Council’s Best Value duty and the role of the VCS

[Alison J Stevens]

Council’s Best Value duty and the role of the VCS

The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation on new guidance setting out expectations when councils consider cutting funding to local voluntary and community organisations. They will be required to:

• Seek to avoid disproportionate reductions in funding
• Give at least three months’ notice if they plan to reduce or end funding or other support
• Work with the organisation to shape the future of the service
• Speak to the organisation and community about other ideas about how the service could be continued in a different or more efficient way

Third Sector magazine reports that The Communities and Local Government department may remove councils’ responsibility for voluntary sector funding or force them to change their policies if they cut the sector’s funding disproportionately.

The consultation runs until 14 June 2011 and is available to download from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/bestvalu...

If you do respond, please provide a copy of your response to VAL so that we can collate views from the sector>
Please contact:
Ivan Liburd
email: [e-mail]