Government told it must fund voluntary sector`s core costs

The chief executive of a voluntary sector professional body has
warned that government plans to expand the sector’s role in
the delivery of public services will falter unless it agrees to pay
‘core costs’, writes Sally Gillen.

Stephen Bubb, of the Association of Chief Executives of
Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), told delegates at a conference
last week that the government “must commit to a strategy that
ensures local and central government pay core costs”.

A lack of leadership in the sector meant that organisations
“still act like a disparate group of individual organisations happy
to be patronised, and grateful for private sector handouts or
government contracts,” said Bubb.

He said a survey carried out by ACEVO had shown that funding of
leadership and professional development within the sector was
“pathetically small”.

The organisation will publish a guide on core cost allocation in
November, he said. ACEVO and the National Council of Voluntary
Organisations are to jointly commission a major study of current
support and funding for leadership within the sector.

Citing “collective strength” as the key to demanding change,
Bubb said there was a case for joint working with other voluntary
sector professional bodies such as the NCVO.