w/e 18 July 2008

ACRE News

Accreditation
ACRE Accredited Peer Reviewers now have the opportunity to become OCN (Open College Network) Accredited.  ACRE is running a 3 day OCN Accredited Peer Reviewer course for new peer reviewers and a 1 day OCN Accredited Fast-Track Peer Reviewer course for those who are currently qualified as ACRE Peer Reviewers. Click here for more about ACRE's Performance Improvement Plan.

Vacancies
The closing date for the two current vacancies open at ACRE is Monday 21st July. There is still time to apply for the positions of Director of Development  or  RCAN Programme Manager. For more information on both of these posts click here.

We are also still looking for that special person to become Chair of the Board of ACRE Trustees.  If you are interested in further details please contact Sue Kirkman at the ACRE offices or call Pat Holtom 01508 499265 (9am – 7pm)  The interviews will be held in London on Friday 26th September 2008.  

RCAN News

The excellent work of Suffolk ACRE received national recognition last week when a case study from their Good Neighbour Car Scheme was used in the Communities in control White Paper.  The example can be seen on page 35 of the White Paper.

Are you the next Chief Executive for Cornwall Rural Community Council?
Cornwall Rural Community Council are looking for a dynamic and creative person to become their next Chief Executive. Details can be accessed through the link under ‘Recruitment’ in these headlines or through their website.

Radio 4’s ‘Open Country’ - Essex
Radio 4’s ‘Open Country’ have made a programme on the Rural Community Council of Essex’s Best Green Village Competition, which was launched as part of the 21st Century Village initiative. Click here to listen to the recording.

The 21st Century Village initiative is also focus of an Every Action Counts Case Study this week. Click here to see more. You can also view an online version of the 21st Century Village DVD on Google Videos. Click here to go directly to film made for ACRE by Rural Media.  This is of online quality. If you are an RCC who would like a copy of the DVD to show please contact the ACRE office.

Regional

Announcement of the £75 million RDPE plan for England’s rural Northwest
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has introduced a £75million fund which will support rural areas in England’s Northwest. The funding is being made available through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, and will be managed by the NWDA.  Peter White, Executive Director of Development at the NWDA, said:  “RDPE in the Northwest will be the largest rural programme in the region over the next five years with the funding power to radically improve our rural areas. Working with partners the NWDA will strive to enhance opportunities in rural areas, increase skills and knowledge, support businesses and improve quality of life to secure a sustainable future and a vibrant rural economy.   Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Rural Affairs, said:  “I am delighted that NWDA has launched its £75 million fund to invest in making the Northwest an even better place for rural people to live and work in, and where rural businesses can prosper and grow. This is part of a record investment of £3.9 billion by the Government in rural development in England between now and 2013. It will help our farming, food and forestry industries to thrive and become more competitive, and enhance opportunity for rural businesses and communities.”  Final draft strategies can be viewed online. 

News

CRC - State of the countryside 2008
The Commission for Rural Communities has published its tenth annual State of the countryside report. The report highlights both the advantages and disadvantages to living and working in rural England. It also demonstrates that within rural areas themselves there is a growing inequality between those living in different types of rural area.Destitution has risen in rural areas of England over the past year with 20% of households in the countryside now living below the poverty line, according to government advisers. The Commission for Rural Communities said poverty rose by 3% in rural areas between 2004 and 2007 compared to a 1% increase in towns and cities. It said there was evidence of widening inequalities within rural areas themselves. The commission said affordable housing remained a significant obstacle in the countryside, partly because of greater demand from more people wanting to relocate to rural areas.  The full report can be viewed online.

Volunteering - Volunteering offers fast track to citizenship
Foreign nationals who make no effort to integrate will have their citizenship applications slowed down, ministers have announced. An action plan published this week alongside the draft immigration and citizenship bill said those working towards full British citizenship would be rewarded for becoming active citizens, for example by volunteering for a recognised charity, and penalised for making no effort to integrate. For the full story click here.

Volunteering - New guidance on CRB checks for volunteers 
The OTS has published guidance to help organisations that use volunteers to be clear about when they do and don’t need to carry out Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on volunteers. The guidance will help cut unnecessary red tape and responds to concerns voiced by the voluntary sector that potential volunteers can be put off if they are asked to undergo a CRB check without good reason. For the full story click here.

Third Sector - Local councils make third sector a top priority
Almost two thirds of Local Authorities (LAs) have decided that having a vibrant and effective local third sector will be a priority for them over the next three years. Under a new system in place this year, all top tier local authority areas will be measured on their performance against 198 new National Indicators (NIs), two of which focus on the third sector. In addition, each area has had the opportunity to prioritise 35 NIs that will particularly meet local needs, and will be the targets that sit at the heart of each council’s Local Area Agreement. 93 of England’s top tier 150 LAs – 62 percent of them – have chosen to prioritise one of the two third sector indicators. For the full story click here.

Third Sector - Birmingham University to lead new Third Sector Research Centre
Birmingham University will lead a new Third Sector Research Centre dedicated to analysing the impact of the sector's activities. Working in partnership with the University of Southampton, the centre aims to bring about a step change in the quality and quantity of hard evidence available to support the work of third sector organizations. For the full story click here.

Third Sector - Third Sector Investment Programme 2009/2010
The Department of Health has published the detail of the 'Third Sector Investment Programme' and the two funding schemes that will be delivered under this for 2009 - 10; The Strategic Partner Programme and the Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund.   The new arrangements follow the consultation we have undertaken with third sector organisations as part of the strategic review of Department of Health funding to third sector organisations. Alongside the publication of these new schemes we are also publishing the Department's formal response to the consultation.  All of the documents are available online.  

Energy - Renewable energy to light rural fires 
A ground breaking initiative promises to help boost renewable energy resources in rural areas. A £780,000 fund will help rural communities across the West Midlands to develop their own renewable energy schemes. Delivered by community energy experts Energy4All, the Co-operative FiRE programme will provide investment to support social enterprises committed to developing energy solutions for their villages and market towns. For the full story click here.

Gambling - Joint consultation on Gambling Commission fees
Following a review and public consultation on Gambling Commission initial licence fees, DCMS Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has approved the Gambling Commission (Operating Licences and Single-Machine Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. The Regulations were laid in Parliament on 8 July 2008 and will come into force from 1 August 2008. The Minister has also agreed that the fees be reviewed again in 2009, with the expectation that the review process will then move to a 3 yearly cycle to give the gambling industry greater stability in relation to fees. The Gambling Commission will write to licensed gambling operators with details of the changes later this month. The Final Impact Assessment together with a table of the new licence fees can be found on the DCMS website.

Parliamentary News

Public service delivery
The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee has published a new report examining the role of the third sector in public service delivery. The Committee could not corroborate the sector’s claim that it delivers services in a distinctive way as much of the evidence remains anecdotal. The Committee therefore calls on the Government to improve the evidence base for the sector. The report identifies commissioners as the most important actors in delivering responsive public services and sets out a number of steps to improve the commissioning process.  Further information is available online.

Communities and Local Government Committee - Lessons to be learnt from the New Towns
The House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee announced the publication of a report which criticises the Government for never fully evaluating New Towns despite its major plans to create 3 million new homes and a series of eco-towns.  Chair of the Committee, Dr Phyllis Starkey, stated: 'The Government has embarked on a massive regeneration programme, aiming to deliver 3 million new homes by 2020. It would be an act of folly not to spend a small sum on trying to learn the lessons of history in order to prevent past mistakes being repeated. The experience of the New Towns can teach us a lot about how we should approach the long-term planning of current and future large-scale urban development such as the "eco-town" programme and the Growth Areas.' More information on the Committee's report on New Towns: Follow-up, including links to the Committee's previousl Report and the Government's response, can be found on the Committee website.

PQ - Bradshaw - Bus Services in Rural Areas
Tuesday, 15 July 2008 - House of Lords - Written Answer
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:  - What steps they are taking to improve the availability of bus services in rural areas.

Lord Bassam of Brighton answered: It is for each local authority to decide the priority that it attaches to financial support for rural bus services in its area. The resources available to include revenue support grant from central government and the inclusion within area-based funding of rural bus subsidy grant which totals £57 million this financial year.  The measures in the Local Transport Bill, now before Parliament, will help enable local authorities to improve the availability and quality of bus services in rural and urban areas alike. These measures include strengthened arrangements for partnerships between local authorities and bus operators, expanding the role of community transport, extending the existing taxi-bus provisions to the private hire vehicle sector and for the first time the establishment of a statutory bus passengers' champion.

PQ - Drew - Community and Planning Strategies (Rural Areas)
Thursday, 10 July 2008 - House of Commons - Written Answer
Mr. Drew asked: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to facilitate greater cohesion between community strategies and planning strategies in rural areas, with particular reference to National Park areas. [217552]

Mr. Iain Wright answered: In June we published revised Planning Policy Statement 12 'Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities though Local Spatial Planning' setting out policy on local development frameworks. In particular, it states that - "spatial planning objectives for local areas, as set out in the Local Development Framework, should be aligned not only with national and regional plans, but also with the shared local priorities set out in Sustainable Community Strategies where these are consistent with national and regional policy". This applies to all local authorities in the country, whether they are rural (including National Parks) or urban.

Westminster News

Children - Bercow Review
John Bercow MP has published the final report from his review of how to improve services for children and young people with problems ranging from severe speech and language impairments to a vocabulary limited by social reasons. The recommendations include creation of a Communication Council, and a Communication Champion to drive delivery of reforms and improve local performance, improved training for the workforce and commissioning more research to find out what works. In response, the Government has pledged £12m to implement recommendations and launched a £40m Every Child a Talker programme supporting early years staff to develop children’s speaking and listening skills, and will help to spot those children with problems at an early age.  Further information is available online.

Compact
Third Sector Minister Phil Hope has asked the Commission for the Compact to examine whether the agreement should be placed on a statutory footing. This will form part of an ongoing root and branch review of the Compact and all its Codes of Practice led by the Office of the Third Sector. Further information is available online.  

Compact Voice and the Commission for the Compact celebrated Sector Independence Day, 4 July 2008, by producing interim findings from a study looking at the voluntary sector’s independence from the perspective of eight government departments. Further information is available online.  

Consultations

Children - Children’s Trusts
The DCSF has launched a new consultation on legislative options for Children’s Trusts. Further information is available online.  
Closing Date: Thursday 25 September 2008

Funding

Community cohesion - Mediabox funding
Mediabox, a DCSF funded initiative to support young people aged 13-19 to improve their media skills and enable them to have a voice, is offering funding for projects relating to community cohesion. Grants of up to £30,000 will be available for organisations to run media projects (film, radio, photography, games, print and interactive) with young people. Projects will need to demonstrate that they can bring together young people from diverse backgrounds to work together on media projects that explore issues relevant to them. Activity should primarily benefit disadvantaged young people aged 13-19 but could also contain elements that reach out and include the wider community.  Further information is available at www.media-box.co.uk and applications are invited until 22 July.

Use of internet - TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards 2008
TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards enables charity and community groups throughout the UK to harness the power of the Internet. 30 winners will receive cash grants of £2,000 each to fund technology related projects, as well as technology equipment to help them make the most of the Internet. Applications are invited from 1 July to 30 September 2008.  If you are a UK based not-for-profit organisation or community group looking to extend your work through the use of the Internet you could be eligible for one of 30 cash grants available. Five overall winners will also win technology equipment of their choice and a one-to-one workshop with celebrity Dotcom entrepreneur and co-founder of lastminute.com Martha Lane Fox. Further details are available online.

Refugee and Asylum Seekers Initiative - Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
The Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund has opened a new grants round aimed at supporting community organisations providing direct services or advocacy for young refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. Led by the Fund's Refugee and Asylum Seekers Initiative which is focusing on changing policy to meet international standards on children's rights, this funding scheme will better equip community organisations to conduct advocacy at a local level, which is viewed as crucial for raising awareness and influencing policy makers to take action. Further information is available online and the deadline for first stage applications is 12 September.

Vulnerable people - SupportActionNet Awards
The SupportActionNet Awards, now in their third year, recognise outstanding support services for vulnerable people. Closing date for online entries is 5 September. The judges will look for projects that can: demonstrate innovative approaches to problem solving; have a proven track record of success; are capable of being sustained and replicated elsewhere. Details are available online.

National Association for Neighbourhood Management Awards
These awards recognise the outstanding contributions made by individuals and organisations working together in neighbourhoods to improve life for those who live there. Closing date is 29 August.

Training

Third Sector Leadership Centre launches development tool for managers and leaders
The Third Sector Leadership Centre has launched a brand new assessment tool that will help managers in the sector take a more pro-active approach to managing their careers. The “Third Sector Performer” is an online tool that offers managers of small to medium sized charities the chance to identify and assess strengths and weaknesses in their leadership performance, and develop better skills in key areas - all in line with the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for their roles.   For more information visit their website.

ACIE training
Association of Charity Independent Examiners is running a series of training events on Independent Examination (end of your 'audit' for smaller charities) and related topics such as VAT, trading, and Gift Aid. Further details are available online.

Effective Voluntary Sector Management online
New starters in the voluntary sector can now start to enrol for the 2008 NCVO Working For A Charity online course, which will give them an overview of working for a charity and boost their career. Further details are available online.

Essential Management Skills for Charities Course 
This one day course will introduce participants to the complex issues involved in the management of charities. It makes the transition from staff member to manager as smooth as possible by covering all the essential skills and creating individual development plans. Further details are available by clicking here.

Publications

Professors Malcolm Moseley and Stephen Owen's paper entitled 'Future of Services in Rural England: Drivers of Change and a Scenario for 2015' and is now available online.

Events

Communities, Food and Social / Environmental Justice
A workshop for Community Development Workers and Activists. More info here  Thursday 24th July 2008 at York CVS in York

Delivering Sustainable Development Events
A workshop for Black & Minority Ethnic Facilitators.  More info here  Saturday 12th July 2008 at TWICS in Swaythling, Southampton

Community empowerment and active citizenship
This popular course explores what community engagement is and how to ‘do it better’. It considers the social and policy contexts of community engagement, issues and challenges as well as different approaches to community engagement. Participants are encouraged to share ideas, issues and strategies with others wanting to get to grips with community engagement.  It is being held in Birmingham on 23 September. You can view further details are available online.

Low Cost Home Ownership Conference - Addressing Affordability and Takeup in the Public Housing Sector
Central London – Wednesday 24th September 2008
With the impact of the current credit climate on the Housing market, affordable home ownership options are top of the agenda. But can low cost home ownership options remain popular with lenders, buyers and the social housing sector? And how can RSLs deliver on the Government Green Paper commitment to deliver at least 25,000 more shared ownership and shared equity homes each year?  This one day conference will provide a mix of high-level policy input and best practice case studies, addressing key issues for promoting the affordability of low cost home ownership products across the housing sector.  You can book online by clicking here and use booking ref code: TSGK. 

Recruitment

Dynamic? Creative? Inspirational? Cornwall Rural Community Council are looking for a Chief Executive. You will have well-developed business and people management skills with the ability to influence, retain trust and inspire confidence of partners in both statutory and third sectors. For an application pack visit their website.

Special Notices