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National Audit Office Conference

Working with the Third Sector – 30 June 2005


Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London


The National Audit Office (NAO) conference ‘Working with the Third Sector’ was held on 30 June 2005 at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, central London. The conference launched the NAO report ‘Working with the Third Sector’, published on 29 June. The conference and report highlighted that substantial improvements are needed in the way government departments provide funding to Third Sector Organisations (TSOs), sometimes referred to as Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) to deliver public services.

A 2002 Treasury Review made numerous recommendations aimed at improving funding practices relating to TSOs. These recommendations have in the main been implemented, but this action has not been enough to bring about a widespread and substantive change in government funding practices. The government has committed itself to increasing the involvement of TSOs in public services. The report and conference emphasised that further progress is dependent on departments’ willingness to embrace new ways of working with the sector and to embed new practices across their funding streams. Meanwhile, third sector organisations also have a responsibility to improve their understanding and management of their funding.

A summary of the conference is available.
 

Conference programme

The NAO’s findings

Introduction Chair, David Brindle, Public Services Editor, Guardian

Welcome
Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General

Government response to the NAO’s findings
Jitinder Kohli, Director, Active Communities Directorate, Home Office
 
NCVO’s work with NAO and response to the NAO’s findings
Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive, National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

Improving funding relationships with government
Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO)

Practitioner perspective
Helen Dent, Chief Executive, Family Welfare Association

Spreading good practice along the funding chain

Introduction to the speakers Chair, David Brindle, Public Services Editor, Guardian

Local Area Agreements – the implications for local third sector funding
Mike More, Chief Executive, Suffolk County Council

Funding issues for local organisations and community groups – 3 case-studies
Kevin Curley, Chief Executive, National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service

Health and social services funding
Helen Shirley-Quirk, Director of Strategy Implementation, British Red Cross

From principles to practice

Introduction to the speakers Chair, David Brindle, Public Services Editor, Guardian

HM Treasury response to the NAO’s findings
Anita Charlesworth, Director, Public Services, HM Treasury

Designing the right funding approach - a potential tool for decision-makers
Simon Courage, Office for Public Management

‘Giving, shopping or investing?’ Linking the outcome to the funding approach
Julia Unwin, independent consultant on voluntary sector funding