February 2012
3 posts
NAVCA’s six point test for local Healthwatch
NAVCA has issued a six point test for local Healthwatch to make sure they are genuine grassroots bodies. To pass the six point test, the Government needs to amend the Health and Social Care Bill so that local Healthwatch organisations are not ‘statutory bodies’, which would create over 150 new local quangos. The tests include making sure local authorities take an intelligent, strategic approach to...
Transforming Local Infrastructure
The BIG Fund has now released the results of the bidding for the Transforming Local Infrastructure bids.
Joe Irvin, Chief Executive of NAVCA said;
“Congratulations to all those involved in the successful bids and commiserations to those who have been unsuccessful. We always knew only a limited number of awards were available. What has been remarkable is the way that NAVCA members have supported...
Local charities and community groups have voice...
A NAVCA report highlights the part its members play in bringing together the local voluntary sector to strengthen its voice. A survey carried out in November finds that most places have a local voluntary and community sector forums thanks to the work of the local NAVCA member. Local voluntary and community sector forums enable local groups to work together, support each other and exert...
January 2012
7 posts
NAVCA welcomes Eric Pickles action on...
Joe Irvin, NAVCA’s Chief Executive, has welcomed comments by Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that he will make public his disapproval of the cuts Nottinghamshire County Council has made in their voluntary sector budget. Eric Pickles also said that he will be writing to the Council. The comments came in response to a question from Joe Irvin at the New Local...
Charities Minister Nick Hurd meets Joe Irvin
Joe Irvin, NAVCA’s new Chief Executive, yesterday met with Nick Hurd MP, Minister for Civil Society. Joe took up his post last week and this meeting was an early opportunity for Joe to discuss with the Minister the key issues that NAVCA and the government are working on.
Following the meeting, Joe Irvin said:
“It was a really encouraging meeting, Nick is clearly a minister that both myself and...
Joe Irvin's Work Programme concerns expressed in...
NAVCA’s new Chief Executive was quoted in yesterdaysObserver expressing NAVCA’s Work Programme concerns. The Work Programme, the government’s scheme designed to tackle unemployment, has come under fire from a number of local charities. They believe the large private prime contracting companies are treating unemployed people unfairly by failing to make proper arrangements with the local charities...
Joe Irvin takes over the reins at NAVCA
Joe Irvin, has taken up his post as NAVCA’s new Chief Executive. He takes over from Kevin Curley who is retiring after 9 years in the post. Joe has quickly set out his priorities.
Joe said, “My job is to help NAVCA members through these hard times so that local voluntary and community action can survive and thrive in the future.
“NAVCA is here, first and foremost, to serve our members. I want...
Local authorities reminded to follow best value...
NAVCA, ACEVO and NCVO have written a joint letter to all local authority chief executives to remind them of the need to follow the Best Value Statutory Guidance when reviewing voluntary sector budgets. The guidance is important because it offers local voluntary organisations and community groups some protection from badly imposed cuts.
The letter, signed by the chief executives of all three...
Understanding Local Giving
The Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University and NAVCA are working together on a research project to better understand the contribution giving and philanthropy might make to local social action.
The research aims to understand and provide the basis for strengthening the contribution NAVCA’s members can make in promoting giving and philanthropy...
NAVCA welcomes proposed changes to EU procurement...
04/01/2012
NAVCA has welcomed the new proposals from the European Commission for revised public procurement directives, published on 20 December 2011. The proposals follow last year’s consultation by the European Commission and they recognise that social, health and education services have specific characteristics that do not fit with the current procurement rules. NAVCA believes these...
December 2011
3 posts
NAVCA urges government to intervene in...
NAVCA has written to Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, asking him to intervene in the case of Nottinghamshire County Council, which has made disproportionate funding cuts to the local voluntary sector. These cuts go against the government’s own policies to support charities and voluntary organisations through the Big Society agenda.
In the letter, Kevin Curley says that...
Parliamentary Big Society report released
The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee has published its report into the Big Society. The report examines how Whitehall is responding to the Big Societyand whether the government is on track to meet its objectives. NAVCA submitted evidence to the committee and the report extensively quotes Kevin Curley, NAVCA’s Chief Executive, who gave evidence to the committee.
The...
NAVCA Appoints Joe Irvin as New Chief Executive
NAVCA’s Board of Trustees are delighted to announce that they have appointed Joe Irvin as the new Chief Executive of the organisation, with the forthcoming retirement of Kevin Curley. Joe has a rich and varied background in senior posts having worked as Director of Parliamentary affairs for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Director of Public Affairs at the British Airports Authority,...
November 2011
7 posts
NAVCA backs Newcastle plan to use strikes savings...
NAVCA Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, has praised a council’s plan to give savings from the public sector strike to voluntary and community sector groups fighting poverty.
The idea came from trade union members in Newcastle and has won the support of the council - meaning up to £100,000 could now go to hard-pressed community projects tackling poverty, reducing worklessness and improving...
I mean what I say
24/11/2011
Kevin Curley made his final address to a NAVCA Conference after 40 years in the NAVCA movement this week, at NAVCA’s Annual Conference in London. Kevin first spoke at a NAVCA (NACVS) Conference in 1971.
In his speech Kevin stressed that although sometimes you need to bite your lip he said that he firmly believed that “we achieve more at the table inside the town hall than...
Department of Health announces continuation of...
At All Change, the Department of Health Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners conference held at Hotel Russell on 21 November, Paul Burstow, Minister for Care Services, used his keynote speech to announce an extension to their £3.5 million Strategic Partner programme for 2012-13.
The Strategic Partners programme directly funds twenty five national charities. It was launched in April 2009 to improve...
NAVCA influences Select Committee Regeneration...
NAVCA evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s Regeneration Inquiry has been reflected in the committee’s published findings. The report was published last week and points raised in NAVCA’s written and oral evidence were picked up and endorsed by the committee. In some cases, NAVCA received direct credit for its views and in others similar points have...
Leading law firms and NAVCA team up to help local...
Understanding public law will be vital for local charities and community groups as they brace themselves for another round of public spending cuts. NAVCA, the national charity for local umbrella charities, has teamed up with leading law firms Doughty Street Chambers in London and Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield to provide training to help local voluntary organisations combat the latest round of cuts.
...
Free commissioning guide to mark Trustee Week
NAVCA and the Local Government Association have today launched a new free publication called At Your Bidding to mark Trustees’ Week (31 October - 6 November). At your Bidding is a guide for charity trustees about commissioning and tendering for public services. It focuses squarely on the key issues that individuals need to be aware of in fulfilling their duties as charity trustees. All...
NAVCA support for Robin Hood tax
NAVCA Chief Executive Kevin Curley has signed a letter, along with other civil society leaders, calling on David Cameron to support a Robin Hood tax when it gets discussed at the G20 summit. The G20 are meeting in Cannes on the 3-4 November. Leaders from the world’s major economies will gather to plan the next steps on how to boost the global economy.
NAVCA has long been a supporter...
October 2011
4 posts
NAVCA goes back to school
NAVCA’s staff members went back to school earlier this week when they took part in an employee action day, giving the grounds of Auckland School in Doncaster a makeover. The day was organised byBTCV. It allowed NAVCA staff to help a local school, whilst also building team spirit and team working.
Activities on the day included clearing a pond, making insect houses, painting outdoor...
Localism Bill victory for voluntary and community...
NAVCA is celebrating victory for the voluntary and community sector following the publication of the amended Localism Bill. The amended Bill has been published following the House of Lords report stage. Despite intense lobbying by the Countryside Landowners Association (CLA) to reduce the length of time that charities would be able to exercise their ‘Right to Buy’, the government has...
NAVCA urges Frances Maude to keep the government’s...
NAVCA Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, has written to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude MP, to urge him to deliver on the government’s promise to direct more of the Big Lottery Fund’s money to charities and community groups. The current consultation on the Big Lottery Fund policy directions, launched by the Cabinet Office, proposes BIG funding should...
NAVCA publishes Open Public Services consultation...
NAVCA has published its response to the government’s Open Public Services White Paper, which sets out the government’s plans to reform public services. The government sees it as part of their Big Society agenda. They believe it hands power to communities and ends the top-down ‘government knows best’ approach. Critics have called the plans “back-door...
September 2011
8 posts
Lifetime Achievement Award for Kevin Curley
Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA, has been awarded the Luke FitzHerbert Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Third Sector Excellence Awards. The award was presented to Kevin in recognition of his 40-year career in the voluntary sector, including his work as Chief Executive of NAVCA.
Receiving the award, Kevin Curley spoke of the need to support local voluntary action. He said,...
Research shows support from NAVCA members key to...
NAVCA has published its analysis of the 2010 National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises (NSCSE), the largest ever survey of the sector. It shows that the support of NAVCA members makes a real difference to the prospects of local charities - their funding applications are more likely to succeed and they have a greater influence over local decisions. It also shows NAVCA members have a...
2011 Compact Awards
There is just a week left to enter the 2011 Compact Awards. These awards highlight and recognise outstanding examples of partnership work between voluntary and community organisations and the statutory sector. Compact Voice is inviting those involved in Compact groups to submit nominations in one of this year’s six categories.
For details visit: www.compactvoice.org.uk/awards.
Local Government Finance Reform
The Government is reviewing how local authorities are funded. It is doing this in two parts: part one is the proposal that local councils should retain a greater proportion of the National Non-Domestic Rates, commonly known as business rates; part two relates to proposals on the Community Budget. The proposals are important to the local voluntary and community sector because:
they are likely to...
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Kevin Curley urges NAVCA members to use Best Value...
Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA, has written to NAVCA members advising them to make themselves familiar with the new Best Value Statutory Guidance and to use it in their local negotiations.
The Best Value Statutory Guidance was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government last week. In his message to members Kevin Curley says that the Statutory Guidance is more useful...
Sustainable support – NAVCA and NCVO masterclasses
NCVO and NAVCA are working together to provide a series of masterclasses for local support organisations. The first masterclass is ‘Becoming more entrepreneurial’, being held on the 8 December in London. There will be a further 2 events, one in Birmingham and the other in Sheffield. Discounts are available for both NCVO and NAVCA members and NAVCA members are advised to book as soon...
Chair of NHS Future Forum to address health...
Professor Steve Field Chair of NHS Future Forum has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at the health and social care conference organised by the Department of Health voluntary sector strategic partners, including NAVCA. Professor Steve Field is a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners and, as chair the NHS Future Forum, he is now leading on a second phase of the...
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Kevin Curley congratulates Chancellor
Kevin Curley has written to the Chancellor, George Osborne MP, to congratulate the Government’s move to recognise the importance of social value. The Government has published a new annex to Green Book called ’Valuing Non- market impacts’. This is the first time Social Value has been built into the Green Book. the government’s hand book on policy appraisal and evaluation.
...
August 2011
2 posts
Social Enterprise Investment Fund opens
NAVCA members are alerted to a new fund for social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) Capital Growth Fund has announced it is offering capital growth grants and loans of £12 million to health or social care organisations. Grants of £50,000 to £150,000 in value will be available. Loans are also available if the organisation can show it is able to repay. However, the...
NAVCA helps charities win contracts worth...
NAVCA has published an evaluation of their Tender Support Project. The project supported local charities and voluntary organisations to bid for and win contracts. The report shows that the £70,000 project helped 148 organisations win contracts worth over £1.6m.
The project formed one part of the National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning, commissioned by the Cabinet Office and led by...
July 2011
4 posts
1 tag
Kevin Curley announces his retirement from NAVCA
Kevin Curley has announced his plan to retire from NAVCA next March. Kevin joined NAVCA eight years ago after running CVS in Hull, Derby and Leicestershire. During his career Kevin has also directed volunteer programmes for VSO in Tanzania and Vietnam. For three years he was Chief Executive of Headway the brain injury association.
Kevin Curley has announced his plan to retire from NAVCA next...
Transforming Local Infrastructure programme →
The Office for Civil Society (Cabinet Office) has launched its Transforming Local Infrastructure programme through the Big Fund. Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA said, “This money won’t help with the day to day costs of running your organisation, indeed that is not the intention of the programme. It does, however, present a significant opportunity for you to buy in expertise to...
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Public Services White Paper launched - update to... →
The Competition Strategy for Offender Services has been published. As expected it mirrors the Open Public Services white paper in that competition will be the default option for all services. A schedule of services to be tendered will be published annually, on a rolling programme. Contracts for prisons are to be further opened to competition, including 9 prison tenders this year. The...
Public Services White Paper launched →
The government has launched its white paper on the reform of public services. After much delay the Cabinet Office has published the Open Public Services white paper which will be followed over the summer by ‘a wide-ranging discussion with individuals, communities, public sector staff, providers and others with an interest in how public services are delivered’ on a dedicated website.
...
June 2011
4 posts
Labour's Charities spokesperson addresses CORE →
Roberta Blackman-Woods MP, Shadow Cabinet Officer Minister, addressed NAVCA’s Chief officers Residential Event (CORE) in Nottingham on 17 June and offered a critique of Big Society and an insight into the Labour policy on the ‘good society’ and local voluntary action.’ She argued that there is a gap between the language of the government - in empowering communities and...
NAVCA Chief Officer Survey 2011 - Results →
NAVCA has published the results of its 2011 Chief Officer Survey. NAVCA carry out the survey every year to find out Chief Officers’ views on key and topical issues. A key finding this year is that for the first time more members are saying that in the last 12 months, their relationship with their local council and with their PCT has got worse rather than improved. The survey also shows that...
NAVCA response to Health and Social Care Bill... →
Following the listening exercise the government has announced changes to the Health and Social Care Bill. NAVCA is pleased to see a number of changes being made that we asked for in our consultation response
NAVCA still has concerns about the lack of any specific reference to the involvement of local voluntary organisations and community groups in the new structures.
Consequently NAVCA will be...
NAVCA responds to Health Listening Exercise
NAVCA has submitted a response to the NHS listening exercise. The listening exercise was launched by the government after the growing public concern about the plans to transform the NHS contained in the Heath and Social Care Bill. Although much of the debate has focused on competition, NAVCA’s response also emphasises the need to ensure that local communities and patients are involved...
May 2011
4 posts
1 tag
NAVCA responds to regeneration consultation →
<p>NAVCA has formally responded to the CLG Select Committee inquiry into regeneration. The response is critical of the consultation paper, saying that it is ‘exceptionally brief, lacks vision and is weak on structure and content.’ NAVCA has also been invited to give evidence to the committee later in 2011.</p>
<p>NAVCA’s response makes twelve main...
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Giving White Paper success for NAVCA →
<p>NAVCA welcomes the publication of the Giving White Paper. In particular, the announcement in the white paper of a new £30 million fund for infrastructure.</p>
<p><strong>Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA</strong> said</p>
<p><img alt=”Kevin Curley”...
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NAVCA step up Localism Bill campaign →
<p>NAVCA’s Trustee Board has agreed that NAVCA will step up their campaign on the Localism Bill. NAVCA has been campaigning to make sure the community rights in the bill develop local capacity and build local relationships. NAVCA believes the bill must be a means of improving voluntary and community sector partnerships with local authorities.</p> <p>The timing of this...
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NAVCA campaigning to make the Localism Bill good... →
The report stage of the Localism Bill in the House of Commons is taking place next week, prior to the Bill’s Third Reading. This is the stage at which MPs table amendments to the Bill. Through our Real Power for Communities Campaign, NAVCA has been campaigning to make the Bill good for local communities not big business.
We have been informed that the Localism Bill may not have an easy...
April 2011
8 posts
child poverty strategy - members briefing →
The Government has published its child poverty strategy outlining plans for tackling child poverty over the next three years and eradicate child poverty by 2020. There are no significant new policy announcements but it does sets out how policy initiatives such as localism, payment by results, welfare reform, Early Intervention Grant, Community Budgets, Pupil Premium, National Citizen’s...
Health & Social Care Bill - listening exercise →
Following public opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill, including high profile opposition from medical professionals and the Liberal Democrats, the Department of Health recently launched a ‘Listening Exercise’ to allow people to comment on the Bill. Introducing the listening exercise, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said “We are taking the opportunity of a natural break...
Social Investment and the Big Society Bank →
NAVCA has produced a briefing for members on the government’s plans to create a Big Society Bank. NAVCA envisages that this type of finance will be a minority interest for small local organisations, although there are potential roles for NAVCA members as financial intermediaries and as investment readiness intermediaries. However there is still a need for support for organisations at the...
NAVCA tells voluntary and community sector to get... →
NAVCA is warning voluntary and community sector organisations to make sure they do not ignore a vital EU consultation on Procurement rules. The European has been consulting on modernising public procurement. NAVCA is encouraging voluntary and community sector organisation to make sure they get involved in this debate even if they missed the deadline for initial responses which was on Monday (18...