NAVCA News
Browse our latests news articles below
NAVCA’s six point test for local Healthwatch
NAVCA has issued a six point test for local Healthwatch to make sure they are genuine grassroots bodies. To pass the six point test, the Government needs to amend the Health and Social Care Bill so that local Healthwatch organisations are not 'statutory bodies', which would create over 150 new local quangos....
Transforming Local Infrastructure
Following the announcement from the BIG Fund of the Transforming Local Infrastructure funding decisions, Joe Irvin, Chief Executive of NAVCA said.....
Local charities and community groups have voice thanks to NAVCA members
A NAVCA report highlights the part its members play in bringing together the local voluntary sector to strengthen its voice. A survey carried out in November finds that most places have a local voluntary and community sector forums thanks to the work of the local NAVCA member....
NAVCA welcomes Eric Pickles action on Nottinghamshire cuts
Joe Irvin, NAVCA's Chief Executive, has welcomed comments by Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that he will make public his disapproval of the cuts Nottinghamshire County Council has made in their voluntary sector budget. Eric Pickles also said that he will be writing to the Council. The comments came in response to a question from Joe Irvin at the New Local Government Network (NLGN) annual conference on 25 January....
Charities Minister Nick Hurd meets Joe Irvin
Joe Irvin, NAVCA’s new Chief Executive, yesterday met with Nick Hurd MP, Minister for Civil Society. Joe took up his post last week and this meeting was an early opportunity for Joe to discuss with the Minister the key issues that NAVCA and the government are working on....
Joe Irvin's Work Programme concerns expressed in the Observer
NAVCA's new Chief Executive was quoted in yesterdays Observer expressing NAVCA's Work Programme concerns. The Work Programme, the government's scheme designed to tackle unemployment, has come under fire from a number of local charities....
Joe Irvin takes over the reins at NAVCA
Joe Irvin, has taken up his post as NAVCA's new Chief Executive. He takes over from Kevin Curley who is retiring after 9 years in the post. Joe has quickly set out his priorities....
Best value letter
NAVCA, ACEVO and NCVO have written a joint letter to all local authority chief executives to remind them of the need to follow the Best Value Statutory Guidance when reviewing voluntary sector budgets. The guidance is important because it offers local voluntary organisations and community groups some protection from badly imposed cuts....
Understanding Local Giving
The Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University and NAVCA are working together on a research project to better understand the contribution giving and philanthropy might make to local social action....
NAVCA welcomes proposed changes to EU procurement rules
NAVCA has welcomed the new proposals from the European Commission for revised public procurement directives, published on 20 December 2011. The proposals follow last year's consultation by the European Commission and they recognise that social, health and education services have specific characteristics that do not fit with the current procurement rules. NAVCA believes these proposals will make it easier for local charities and voluntary organisations to deliver public services....
Nottinghamshire cuts
NAVCA has written to Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, asking him to intervene in the case of Nottinghamshire County Council, which has made disproportionate funding cuts to the local voluntary sector. These cuts go against the government's own policies to support charities and voluntary organisations through the Big Society agenda....
Parliamentary Big Society report released
The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee has published its report into the Big Society. The report examines how Whitehall is responding to the Big Societyand whether the government is on track to meet its objectives. NAVCA submitted evidence to the committee and the report extensively quotes Kevin Curley, NAVCA's Chief Executive, who gave evidence to the committee....
NAVCA Appoints Joe Irvin as New Chief Executive
NAVCA's Board of Trustees are delighted to announce that they have appointed Joe Irvin as the new Chief Executive of the organisation, with the forthcoming retirement of Kevin Curley. Joe has a rich and varied background in senior posts having worked as Director of Parliamentary affairs for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Director of Public Affairs at the British Airports Authority, Chief Special Adviser to John Prescott (as Deputy Prime Minister), Director of Policy at the Transport and General Workers Union, and in the 10 Downing St Policy Unit....
Newcastle strike plan
NAVCA Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, has praised a council's plan to give savings from the public sector strike to voluntary and community sector groups fighting poverty....
I mean what I say
Kevin Curley made his final address to a NAVCA Conference after 40 years in the NAVCA movement this week, at NAVCA's Annual Conference in London. Kevin first spoke at a NAVCA (NACVS) Conference in 1971....
DH strategic partner programme
At All Change, the Department of Health Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners conference held at Hotel Russell on 21 November, Paul Burstow, Minister for Care Services, used his keynote speech to announce an extension to their £3.5 million Strategic Partner programme for 2012-13....
NAVCA influences Select Committee Regeneration Inquiry
NAVCA evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee's Regeneration Inquiry has been reflected in the committee's published findings. The report was published last week and points raised in NAVCA's written and oral evidence were picked up and endorsed by the committee. In some cases, NAVCA received direct credit for its views and in others similar points have been made by the committee or other witnesses....
Public Law workshops
Understanding public law will be vital for local charities and community groups as they brace themselves for another round of public spending cuts. NAVCA has teamed up with leading law firms Doughty Street Chambers in London and Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield to provide expert briefings to help local voluntary organisations combat the latest round of cuts....
Free commissioning guide to mark Trustees' Week
NAVCA and the Local Government Association have today (2 Nov) launched a new free publication called At Your Bidding to mark Trustees' Week (31 October - 6 November). At your Bidding is a guide for charity trustees about commissioning and tendering for public services. It focuses squarely on the key issues that individuals need to be aware of in fulfilling their duties as charity trustees. All trustees of local charities are encouraged to download a free copy....
NAVCA support for Robin Hood tax
NAVCA Chief Executive Kevin Curley has signed a letter, along with other civil society leaders, calling on David Cameron to support a Robin Hood tax when it gets discussed at the G20 summit. The G20 are meeting in Cannes on the 3-4 November. Leaders from the world's major economies will gather to plan the next steps on how to boost the global economy....
NAVCA proposes changes to Big Lottery policy directions
NAVCA urges members to support changes to the Big Lottery policy directions...
NAVCA concern at Enfield NHS cuts
NAVCA has made Freedom of Information requests in response to reports that the NHS in Enfield will be cutting voluntary sector grants. ...
NAVCA goes back to school
NAVCA’s staff members went back to school earlier this week when they took part in an employee action day, giving the grounds of Auckland School in Doncaster a makeover. The day was organised by BTCV. It allowed NAVCA staff to help a local school, whilst also building team spirit and team working....
Localism Bill victory
NAVCA is celebrating victory for the voluntary and community sector following the publication of the amended Localism Bill. The amended Bill has been published following the House of Lords report stage. Despite intense lobbying by the Countryside Landowners Association (CLA) to reduce the length of time that charities would be able to exercise their Right to Buy, the government has agreed with NAVCA that a six months period is the minimum period needed to make the Assets of Community Value opportunity work....
NAVCA urges Frances Maude to keep the government’s lottery promise
NAVCA Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, has written to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude MP, to urge him to deliver on the government’s promise to direct more of the Big Lottery Fund’s money to charities and community groups. The current consultation on the Big Lottery Fund policy directions, launched by the Cabinet Office, proposes BIG funding should go ‘primarily’ to the voluntary and community sector. Previously the Government said that BIG lottery funding should exclusively go to the voluntary and community sector....
