I was a " keynote" speaker at a major event for GPs from pathfinder commissioning consortia today ( speaking just before Andrew Lansley MP ! ). The DH have brought them together as top consortia leaders to talk about the barriers and opportunities of the new commissioning arrangements.
The move to commissioning by GPs is a radical step- some say the most radical restructure in the history of the NHS. I'm not sure that the third sector has yet woken up to the opportunities this presents? Of course there are dangers; what do most GPs know about our sector? What has been their engagement with us so far; little I fear. Many are not tied into local networks of third sector or community groups.
Yet many are involved with the vast range of ACEVO members in health charities. Many of the CEOs of the Royal Colleges are ACEVO members ;including, usefully , the current CEO of the Royal College of GPs ( and soon the new CEO , our old friend Neil Hunt ). But this is a limited engagement with the sector as a whole for your average GP.
So we have to build a relationship almost from scratch. But there is real potential for very different styles of commissioning that build on public health and healthy living partnerships, that seek a fuller engagement with the sector in social care and recognise the massive contribution that the long term conditions charities bring.
My speech concentrated on the role of the sector in delivering services and acting as a voice for citizens and communities. I spoke about the need for GPs to think out of the box when commissioning and engage with the sector, whether in the community or with the many national health charities. I also want GPs to think how they interact and use community and sector bodies as representatives of citizens and communities. In making difficult decisions on scarce resources GPs will need to consult and involve.
But then again it's our job as a sector to be beating a path to the GPs door. Telling them how we can work with them. Support them. Give them solutions. We are not yet effectively doing this.
I stayed to listen to Secretary of State, Andrew Lansley MP. He gave an impressive outline of the reforms and the need for change. He was an excellent advocate for reform. I must say I came away with a strong sense of the potential and the possibilities for our sector to work with GPs. Let's grasp them. Carpe Diem comrades!
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Be bold Osborne!
Yesterday I wrote to the Chancellor expressing the concerns of members about the growing funding storm facing our sector.
Here is the letter we sent;
"Today the VAT rise will hit the work of the country’s charities and wider third sector. For example Sue Ryder Care will loose £1m this year, which could have funded a 16 bed hospice for 6 months.
In April, unless HMT reverses its current position on Gift Aid, charities will loose a further £100 million when transitional relief on Gift Aid comes to an end.
We estimate that these changes, combined with cuts in grants and contracts from the public sector, will cost our sector over £1 billion next year – rising to over £3 billion a year by the end of the parliament.
And yet demand for our services continues to rise.
That is why it is so vital that Government act to protect our work. Without action, I fear that your laudable ambitions to cut the deficit in a way that is fair and to build a Big Society are at risk.
So I am urging you to introduce a one off tax on bankers’ bonuses to go straight into the new Big Society Bank. The Government’s public service reforms have the potential to result in significantly greater delivery of public services by the voluntary sector, offsetting some of the damage that the cuts and tax changes above will inevitably inflict. But that potential is unlikely to be realised if the sector remains as undercapitalised as it is currently – hampered in its ability to transition to new public service markets, or to operate under the capital requirements of a system of payment by results. The Big Society Bank is therefore key to the sector’s ability to play its part in your public service reform agenda, and ultimately key to offsetting the cuts coming our way.
The money from dormant accounts currently earmarked for the Big Society Bank, at least in its initial (and given the speed of the Government’s reforms, crucial) stages will go nowhere near to meeting the need of the sector now. Hence my call for a one-off tax on bonuses.
I would like to come and discuss this with you (along with some of my key members) and to explore the idea, and others, in more detail.
I can assure you there is considerable concern in our sector at the gathering storm. Only firm and radical steps by the Government will alleviate the problem. "
We are also arranging a meeting with Nick Clegg- who is supporting a further tax on bank bonuses, but also a meeting with the top banks. We want to explore with them how they can support a Big Society Bank and how the bonus going to charity could be a good thing for them.
And meanwhile the celebrations continue. Yesterday I celebrated with my truly magnificent and talented ACEVO staff team. Here they are gathered behing me as I open the Knightly bottle of champagne !
And here is one from New years Eve of the family celebrating with me at the gorgeous Port Light Inn on Bolberry Downs, Devon.
Here is the letter we sent;
"Today the VAT rise will hit the work of the country’s charities and wider third sector. For example Sue Ryder Care will loose £1m this year, which could have funded a 16 bed hospice for 6 months.
In April, unless HMT reverses its current position on Gift Aid, charities will loose a further £100 million when transitional relief on Gift Aid comes to an end.
We estimate that these changes, combined with cuts in grants and contracts from the public sector, will cost our sector over £1 billion next year – rising to over £3 billion a year by the end of the parliament.
And yet demand for our services continues to rise.
That is why it is so vital that Government act to protect our work. Without action, I fear that your laudable ambitions to cut the deficit in a way that is fair and to build a Big Society are at risk.
So I am urging you to introduce a one off tax on bankers’ bonuses to go straight into the new Big Society Bank. The Government’s public service reforms have the potential to result in significantly greater delivery of public services by the voluntary sector, offsetting some of the damage that the cuts and tax changes above will inevitably inflict. But that potential is unlikely to be realised if the sector remains as undercapitalised as it is currently – hampered in its ability to transition to new public service markets, or to operate under the capital requirements of a system of payment by results. The Big Society Bank is therefore key to the sector’s ability to play its part in your public service reform agenda, and ultimately key to offsetting the cuts coming our way.
The money from dormant accounts currently earmarked for the Big Society Bank, at least in its initial (and given the speed of the Government’s reforms, crucial) stages will go nowhere near to meeting the need of the sector now. Hence my call for a one-off tax on bonuses.
I would like to come and discuss this with you (along with some of my key members) and to explore the idea, and others, in more detail.
I can assure you there is considerable concern in our sector at the gathering storm. Only firm and radical steps by the Government will alleviate the problem. "
We are also arranging a meeting with Nick Clegg- who is supporting a further tax on bank bonuses, but also a meeting with the top banks. We want to explore with them how they can support a Big Society Bank and how the bonus going to charity could be a good thing for them.
And meanwhile the celebrations continue. Yesterday I celebrated with my truly magnificent and talented ACEVO staff team. Here they are gathered behing me as I open the Knightly bottle of champagne !
And here is one from New years Eve of the family celebrating with me at the gorgeous Port Light Inn on Bolberry Downs, Devon.
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Caritas and King James
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels , and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. "
It is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the authorised version of the Bible, or the King James as we know it. This truly magnificent work was the result of a committee of scholars and churchmen meeting in Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster, and gives life to the jibe about camels as the production of committees!
Charlbury played its own small part as the Vicar of Charlbury, the Rev Ralph Hutchinson was one of the translators and there is a beautiful marble monument to him in our Parish Church.
There is a splendid BBC programme on this during the week. Well worth listening to.
In the passage I have quoted there is an interesting use of the word " charity". The translators choose to use the translation from the Latin Vulgate of " caritas" often translated as "love". But the worthy scholars knew what they were doing and wanted to endorse the notion of the rich giving to the poor. This was , after all, the same time as the new statute of Elizabeth on charitable uses.
The impulse to charity is core to the christian, and indeed muslim religion and my recent lecture discussed the role that the Church and charity played from early times in delivering public services.
It puts in context some rather unpleasant emails I have been receiving from "the Lords of the Universe" who object to my suggestion their massive bonuses might be taxed and put to charitable use! One calls for my head. Another says he will never donate to an ACEVO member charity. Somehow one feels they might not actually give that much as the aim of charity is to support the poor rather than make the donor feel good. But it is also good to receive emails from other bankers in more moderate tones , with helpful suggestions on how to increase giving.
The reality is we need strong action from Government to tackle the growing storm facing charities. A tax on bankers bonuses would be one good way of ensuring the new Big Society Bank is effectively capitalised. We need a bold initiative. I'm hoping Cameron and Osborne will find their way to doing that.
One of my correspondents argues, incorrectly,
"What people work for is their own - it is not for him to seek to steal or "redistribute" in the manner he has."
Quite apart from the chutzpah this displays when the British taxpayer bailed out the banks there is a strong historical precedent for redistributive calls, not least in the teachings of Christ.
So , as the King James Bible has it ,
" And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. "
It is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the authorised version of the Bible, or the King James as we know it. This truly magnificent work was the result of a committee of scholars and churchmen meeting in Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster, and gives life to the jibe about camels as the production of committees!
Charlbury played its own small part as the Vicar of Charlbury, the Rev Ralph Hutchinson was one of the translators and there is a beautiful marble monument to him in our Parish Church.
There is a splendid BBC programme on this during the week. Well worth listening to.
In the passage I have quoted there is an interesting use of the word " charity". The translators choose to use the translation from the Latin Vulgate of " caritas" often translated as "love". But the worthy scholars knew what they were doing and wanted to endorse the notion of the rich giving to the poor. This was , after all, the same time as the new statute of Elizabeth on charitable uses.
The impulse to charity is core to the christian, and indeed muslim religion and my recent lecture discussed the role that the Church and charity played from early times in delivering public services.
It puts in context some rather unpleasant emails I have been receiving from "the Lords of the Universe" who object to my suggestion their massive bonuses might be taxed and put to charitable use! One calls for my head. Another says he will never donate to an ACEVO member charity. Somehow one feels they might not actually give that much as the aim of charity is to support the poor rather than make the donor feel good. But it is also good to receive emails from other bankers in more moderate tones , with helpful suggestions on how to increase giving.
The reality is we need strong action from Government to tackle the growing storm facing charities. A tax on bankers bonuses would be one good way of ensuring the new Big Society Bank is effectively capitalised. We need a bold initiative. I'm hoping Cameron and Osborne will find their way to doing that.
One of my correspondents argues, incorrectly,
"What people work for is their own - it is not for him to seek to steal or "redistribute" in the manner he has."
Quite apart from the chutzpah this displays when the British taxpayer bailed out the banks there is a strong historical precedent for redistributive calls, not least in the teachings of Christ.
So , as the King James Bible has it ,
" And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. "
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Charity tax on bankers
An interview I have done for The Times makes it to the front page. Then the ACEVO call for a banker bonus tax gets strong airtime on BBC , ITN and Sky. I have highlighted the growing threat to charities and the third sector by cuts. What we have seen so far are merely the first signs of a growing tsunami of Ill considered cuts I argue. They use my comment that, " if charities are hit today,the old and disabled will pay tomorrow " to head up a full 2 pages of commentary highlighting what the cuts actually mean on the ground, together with my interview. The great Today programme used the interview and so a lot of people who hadn't actually read yesterday's List discovered my new appellation!
But the key point was the ACEVO call for the tax to go straight to the Big Society Bank. The Darling tax on bonuses raised over £ 3 billion. The current pot for bonuses is estimated at a cool £7million. So a tax at 50% would raise sufficient to start the new Bank off with a sensible amount to he capitalise the sector , to help third sector organisations to bid for contracts and so to grow, and to encourage merger and rationalisation among sector bodies. Currently it is estimated that only £60m will come from dormant accounts. I'm afraid this won't even voucher half the amount we will loose from Tuesday , let alone make up for the cuts.
It is clear that the rich pay less as a proportion of their income than the poor and so it seems appropriate that a bankers bonus tax be used to support the charitable sector. Indeed we know that the banks were in discussion with Governmnet on how they would put money into the new Bank. But then we heard the banks had gone quiet on that. Well , here is an opportunity for them to recognise the debt they owe the
British people by supporting the vulnerable and excluded. It was interesting to get an email in response to my interview from an expat in Switzerland who has worked in banking. He wrote,
"In the (now distant) past, philanthropy meant that a lot of charitable purposes were financed by the generosity of above-average earners. Nowadays the top earners are getting paid tens - even hundreds - of times as much as their predecessors of yore, but philanthropy has gone
out of the window, and charities have had to take the strain, even as middle-class earners' ability to donate has ebbed away .In part this latter phenomenon has arisen through the top earners grabbing a larger slice of the cake. What a vicious spiral we are in: in the 1980s, the top 1% of earners in Western societies took 8% of the income cake, now they devour 24%, down from 30% immediately before the crisis broke. That of course leaves 76% for the other 99% of us, instead of 92% ). "
So ACEVO is seeking a meeting with the Chancellor and Danny Alexander. We also want to see Nick Clegg , who has publicly called for a new tax on bankers bonuses. I'm sure that this idea has traction. The banks don't seem to understand we all have long memories and a big splurge in bonuses will cause outrage. So we are also writing to the CEOs of the big banks asking them to support the " charity tax". I'm sure we can persuade the British Bankers Association to support us on this. I shall be contacting Angela Knight to discuss this..
So far the Government have been timid in reacting to the coming storm. That is not to say we do not fully support the work that has gone on. The transition fund was a great piece of news in a bleak budget. And people like Greg Clark MP , Nick Hurd MP and Eric Pickles MP have been warring councils they risk underminig the Big Society project. Their warnings are not being heeded. So the idea of a bonus tax could transform the prospects for our sector. Action is needed now.
I have been much on the blackberry over the last 2 days. I have been really touched by the vast number of emails and texts from people saying congrats. I have even heard from an old primary school friend as well as people I have worked with over the last 30 years. I had a
charming note from my Knightly colleague Sir Stuart and the new NCVO Chair sent me a fantastic note , Suzi , Nick Hurd and Baroness Angela Smith texted.and lots and lots of members emailed. One email asked , " does this give you licence to adopt new airs? You could travel between meetings in a sedan chair! ". Steve Whyler, who runs the DTA and is a member who also got honoured in yesterday's list said , " I have every confidence you will let it go to your head ". But the prize goes to Mike Baker who wrote me a Limerick ( get it ? ) .
There was a young man named Bubb
Who went to the Palace for a Dub
When the Queen gave him Bolly
Stephen asked for more lolly
She said "I'll tell Cameron to give you a su
One I really appreciated was ,
" It is an truly fitting tribute to all that you amd your work at ACEVO have achieved over the years through a combination of splendid initiatives, steely persistence and your own deep personal commitment and relaxed style."
And my local paper , the Oxford Mail reported ,
" A WEST Oxfordshire man has been knighted for services to the voluntary sector.
Stephen Bubb who has lived in Charlbury for more than 20 years, is chief executive of the charity leaders’ body the Association of Chief
Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO).
Conservative MP Damian Green praised the former Oxford University student and chairman of the City of Oxford Orchestra.
He said: “In 10 years Stephen has applied his unique brand of enthusiasm, flair, and sheer bull-headedness to driving ACEVO forward. At a time when the voluntary sector is more important than ever, this is hugely important work. He is a great contributor.”
Now that is quite enough self congratulation Bubb. Still , Robin Bogg will no doubt keep me cut down to size!
But the key point was the ACEVO call for the tax to go straight to the Big Society Bank. The Darling tax on bonuses raised over £ 3 billion. The current pot for bonuses is estimated at a cool £7million. So a tax at 50% would raise sufficient to start the new Bank off with a sensible amount to he capitalise the sector , to help third sector organisations to bid for contracts and so to grow, and to encourage merger and rationalisation among sector bodies. Currently it is estimated that only £60m will come from dormant accounts. I'm afraid this won't even voucher half the amount we will loose from Tuesday , let alone make up for the cuts.
It is clear that the rich pay less as a proportion of their income than the poor and so it seems appropriate that a bankers bonus tax be used to support the charitable sector. Indeed we know that the banks were in discussion with Governmnet on how they would put money into the new Bank. But then we heard the banks had gone quiet on that. Well , here is an opportunity for them to recognise the debt they owe the
British people by supporting the vulnerable and excluded. It was interesting to get an email in response to my interview from an expat in Switzerland who has worked in banking. He wrote,
"In the (now distant) past, philanthropy meant that a lot of charitable purposes were financed by the generosity of above-average earners. Nowadays the top earners are getting paid tens - even hundreds - of times as much as their predecessors of yore, but philanthropy has gone
out of the window, and charities have had to take the strain, even as middle-class earners' ability to donate has ebbed away .In part this latter phenomenon has arisen through the top earners grabbing a larger slice of the cake. What a vicious spiral we are in: in the 1980s, the top 1% of earners in Western societies took 8% of the income cake, now they devour 24%, down from 30% immediately before the crisis broke. That of course leaves 76% for the other 99% of us, instead of 92% ). "
So ACEVO is seeking a meeting with the Chancellor and Danny Alexander. We also want to see Nick Clegg , who has publicly called for a new tax on bankers bonuses. I'm sure that this idea has traction. The banks don't seem to understand we all have long memories and a big splurge in bonuses will cause outrage. So we are also writing to the CEOs of the big banks asking them to support the " charity tax". I'm sure we can persuade the British Bankers Association to support us on this. I shall be contacting Angela Knight to discuss this..
So far the Government have been timid in reacting to the coming storm. That is not to say we do not fully support the work that has gone on. The transition fund was a great piece of news in a bleak budget. And people like Greg Clark MP , Nick Hurd MP and Eric Pickles MP have been warring councils they risk underminig the Big Society project. Their warnings are not being heeded. So the idea of a bonus tax could transform the prospects for our sector. Action is needed now.
I have been much on the blackberry over the last 2 days. I have been really touched by the vast number of emails and texts from people saying congrats. I have even heard from an old primary school friend as well as people I have worked with over the last 30 years. I had a
charming note from my Knightly colleague Sir Stuart and the new NCVO Chair sent me a fantastic note , Suzi , Nick Hurd and Baroness Angela Smith texted.and lots and lots of members emailed. One email asked , " does this give you licence to adopt new airs? You could travel between meetings in a sedan chair! ". Steve Whyler, who runs the DTA and is a member who also got honoured in yesterday's list said , " I have every confidence you will let it go to your head ". But the prize goes to Mike Baker who wrote me a Limerick ( get it ? ) .
There was a young man named Bubb
Who went to the Palace for a Dub
When the Queen gave him Bolly
Stephen asked for more lolly
She said "I'll tell Cameron to give you a su
One I really appreciated was ,
" It is an truly fitting tribute to all that you amd your work at ACEVO have achieved over the years through a combination of splendid initiatives, steely persistence and your own deep personal commitment and relaxed style."
And my local paper , the Oxford Mail reported ,
" A WEST Oxfordshire man has been knighted for services to the voluntary sector.
Stephen Bubb who has lived in Charlbury for more than 20 years, is chief executive of the charity leaders’ body the Association of Chief
Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO).
Conservative MP Damian Green praised the former Oxford University student and chairman of the City of Oxford Orchestra.
He said: “In 10 years Stephen has applied his unique brand of enthusiasm, flair, and sheer bull-headedness to driving ACEVO forward. At a time when the voluntary sector is more important than ever, this is hugely important work. He is a great contributor.”
Now that is quite enough self congratulation Bubb. Still , Robin Bogg will no doubt keep me cut down to size!
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