Minister warns voluntary sector to innovate or lose cash

Delayed plans into how £80 million will be used to build
the Infrastructure of the voluntary sector has been unveiled by the
voluntary sector minister, writes Sally
Gillen.

But Fiona Mactaggart warned the sector that it had to use the
money, which was earmarked in the Treasury cross- cutting review
published in September 2002, innovatively or risk losing out on
future government funding.

She told around 400 delegates at the annual National Association
of Councils for Voluntary Service conference “If all you do
is use the money to tackle the same old problems in the same old
way, I am not convinced you will get continued funding.

“Be innovative because it is in your interests,” she
urged.

The consultation document, which was expected in May, also sets
out details for increasing the capacity of the sector so it is
better able to take on a bigger role in public service delivery by
2006.

Two funds worth £2.4 million and £3.8 million, were
also announced by Mactaggart to “kick-start” the
strategy.

But delegates raised concerns that two years would not be long
enough to do the work government expected.