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National umbrella organisations writing to all councils about cuts

NCVO, Acevo and NAVCA are writing jointly to all local council leaders next week, to remind them of the government rules protecting voluntary organisations from badly managed cuts.

Best Value Statutory Guidance (introduced in September 2011) says voluntary organisations should receive at least three months' notice of funding cuts. The guidance applies to all local and central government departments and their agencies. It was produced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles after concern in 2011 about charities suffering last-minute, disproportionate cuts from councils.

The guidance imposes a duty to consult voluntary organisations on "all stages of the commissioning cycle", and says councils considering cuts should "actively engage" organisations "as early as possible" and should "seek to avoid passing on disproportionate reductions".

Any council that has not yet informed organisations of funding reductions in the financial year beginning in April 2012 is potentially in breach of the guidance.

NCVO plans to brief members about the guidance and ask them to pass on details of abuses.

(Source: Third Sector Daily)