The Charity Commission’s budget has been slashed by around a third over the next four years, and as a result the Commission is consulting on a new strategy. What will this mean for the future of charity regulation and the public perception of charity?
It will simply not be possible for the Commission to operate in the same way in the future with these reductions to its budget. It has now embarked on a consultation process, with a view to developing a new strategic framework to guide its work during the period 2010-2015.
Chair of the Commission Dame Suzi Leather comments:
“Business as usual is simply not an option for the Commission, given the reduction in our resources. We have to draw up a whole new picture of what kind of a regulator the Commission should be in five years’ time.
It’s no good just doing 33% less of everything – that will only result in poorer regulation, which doesn’t help charities and won’t be in the public interest.
In all of this we need to remember what civil society is really all about – the millions of individuals and myriad small organisations who grit their teeth, gird their loins and garner the hearts, minds and hands of their fellow citizens. That’s what sustains and rebuilds communities; that’s what creates society; that’s a big part of what makes us human.
Small counts – and the vast majority of charities are small, but add them all together and they’re big – they’re the majority. The Commission’s role should be to serve the small.
How this review pans out will affect all charities and the public’s perception of them. It is vital that charities make their voice heard as the Commission makes the first steps towards dealing with the new financial reality.
You can respond to the first stage of their consultation at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/RSS/News/pr_strategic_review.aspx.
Article taken from DSC online, by Jay Kennedy, Head of Policy, Directory of Social Change.
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