Charities clash over large contracts idea

Voluntary sector leaders clashed last week over whether
charities should take on large contracts to provide public
services.

Paul Streets, chief executive of Diabetes UK, told a London
social care conference that such moves could see many smaller
charities go under in favour of bigger organisations, which could
compete for big contracts.

His comments follow a ruling by the Charity Commission allowing
charities to deliver whole services that public bodies previously
had a duty to provide.

He said: “I have watched in some distress as politicians have
put forward voluntary sector organisations as the future of public
service provision.”

He was also concerned that charities’ campaigning role could be
compromised if large contracts were at stake.

However, Turning Point chief executive Lord Victor Adebowale
said his charity remained a campaigning organisation despite
receiving most of its income from government contracts.

He said: “It’s false to argue that because you receive money
from government it stops your ability to campaign. Your democratic
right to tell that story will be protected wherever you get your
money from.”