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E-Bulletin - 29/03/07

 

Welcome to the CVS North Wiltshire e-bulletin. To view the latest e-bulletin online click here.

 

One Council for Wiltshire on Track

Cash saving proposals that could see a radical shake up of local government in Wiltshire are successfully over the first hurdle. The Wiltshire bid, which would see the county's current five councils replaced with just one new council, was among 16 nationwide that were picked to go through to the next round. The announcement was made today (Tuesday) by Local Government Minister Phil Woolas. Now there will be a period of consultation before the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Ruth Kelly decides which bids will get her final stamp of approval in July. The bid to change the way local government is run in Wiltshire was proposed by Wiltshire County Council and supported by North Wiltshire District Council earlier this year in response to an invitation from government. It was one of 26 applications nationwide. If it succeeds, the district and county councils will be replaced by a new council by 2009. That would mean a reduction from the current 244 district and county councillors to just 98 and cuts in top management with the current five chief executives and management teams reduced to one. Click here to read the full press release.

 

NCVO Response to the 2007 Budget

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has welcomed a new £80m fund to support core funding for grassroots community organisations announced in today’s Budget. Mubeen Bhutta, Policy Officer at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), said: "NCVO has been making the case for more funding to be available for small community organisations. In our responses to the Third Sector Review we pressed for a small grants programme to support local groups’ voice and advocacy work and look forward to further details on how this fund can make this a reality." Other announcements in the Budget affecting the voluntary and community sector are: * From spring 2008, Futurebuilders will be open to support all public service delivery undertaken by the whole third sector. * A consultation will be held on how to increase the take up of Gift Aid. This will be accompanied by an awareness raising campaign on Gift Aid. * There will be a second consultation on Unclaimed assets in the spring. This will be on the distribution mechanism. For more information about the key announcements that affect the Voluntary and Community Sector click here.

 

Charityfair 2007 - Makes You and Your Organisation Stronger

‘Charityfair promises to be as exciting and innovative as ever. A host of workshops and masterclasses offer up-to-the minute training and ideas – something for everyone, and a chance not only to get up-to-date, but to get ahead!’ says DSC Chief Executive Debra Allcock Tyler. We look forward to seeing you. The annual training event for charities! Click here for more information.

 

Carers' Voice Report from Questionnaire 7, November 2006

Click here for the full report from Wiltshire County Council.

 

‘Your Charity Pound’ will be Discussed on Radio 1’s Colin Murray Show 4 April

In the aftermath of this year’s Comic Relief the Discussion Forum on this popular show will look at what happens to the money that listeners donate, explore how charities make decisions about projects, celebrity endorsement and much more. DSC Chief Executive Debra Allcock Tyler will take part in a debate on charities during the show. Make a note in your diary to listen from 10pm or you can catch the programme afterwards at: www.bbc.co.uk/radio/colinmurray

 

Mapping Women’s Networks

Do you meet regularly with other women? Are you part of a women’s e-group? Do you subscribe or contribute to a women’s newsletter? If you do, then Women in London (WiL) hopes you will be willing to share this information to create a ‘map’ of where and how women are working together and supporting each other. We strongly believe that whilst there is internal discussion that is not for public consumption, it is vital that women’s networking should be made visible to highlight women’s concerns and issues as well as create a representative picture of where and how women are working together. By making women’s networks known and public it not only makes a positive statement that women need and want then to exist, but it also makes it easier for other women with shared needs or interests to have the opportunity to make contact and get involved. For more information click here.

 

Wiltshire and Swindon External Funding Network Event

Wiltshire and Swindon External Funding Network is pleased to host a funding workshop on ‘Older people in the community’, 28 March 2007. Assembly Room, Town Hall, Devizes, SN10 1BN. Registration 10.00h – presentations from 10.30h. The aim of this External Funding Network Event is to identify funding opportunities for projects providing support to the older person in society.  This event will give funding information for a range of older person projects, which could include activities such as arts or sport projects, and which fit in with the government aim to improve the social well-being of this group within society.  We are fortunate to have the opening speaker, Liddy Davidson, Director of Age Concern in Wiltshire, and two other speakers who provide support through their funding programmes.  The event will include case studies and a funding workshop opportunity with funding advisers. Click here for more information.


 Big Lottery Fund Grants to the VCS and the Transfer of Funds to the Olympic Development Authority

I have read some wonderful, moving letters from local groups which support disabled people, isolated older people, disadvantaged youngsters and people struggling with mental health problems, all of whom have benefited from Big Lottery Fund grants. People have written to Ministers in their thousands. 8,000 people signed the petition.  Last week we learnt that our collective efforts have saved £425m which will be spent, for the most part, on Big Lottery Fund grants for the local VCS.  Thank you for this huge support.  It has demonstrated what our great movement can achieve.  It has shown how closely in touch NAVCA members are with the needs and aspirations of communities throughout England. Click here to read the full document.

 

Commissioning Framework for Health and Wellbeing

Please click here a flyer giving opportunities for voluntary and community sector organisations and hard to reach groups to find out more about the Health and Wellbeing Commissioning Framework. The event in Salisbury will take place on Thursday 26 April and there are other dates and venues being held in the region if you are unable to make that date.  This will be a unique  opportunity for us to have our views heard about this new framework and influence the commissioning of primary care. Please return  the RSVP to Eve.Hawkins@nimhesw.nhs.uk. You can also click here for a briefing note from the  Care Services Improvement Partnership on what the Commissioning Framework means for the third sector.

 

Rural Regeneration Partnership Small Projects Fund

The Small Projects Fund (SPF) is a small scale funding scheme within Wiltshire and Swindon’s Rural Renaissance and Modernising Rural Delivery Programme, allocating investment up to a maximum of £15,000 for any individual project. The majority of projects that have been funded by the Partnership to date are relatively large scale, run by larger organisations. The purpose of the Small Projects Fund (SPF) is to provide an opportunity for small organisations, including charities and voluntary sector partnerships, SMEs, community groups and support networks, to bid for small amounts of investment funding to deliver clear and tangible socio-economic benefits to the rural economy and rural communities. This Fund is designed to be responsive to requests for investment and has a simple one-stage application process. Click here for the application form, guidance notes, and application procedure.

 

CSIP South West Bulletin - March 2007

Click here to download the latest newsletter from the Care Services Improvement Partnership South West.

 

 

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