Local voluntary and community organisations provide joined-up
services to particular client groups and it would make sense if the
various regulatory regimes under which they operate were equally
well joined up. NAVCA believes there is considerable scope for
streamlining regulatory regimes and monitoring procedures whilst
maintaining effective and proper lines of accountability. The
information that public agencies require needs to be
proportionate to the size of contracts and organisations.
The emphasis should be on the quality of experience for service
users.
"The voluntary and community sector [should] continue to be a
dynamic, flexible and informal force for good in society. It should
not be tied up in red tape. Many public services we now take for
granted, such as hospitals for those in need, originated as social
innovations from the VCS. Good regulation must encourage the
creativity of the sector in designing and delivering more
imaginative and effective approaches to society's problems.
Regulation should not try to co-opt, organise or homogenise this
intrinsically non-conformist activity simply to make it easier for
the regulators. Instead, we call on regulators to understand and
respond positively to the different needs of the voluntary and
community sector and ensure that their regulatory interventions,
where necessary, are proportionate and targeted. ... The VCS needs
a level playing field with the public and private sectors - no
more, no less."
Joint statement by Sir David Arculus, Chair of the Better
Regulation Task Force, and Sukhvinder Stubbs, Chair of the Better
Regulation for Civil Society Sub-group (November 2005)
'
For Good Measure' (pdf, 109 KB) (August 2006), NAVCA's appeal
for action against unnecessarily bureaucratic reporting
arrangements imposed by funders on the voluntary and community
sector. Includes case-studies.
Better Regulation Task Force's report which outlines the impact
of regulation on the voluntary and community sector and advocates a
more proportionate and targetted approach. The report includes
eleven key recommendations:
'Better
Regulation for Civil Society: Making life easier for those who help
others' (November 2005)
Any proposals that you have for cutting red tape can be
submitted directly to the new
Better Regulation
Executive.
The Impact of Regulation on Voluntary Organisations (2004),
NCVO report by Margaret Bolton that influenced the Better
Regulation for Civil Society report (above).
Private Action, Public Benefit (2002), a review of the legal
and regulatory framework in which charities, and the wider
not-for-profit sector, operate.
Charity
Commission progress on implementing the Cabinet Office
Strategy Unit's 'Private Action, Public Benefit' (2002)
recommendations.