the Trustees Annual Report accurately reflects what the charity does and "where the charity is part of a membership or group structure, to consider implementing or updating a model constitution". OSCR's news item, with links to the Phase 1a Report, full and summary guidance on meeting the test.

The first stage of research into the ability of individuals or households to afford fees charged by charities has also been completed -
further details and link to the report. The second stage will see modelling of three ability to pay measures, examples due spring 2009.

The Charity Commission in England and Wales has been quick to point out that charity law is a devolved issue, so, as chief executive Andrew Hind says "The decisions announced today by OSCR do not set a precedent for England and Wales. OSCR's charity test is undertaken by the Scottish regulator under Scottish law: it is entirely separate from the jurisdiction within which we work in England and Wales."
(http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/oscr.asp). Plaza Publishing news alert has background, including reaction from the schools, at http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2336.

32. Need for stronger look at NI government/sector relations
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Northern Ireland umbrella body NICVA is calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to develop a White Paper on the relationship between government and voluntary and community organisations. NICVA feels that something stronger than the current Compact mechanism is required and that one benefit of developing a White Paper would be the process itself and the consideration which the new devolved government would consequently give to some fundamental questions about the voluntary and community sector. Read more at
http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/
news/key/White_Paper.

33. Innovation in charity working arrangements
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Action for Blind People is to become an "associate charity" of the RNIB from April using a governance model that they say is new to the sector. While the fine detail is still to be pinned down, Action for Blind People will be RNIB's delivery agent to provide regional services in England. Third Sector magazine reports that RNIB chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander brought this model from her time working in the social housing sector, where group and subsidiary arrangements are common. She also hopes that the model might be replicated in other parts of the charity sector - "There are 700 charities for blind and partially sighted charities. I don't for a moment think there should be just one, but 700 is far too many." News item at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/857015/ (registration required).

Entirely separately Plaza Publishing news alert reports that, in what is claimed to be a ground-breaking governance structure, Action Aid is to see each of its 50-odd country programmes electing a representative to a general assembly which will then vote for six of them to go on to form the board. http://www.charitygovernance.co.uk/home/view.php?id=377.

34. Creating effective local Compacts
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The Commission for the Compact has published 'What Makes a Successful Local Compact?', based on research identifying practical approaches to increase the effectiveness of Local Compacts (agreements between councils and the voluntary sector) and partnership working. Key findings include that a lack of trust and communication between partners is a barrier and that ownership of the Compact at senior levels within local authorities is vital. The Commission hopes that this practical guide containing real life examples and case studies will be used as a basis of "healthy discussion in Local Strategic Partnerships, local authorities, Primary Care Trusts, community and voluntary sector organisations and in Compact implementation groups". News item, or report as pdf, 957KB.

35. Closing stages for dormant accounts legislation
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Next week (3rd November) sees the remaining stages for the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill in the House of Lords - http://www.commonsleader.gov.uk/output/page2579.asp. Leaving just enough time for Royal Assent before the closing of this session of parliament, presumably. When money might then start flowing to the charitable causes (different arrangements in the devolved areas) is another matter.

36. Official launch of third sector research centre
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Press release on the official launch of the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) last Thursday (23rd October), at the University of Birmingham. It has five years of funding and will be led by Professor Pete Alcock of the University of Birmingham, in a joint venture with the University of Southampton where Professor John Mohan will be Deputy Director. Alcock says "its purpose is to conduct research and analysis to strengthen the evidence base for the entire third sector, including charities, social enterprises and small community organisations." There will also be two capacity-building clusters based at University of Lincoln and University of Middlesex, the latter focusing on social enterprises.

PDF note: to be able to read pdf files, download Adobe Reader from http://www.adobe.co.uk/products/
acrobat/readstep2.html, for accessibility matters see
http://access.adobe.com. Or for an alternative, try Foxit Reader.

51. American lessons to help community land trusts
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Senscot has a report from a guest lecture by John Emmeus Davis, a leading figure in the US community land trust movement at Salford University, organised by Community Finance Solutions. It is hoped that lessons from the States will help CLTs grow over here. Article at http://www.senscot.net/view_art.php?viewid=7610, Community Land Trusts web site at http://www.communitylandtrust.org.uk.

52. Developing Scottish community energy projects
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Community Energy Scotland (formerly operating as the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company but now Scotland-wide) is a charity actively supporting and funding community groups to develop sustainable energy projects (renewables, energy efficiency). New web site just launched at http://www.communityenergyscotland.org.uk. (Source: Senscot)

53. Public contracting portal for Scotland
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The Scottish Government has launched a national portal for public contracting opportunities, covering Scottish Local Authorities, NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government, Agencies and NDPBs, Higher and Further Education and Emergency Services: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk. (We recently featured the Supplier Development Programme, which aims to assist businesses improve their performance in winning public contracts in Scotland, http://www.sdpscotland.co.uk.)

54. NHS online health information in one place
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The two primary national websites for the National Health Service, NHS Choices and NHS Direct (http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk ) are joining forces from the end of October to provide a comprehensive front door to online health information and services at http://www.nhs.uk. (News item at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Recentstories/DH_089559.)

55. Community media in Europe
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'Community Media in Europe: The legal and economic framework of the third audiovisual sector in UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Niedersachsen (Germany) and Ireland', a study originally produced in German, is now available in summary form (pdf, 125KB).

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