NAVCA proposes changes to Big Lottery policy directions
27/10/2011
NAVCA's Chief Executive Kevin Curley has writen to member chief officers urging them to respond to the Big Lottery's policy consultation. NAVCA has proposed a small but crucial change to the directions which should ensure that the Government maintains its commitments that Big Lottery Fund money should only fund voluntary and community projects.
Text of Kevin Curley's letter
I am writing to you about the Government's proposals to refresh the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) policy directions. NAVCA is concerned that the Government risks failing to fulfil its commitment to "reform the Big Lottery Fund to ensure that only voluntary and community sector projects are funded and to prevent funding of politicised projects."
The relevant paragraph (2B) of the proposed policy directions relating to England currently reads:
[In exercising any of its functions ... the fund shall take into account] ... The need to ensure that money is distributed to projects that benefit local people and local communities served by the voluntary and community sector
This falls short of the Government's existing commitment because it does not specifically state that BIG funding should go to voluntary and community sector projects, putting at risk at least £1bn funding for local voluntary action over the next 10 years. We believe the Government can reaffirm its commitment with a small but crucial change; our proposed new wording is:
[In exercising any of its functions ... the fund shall take into account] ... The need to ensure that money is distributed exclusively to voluntary and community sector projects that benefit local people and local communities
There is a further paragraph in the policy directions that refers to the beneficiary organisations: Paragraph 1B which is part of the UK wide policy directions. This states that:
[In exercising any of its functions ... the fund shall take into account] ... The need to ensure that the Fund achieves the distribution of funds to a reasonably wide spread of projects, primarily those delivered by the voluntary and community sector and social enterprises, including small organisations, those organisations operating at a purely local level, newly constituted organisations, organisations operating as social enterprises and organisations with a base in the United Kingdom and working overseas.
We are not asking the Government to change the word "primarily" in this paragraph as this part of the directions relates to the whole of the UK. We therefore recognise that the Government would wish to allow devolved authorities to make their own decisions. Therefore our proposal is to ensure that the word exclusively is included in the parts of the policy directions that apply purely to England and the Isle of Man. However our response will make clear our position that UK wide funds distributed in England should comply with the policy directions pertaining to England.
I urge you to submit a response to this consultation and propose our suggested change.
If you wish to comment on other parts of the changes, Voluntary Sector North West has produced a briefing which raises further issues for you to consider.
