[cma-l] CSR £515 million for the Third Sector

[Jaqui Devereux]

Dear all

Below a Treasury Press Release - we will be on the case to try to ensure 
community media is regarded as part of the delivery "mix"!

Best wishes

Jaqui


Jaqui Devereux

Acting Director
Community Media Association


Darling Confirms £515 Million For Sector

In a combined Comprehensive Spending Review and Pre-Budget Report that
pledges £515 million of investment between 2008 and 2011, the
Government has renewed its promise to promote the voluntary sector's
role in building strong communities and delivering public services.

In Alistair Darling's first major policy announcement as Chancellor,
most pledges on the voluntary sector repeat those set out in July's
third sector review. These include a £50 million fund to help local
foundations develop sustainable community endowments, a £10 million
investment in community organisations and £117 million for youth
volunteering, developing the work of the charity v.

The report emphasises the sector's "revitalised role" in reshaping
public services to suit the communities that use them and it repeats
that three-year funding plans for charities and voluntary groups
should become the norm rather than the exception in all government
departments.

It also pledges that the sector will be a "key delivery partner" in
youth services, access to employment, waste and recycling. The
Government, it says, is committed to improving initiatives that engage
hard-to-reach groups, harnessing third sector expertise "where
appropriate".

Peter Kyle, director of strategy and enterprise at chief executives
body Acevo, said:

"For these announcements to have transformational outcomes for people
in the front line will require a degree of government cross-cutting
that is not always achieved.

"Acevo will be watching closely and positively engaging on behalf of
our members to ensure these measures deliver for the people who look
to the third sector for vital support and development services."

Ed Miliband, the Cabinet Office minister, said the new allocations
would create an environment that enabled campaigning, strengthened
communities, transformed public services and encouraged social
enterprise. He said 27 out of the 30 public service agreements across
departments had a direct relevance to the sector

Phil Hope, the Minister for the Third Sector, said the review
recognised the critical contribution that third sector organisations
made to service delivery:

"Over the review years, the Government will put in place significant
investment to build the capacity of third sector organisations to
support their enormous contribution to our society, economy and
environment."

Source: HM Treasury, 10/10/07
-- 
Jaqui Devereux

Acting Director
Community Media Association

15 Paternoster Row
Sheffield
S1 2BX

+44 114 279 5219


Join the CMA now for discounts, networking,
workshops, streaming, information, support
and a voice for community media

www.commedia.org.uk

Access to the media for people and communities