National news

Spotlight

Charity news service resumes
New Best Value Guidance (from NCVO)
Future of Social Care (from NAVCA)
Localism Bill – Updates on the “community rights”

Charity news service resumes

Community Newswire, the service that helps charities get their stories in national and local media, has officially restarted after receiving funding for the next three years from the Big Lottery Fund. Run by the Media Trust, journalists select stories from press releases and photos that have been submitted, edit them and circulate to newsrooms across the UK. The Newswire feed and information on the service is at http://www.mediatrust.org/newswire/

New Best Value Guidance (from NCVO)

Earlier in September, the Department for Communities and Local Government published Best Value Guidance for all local authorities in how they should work with voluntary and community groups.

But what does it mean if you are funded by your local authority, what difference might it make? Melanie Carter, a partner at Bates Wells & Braithwaite, has written a short commentary on what the guidance is, its legal status, and how it might have an impact on any decision to cut funding.

You might also be interested in the joint consultation response from NCVO, NAVCA and ACEVO to the draft Best Value guidance from June 2011. (CLB also submitted a response.)

Future of Social Care (from NAVCA)

Caring for our future: shared ambitions for care and support
The government wants your ideas about the priorities for improving social care, including increasing personalisation and choice, improving the integration of services and supporting greater prevention and early intervention. This will inform a Government White Paper due for spring 2012. The engagement exercise runs until 2 December. If you respond, please copy in Jon Burke, NAVCA's Health & Social Care Development Adviser. This way we can be aware of your views and ideas for the NAVCA response.

Localism Bill – Updates on the “community rights”

The Department of Communities and Local Government has published two new statements on the Community Rights in the Localism Bill, Right to Challenge (to begin a procurement process for) public services and Right to Buy Assets of Community Value (in reality a right to bid). They both give more detail of how the government proposes the rights will operate following the consultations, and amendments in parliament.