If you are a keen fan of the aecvo website you will have observed the rather tasteful photo of me and James ...so depending on your tastes you can view the charming Secretary of State for Work and Pensions or my tie.
But to weightier matters . As Chair of FutureBuilders I have been heavily involved in interviews for our new Board members . And we have pulled of a coup for the Chair of our Investment Committee . Harriett Baldwin was , until recently, Managing Director at J P Morgan , the investment bankers . She stepped down recently when Gordon Brown was threatening an election as she is also the Tory parliamentary candidate for Worcs West, so will become Elgar's MP at the next election . She is the brains behind the Tories plans on social enterprise , having written their policy with Greg Clark. She was name checked at the recent Green Paper launch by Cameron .
As well as chairing the Investment Committee ( which has full delegated powers ) she will be my Vice Chair . A pretty impressive line up at the top ; we combine the best of knowledge of the third sector and investment banking. I have to say I took to Harriett immediately when we had a one to one ; she said quite brazenly that she was the perfect candidate for me . And she was right . I like someone who does not mess around . And for someone who has been in the Fortune top 50 chief exec list I doubt she takes prisoners.
But that is not all . We have just announced our new line up . It combines such talent as Jo Wiliams of Mencap , Rob Owen of the St Giles Trust, a local sector body in South London , the irrepresible Craig Deardon- Philipps , ( the published social entreprneur ) and Anne Longfields of the children's charity. Then there are stars from the city . Rupert Evennet , who chairs the incredible BTCV , the volunteering charity and was at Merrill Lynch , the former Chief of Virgin Media ( who is now running Lynx venture capital ) Rob Banner who chaired Rethink and was in banking and then Peter Clarke of Charity Bank who gives us continuity with the previous Futurebuilders as he was on their Board.
I wanted a diverse board which combined talent from investment banking and venture capital and great people from the sector. And we have managed to get sector people from small , medium and large charities and a social enterprise . But to confess. We have done this at the expense of a perhaps too large a Board. But in time people leave so it will work out I guess. A challenge for the Chair. It will keep me om my toes ; but that is good . I do not like the supine. Nothing better than intellectual challenge to sharpen decision making.
But as we begin a new week tomorrow I am dedicating this blog to our Home Secretary , Jacqui Smith , who I like and who I hope will battle with the Puritans in her department . Pablo Neruda was a great Chilean poet at the time of the heroic Allende Government . I heard him read his poetry at the Royal Festival Hall in happier times before the evil Pinochet. He wrote on wine. This one is for you Jacqui as you write your persistent drinking Bill .
An Ode to Wine ;
I love the light of a bottle of intelligent wine
upon the table when people are talking.
That they drink it,
That in each drop of gold or ladle of purple,
they remember that autumn toiled
until the barrels were full of wine.
Time for lunch.
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Friday, 6 June 2008
Ties and celebrating countryside
Ties; an inters ting item on the Today programme; apparently the sale of ties has plummeted by 50 percent in the States in the last decade . I think of my staff decadently lolling around in their jeans and T shirts as it is so called "dress down Friday " . When did I ever agree this , I wonder?
I , of course have a miraculous collection of ties , ranging from the aesthetically pleasing to the visually challenging . I have a great selection of Duchamp ties , the very Krug of the tie world . You can always tell a Duchamp man....in the sector leading proponents are David Fielding of Rockpools , Davis Emerson of the Association of Charitable Foundations and Tony Hawkhead of Groundwork . I had a very pleasing tie on for James Purnell....it put his boring off red politicians tie into the shade and will have looked most pleasing in the photo in the Nottingham Evening Post.
As you can tell I am not in the tie less acevo office today . In fact I am visiting a member : James Money-Kyle who runs Plunkett , a social enterprise which promotes rural enterprise and , a cause after my own heart , the value of local food. They are based in Woodstock and we have an agreeable lunch where I celebrate a good visit to the doctors and a surprisingly good result from my 3 month blood test for the diabetes . So its celebration time with a Macon Lugny and a pudding ! A summer pudding no less. Oh how happy I feel .
James is a great example of a forward looking and dynamic CEO who is promoting a business and professional approach in the sector generally and in rural social enterprise in particular . It is an interesting organisation , set up to celebrate the life of an amazing Anlgo - Irish politician Sir Horace Plunkett. He devoted his life to promoting rural enterprise based on what he called the 3 " betters " ; better farming , better business and better living.
They have a grant from the Lottery to support local food , and have been promoting Farmers Markets as cooperative ventures . We have a Farmers Market in Charlbury and i love the opportunity it presents to but local cheeses and local meet and fish and proper organic vegetables. But often these are run under the auspices of a local authority . They ought to be run by the producers and consumers themselves ; a notion that Plunkett are busy promoting.
I always thoroughly enjoy getting out and meeting and visiting members in their organisations . It helps keep you grounded. And after a week of heavy and sustained activity it is a welcome relief . It is such a privilege running acevo , being at the forefront of policy making for the sector , pushing forward the demands and desires of our membership and getting change. But when you are in the lead on policy making it brings many demands on your time and energy. It has been exhausting this week . Not enough sleep . Not enough relaxation . So this weekend is 2 days of indulgence.
Bring it on .
I , of course have a miraculous collection of ties , ranging from the aesthetically pleasing to the visually challenging . I have a great selection of Duchamp ties , the very Krug of the tie world . You can always tell a Duchamp man....in the sector leading proponents are David Fielding of Rockpools , Davis Emerson of the Association of Charitable Foundations and Tony Hawkhead of Groundwork . I had a very pleasing tie on for James Purnell....it put his boring off red politicians tie into the shade and will have looked most pleasing in the photo in the Nottingham Evening Post.
As you can tell I am not in the tie less acevo office today . In fact I am visiting a member : James Money-Kyle who runs Plunkett , a social enterprise which promotes rural enterprise and , a cause after my own heart , the value of local food. They are based in Woodstock and we have an agreeable lunch where I celebrate a good visit to the doctors and a surprisingly good result from my 3 month blood test for the diabetes . So its celebration time with a Macon Lugny and a pudding ! A summer pudding no less. Oh how happy I feel .
James is a great example of a forward looking and dynamic CEO who is promoting a business and professional approach in the sector generally and in rural social enterprise in particular . It is an interesting organisation , set up to celebrate the life of an amazing Anlgo - Irish politician Sir Horace Plunkett. He devoted his life to promoting rural enterprise based on what he called the 3 " betters " ; better farming , better business and better living.
They have a grant from the Lottery to support local food , and have been promoting Farmers Markets as cooperative ventures . We have a Farmers Market in Charlbury and i love the opportunity it presents to but local cheeses and local meet and fish and proper organic vegetables. But often these are run under the auspices of a local authority . They ought to be run by the producers and consumers themselves ; a notion that Plunkett are busy promoting.
I always thoroughly enjoy getting out and meeting and visiting members in their organisations . It helps keep you grounded. And after a week of heavy and sustained activity it is a welcome relief . It is such a privilege running acevo , being at the forefront of policy making for the sector , pushing forward the demands and desires of our membership and getting change. But when you are in the lead on policy making it brings many demands on your time and energy. It has been exhausting this week . Not enough sleep . Not enough relaxation . So this weekend is 2 days of indulgence.
Bring it on .
Thursday, 5 June 2008
Training with James
Up to Nottingham with James Purnell , the brilliant Secretary of State for DWP. We are launching the Third sector -DWP task force which acevo has set up with officials in DWP to look at how the Third Sector can support the reform of welfare to work. Our sector plays a crucial role in employment and training and we offer " unique value added " as James says at the launch .
I travel up to Nottingham with James and we then do the launch at a conference and move on to visit " Working Links " , a fantastic organisation with a range of contracts from DWP to deliver employment services . It is run by Keith Faulkner , one of my members who I expect to see but discover is in China on holiday ( celebrating his 65th birthday someone whispers ! ) . It is also a rather unique organisation as it is a private , public , third sector partnership .
Also on the train going up is Graham Allen , the MP for Nottingham and who unusually is the chair of the local strategic partnership . There is also a pioneering city wide welfare to work strategy. I've known Graham since the 80s and it is good to see him again .He is a great example of a dedicated constituency MP.
I should , of course, add that I am travelling in steerage whilst the SoS is in First , so I have to sneak in to chat once the ticket guy has gone . Although David Cameron obviously thinks we should be the" first sector " rather than the third , regretably that does not extend to him paying fior our first class travel . Still , once we are all making healthy profits under the new Tory policy of charities making profits then we might be able to upgrade .
The more I see of James Purnell the more impressed I am . He is great talking to the punters ( there are a bunch of third sector leaders here who give James a good talking to on the need for local and regional contracting ! ). He really " gets it " on the role of the sector and when I first proposed this idea he quickly spotted the potential . No long debates and internal discussions whilst the official machinery debated the merits and demerits. He got the point .He wants action . Now we must deliver that for him . it gives us great kudos as an organisation to have the SoS doing the launch . and acevo and Bubb get several great name checks . And a photo shoot afterwards of me and James looking at a hedge. So look out for me in the Nottingham Evening Post.
I get a chance to talk to Helen Vose of the Nottingham CVS, a good acevo member . She promises to pull together some thoughts for uor task force. It is being chaired by Tony Hawkhead of Groundwork who I hold in very high regard. We pulled off a major coup im getting David Freud as the Vice Chair and Stephen Timms , the Minister for Employment, is on the task force with a watching brief . High powered people delivering a high powered report ...we hope.
Of course we have had some interesting discussions on who should be on the group ! Nothing excites so much as a battle to sit on committees ! I'm rather more interested in the output. So fingers crossed for a great report out in January.
I travel up to Nottingham with James and we then do the launch at a conference and move on to visit " Working Links " , a fantastic organisation with a range of contracts from DWP to deliver employment services . It is run by Keith Faulkner , one of my members who I expect to see but discover is in China on holiday ( celebrating his 65th birthday someone whispers ! ) . It is also a rather unique organisation as it is a private , public , third sector partnership .
Also on the train going up is Graham Allen , the MP for Nottingham and who unusually is the chair of the local strategic partnership . There is also a pioneering city wide welfare to work strategy. I've known Graham since the 80s and it is good to see him again .He is a great example of a dedicated constituency MP.
I should , of course, add that I am travelling in steerage whilst the SoS is in First , so I have to sneak in to chat once the ticket guy has gone . Although David Cameron obviously thinks we should be the" first sector " rather than the third , regretably that does not extend to him paying fior our first class travel . Still , once we are all making healthy profits under the new Tory policy of charities making profits then we might be able to upgrade .
The more I see of James Purnell the more impressed I am . He is great talking to the punters ( there are a bunch of third sector leaders here who give James a good talking to on the need for local and regional contracting ! ). He really " gets it " on the role of the sector and when I first proposed this idea he quickly spotted the potential . No long debates and internal discussions whilst the official machinery debated the merits and demerits. He got the point .He wants action . Now we must deliver that for him . it gives us great kudos as an organisation to have the SoS doing the launch . and acevo and Bubb get several great name checks . And a photo shoot afterwards of me and James looking at a hedge. So look out for me in the Nottingham Evening Post.
I get a chance to talk to Helen Vose of the Nottingham CVS, a good acevo member . She promises to pull together some thoughts for uor task force. It is being chaired by Tony Hawkhead of Groundwork who I hold in very high regard. We pulled off a major coup im getting David Freud as the Vice Chair and Stephen Timms , the Minister for Employment, is on the task force with a watching brief . High powered people delivering a high powered report ...we hope.
Of course we have had some interesting discussions on who should be on the group ! Nothing excites so much as a battle to sit on committees ! I'm rather more interested in the output. So fingers crossed for a great report out in January.
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Change we can believe in !
Oh yes . Fantastic news . Barak Obama as the Presidential Candidate .I have to admit to a tear as I watched the news tonight. This guy is so inspiring. An historic moment that makes you feel proud and optimistic about the power of vision and change .
And you have to contrast that with what we have on offer in the UK. We start the week with a crass policy announcement about locking up more young people for the crime of " persistent drinking " . This is an old idea that was rightly consigned to the scrap heap when it was last aired. Has evidence based policy making finally bit the dust ? What wet behind the ears policy advisor found this one in the closet when they were hunting around the Home Office one dingy evening ?
And now we have plans announced by the PM to bring more prosecutions for 16 year olds carrying knives. So we now have 2 measures in the space of 3 days guaranteed to criminalise more young people . More youth in young offender institutions; receiving a different type of education - with more hardened youth . And this is supposed to cut crime . Just listen to the children charities and learn about what works and what does not. Listen to Rob Owen of the St Giles Trust in South London who works against the odds to provide work and training to youth at risk . Send the 16 years olds with knives to him , not to the courts. Or to Paul Cavadino of NACRO and Joyce Mosley of Rainer. Great sector leaders ; members of mine who drive for change.Listen to them and give them the resources to do the real hard work that goes into rehabilitation . Giving hope to excluded and vulnerable young people.
We now have record numbers in our prisons. 82500 people in prisons when there are only 81000 prison places. And we know that means much of the rehabilitation work that should go on in prison is cut short or ended. Many of those in prison have serious mental health problems or addictions. What support do they now get ? And do we think that when they eventually emerge they will not go back to a life of crime?
The demands on the probation services to provide support for people coming out of prison are stretched to breaking point. But instead of Government looking to put more resources into rehabilitation it will be spent on more prisons . Already we lock up more people than in the rest of Europe. Many of my members work in the difficult areas of rehabilitation and support for ex offenders and we have established a special interest group to harness their views and relay them to Government. They have real experience of what works but they are not being listened to properly. We want to provide more services but are being starved of funds. Government is looking to renege on plans to tender more offender management services to the third sector unless we can stop it.
If most crime is committed by people who have already been in the criminal justice system then it ain't rocket science to work out how to actually cut crime ....or have I missed some thing?
But for me , with 20 years experience as a Magistrate in the youth courts in South London, I despair especially that the lessons about criminalising young people are not learnt . The sorry consequence of locking up vulnerable young people is clear . More crime . I have never forgotten the experience of visiting Feltham Young Offender Institution or the story of the kid we had sent there on bail who then committed suicide. I remember the letter from one kid on bail read out to us in Court who begged to be taken out of the institution he was in because he was being bullied . It was a letter of despair. I remember these people when I hear the speech of Gordon Brown on the news .
I want to see change I can believe in here. An inspiring vision . Not an agenda determined by newspaper headlines.
And you have to contrast that with what we have on offer in the UK. We start the week with a crass policy announcement about locking up more young people for the crime of " persistent drinking " . This is an old idea that was rightly consigned to the scrap heap when it was last aired. Has evidence based policy making finally bit the dust ? What wet behind the ears policy advisor found this one in the closet when they were hunting around the Home Office one dingy evening ?
And now we have plans announced by the PM to bring more prosecutions for 16 year olds carrying knives. So we now have 2 measures in the space of 3 days guaranteed to criminalise more young people . More youth in young offender institutions; receiving a different type of education - with more hardened youth . And this is supposed to cut crime . Just listen to the children charities and learn about what works and what does not. Listen to Rob Owen of the St Giles Trust in South London who works against the odds to provide work and training to youth at risk . Send the 16 years olds with knives to him , not to the courts. Or to Paul Cavadino of NACRO and Joyce Mosley of Rainer. Great sector leaders ; members of mine who drive for change.Listen to them and give them the resources to do the real hard work that goes into rehabilitation . Giving hope to excluded and vulnerable young people.
We now have record numbers in our prisons. 82500 people in prisons when there are only 81000 prison places. And we know that means much of the rehabilitation work that should go on in prison is cut short or ended. Many of those in prison have serious mental health problems or addictions. What support do they now get ? And do we think that when they eventually emerge they will not go back to a life of crime?
The demands on the probation services to provide support for people coming out of prison are stretched to breaking point. But instead of Government looking to put more resources into rehabilitation it will be spent on more prisons . Already we lock up more people than in the rest of Europe. Many of my members work in the difficult areas of rehabilitation and support for ex offenders and we have established a special interest group to harness their views and relay them to Government. They have real experience of what works but they are not being listened to properly. We want to provide more services but are being starved of funds. Government is looking to renege on plans to tender more offender management services to the third sector unless we can stop it.
If most crime is committed by people who have already been in the criminal justice system then it ain't rocket science to work out how to actually cut crime ....or have I missed some thing?
But for me , with 20 years experience as a Magistrate in the youth courts in South London, I despair especially that the lessons about criminalising young people are not learnt . The sorry consequence of locking up vulnerable young people is clear . More crime . I have never forgotten the experience of visiting Feltham Young Offender Institution or the story of the kid we had sent there on bail who then committed suicide. I remember the letter from one kid on bail read out to us in Court who begged to be taken out of the institution he was in because he was being bullied . It was a letter of despair. I remember these people when I hear the speech of Gordon Brown on the news .
I want to see change I can believe in here. An inspiring vision . Not an agenda determined by newspaper headlines.
Bread and ...Roses too
No II Downing St. 8am . Launch of acevo report on the relations between the trades unions and third third sector. " The Way Ahead" was commissioned by acevo and written by Nita Clarke , a long time union official before going to work in No 10 for Blair on Government and union relations.She now runs the IPA ( The Involvement and Participation Association ) and is an acevo member.Nita is a star . Her husband is an old friend from days in Notting Hill ; Stephen Benn , son of Tony. Her daughter is the youngest ever parliamentary candidate.
I was up at 5.45 am preparing , as I was going to be Chairing the event and we had 2 Minsters coming as well as various Union Officials. I prepared my speech ; heavy on nostalgia ( which I do so well ) . Of course my first real job was as Research Officer for the Transport and General Workers Union under the great and charismatic leader Jack Jones. he remains for me the most inspirational Boss I have ever had , but for as far as my staff are concerned it's " Jack who ? " So I felt at home on this subject.But you need to prepare . especially if you want to appear effortless . I do not do set speeches , or read from notes . It just does not work . But to do that requires more preparation .
So , early in the morning , ( Today programme in the background ), I dig through my collection of memoirs and books on old trade union leaders and find a brilliant story in the autobiography of Jim Griffiths , one time NUM official and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party , and a Minister under Attlee. He describes a strike in the States , which was not about the usual pay issues , but about the dehumanising work conditions . On the demonstration the union marched behind a banner which proclaimed ;
" We want Bread ...and Roses too."
I suggest this is a theme that unifies the trade unions and the third sector. Our vision of a better society . A tradition we share. I read this story from the Griffiths book , but as I pick it up I notice my Deputy , Dr Kyle , who is lurking menacingly at the back of the room and is pointing at his watch . As if he thinks I am just going to go on and on , mesmerised by speaking in No 11 , with 2 attentive Ministers by my side and a room full of my wonderful members and other luminaries ! A good speech none the less , he blogs modestly. though i think the prize went to Calre Tickell ., the CEO of NCH who spoke last and has a great style , slightly self deprecating but killer points ! And Tom Watson , who I have not heard speak before, was witty and engaging and a great down to earth touch which had his audience ( we are a difficult bunch after all ) wanting more !
Phil Hope MP , our Third Sector Minister , makes an impassioned speech about the need for the sector to upskill , to take advantage of the " train to gain " scheme. he is right and acevo must do more ot make members aware that ther eis money for this. Always welcome news.
The nostalgia theme runs away with itself as we have a competition between speakers and questioners who are dying to tell us that , once , many years ago they were a .....trade union convener , official , worker on the shop floor in the sector....you get the picture . My fault for starting down this track.And I am trumped by the Unison Deputy GS , Keith Sonnet , who reminds me of my Lambeth past but suggests that may not be now on the CV ? Cheeky. And it depends.
On guy in particular it is good to see . Ray Collins , currently the deputy General Secretary at the union Unite. He and I worked together in research at the T+G. Rumour has it 9 and I could not possibly confirm it from my conversation that he is to be the new General Secretary of the Labour Party.
This is an important report. Get it from the acevo website . It is fantastically written. We now have to carry forward the recommendations Nita has made. I commit to trying to do so . And Tom Watson MP , who is the Chair of the Public Services Forum says he wants to meet to talk through action and how they can help . We shall do this . I am also writing to Stuart Etherington of ncvo to suggest this is an agenda we need to work together on . We have a shared view and both acevo and ncvo are on the Public Services Forum , (with the CBI and the TUC ) , representing the sector.
i leave No 11 reluctantly . But work beckons.
I was up at 5.45 am preparing , as I was going to be Chairing the event and we had 2 Minsters coming as well as various Union Officials. I prepared my speech ; heavy on nostalgia ( which I do so well ) . Of course my first real job was as Research Officer for the Transport and General Workers Union under the great and charismatic leader Jack Jones. he remains for me the most inspirational Boss I have ever had , but for as far as my staff are concerned it's " Jack who ? " So I felt at home on this subject.But you need to prepare . especially if you want to appear effortless . I do not do set speeches , or read from notes . It just does not work . But to do that requires more preparation .
So , early in the morning , ( Today programme in the background ), I dig through my collection of memoirs and books on old trade union leaders and find a brilliant story in the autobiography of Jim Griffiths , one time NUM official and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party , and a Minister under Attlee. He describes a strike in the States , which was not about the usual pay issues , but about the dehumanising work conditions . On the demonstration the union marched behind a banner which proclaimed ;
" We want Bread ...and Roses too."
I suggest this is a theme that unifies the trade unions and the third sector. Our vision of a better society . A tradition we share. I read this story from the Griffiths book , but as I pick it up I notice my Deputy , Dr Kyle , who is lurking menacingly at the back of the room and is pointing at his watch . As if he thinks I am just going to go on and on , mesmerised by speaking in No 11 , with 2 attentive Ministers by my side and a room full of my wonderful members and other luminaries ! A good speech none the less , he blogs modestly. though i think the prize went to Calre Tickell ., the CEO of NCH who spoke last and has a great style , slightly self deprecating but killer points ! And Tom Watson , who I have not heard speak before, was witty and engaging and a great down to earth touch which had his audience ( we are a difficult bunch after all ) wanting more !
Phil Hope MP , our Third Sector Minister , makes an impassioned speech about the need for the sector to upskill , to take advantage of the " train to gain " scheme. he is right and acevo must do more ot make members aware that ther eis money for this. Always welcome news.
The nostalgia theme runs away with itself as we have a competition between speakers and questioners who are dying to tell us that , once , many years ago they were a .....trade union convener , official , worker on the shop floor in the sector....you get the picture . My fault for starting down this track.And I am trumped by the Unison Deputy GS , Keith Sonnet , who reminds me of my Lambeth past but suggests that may not be now on the CV ? Cheeky. And it depends.
On guy in particular it is good to see . Ray Collins , currently the deputy General Secretary at the union Unite. He and I worked together in research at the T+G. Rumour has it 9 and I could not possibly confirm it from my conversation that he is to be the new General Secretary of the Labour Party.
This is an important report. Get it from the acevo website . It is fantastically written. We now have to carry forward the recommendations Nita has made. I commit to trying to do so . And Tom Watson MP , who is the Chair of the Public Services Forum says he wants to meet to talk through action and how they can help . We shall do this . I am also writing to Stuart Etherington of ncvo to suggest this is an agenda we need to work together on . We have a shared view and both acevo and ncvo are on the Public Services Forum , (with the CBI and the TUC ) , representing the sector.
i leave No 11 reluctantly . But work beckons.
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Down memory lane and into the Sunlight with the Tories
Standing outside my Great Grandmother's house today I was reflecting on how times have changed. As you do when you get older.I had travelled down to Gillingham where many eons ago I had been at Gillingham Grammar School ( I was born not far away in a village on the North Downs ; Wigmore. ) But today I was there to attend the launch of Tory plans by David Cameron. Today I was travelling on an electric train . The very first time I went on the Gillingham to London line it was on a steam train . Can we persuade Boris to bring back steam along with the route master one wonders? I think I will ask David.
Granny Gertrude Bubb was a formidable woman , at least so it seemed to a 8 year old boy . The long dress and coat .The forbidding hat . Gertrude died in 1960 when I was 8 . 46 years sater I am on my way to the launch of the Conservative Party Plans for the Third Sector at the inaptly named ( it is raining ) Sunlight Centre I doubt Granny would understand the term third Sector , but I suspect she would be hugely proud of her first born Great Grandson.
The Tories were having the launch of their Green Paper on the Sector at the aforementioned " Sunlight Centre * ( a former laundry as my Father reminds me ) , a social enterprise on Richmond Rd. It is in the very Parish where my Parents were married in 1952 as I tell Greg Clark MP , who is the Tory spokesperson on the Third Sector . He mentions this in his speech when he launches the plans with David Cameron. I'm flattered ,and even more so when he introduces me as " somewhat of a Guru for the Third Sector. " I always thought that Greg was very perspicacious.
The Green Paper is welcome . It should be as they have clearly been listening to the voices of sector Chief Executives. They make clear the need to reform contracts and commissioning , the desire to sweep away bureaucracy and to give the sector it's head. Of course in this they are reflecting what the current Government are trying to achieve , but who are finding that reality in local authorities and health trusts is very different from the bold rhetoric of Government support for the sector. Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the plans is their demand that charities be allowed to make profits....though David Cameron eschews that actual word and talks of surplus . But they are right. We should be able to make a surplus ,which we reinvest into the business ; building our capacity and ability to deliver professional services.
acevo has led the charge on funding and contract reform . We invented the term " full cost recovery " to ensure the state paid the full cost of the contracts they have with the third sector . The Government have accepted the concept as policy . But the Tories are going further . They are saying we should be on a par with the private sector in competition and as able to generate profit . This is counter cultural when most people think of the charity sector as all jumble sales and raffles , rather than professional deliverers of citizen focused services. I am quizzed by a journalist from The Times who suggests this is not a proper function of charity, but I hope I convince her a modern dynamic third sector is entitled to a proper return for good services delivered.
I ask David Cameron about their commitment to third sector service delivery .Their Green Paper says they support more service delivery through the sector but is light on specifics . So what , I ask, is their plan to achieve this ? He says long term contracts and effective commissioning . After the launch I talk to Francis Maude who says they intend to do more work on contract and commissioning reform . I pledge acevo support for this work . They are right to identify this as a major stumbling block to change and this is a message I have been hammering away on with Government.
The truth is the Green Paper does not contain many surprises but the fact that they have heard our concerns and want to take action is a step to progress. We now have to ensure they deliver the change to which they have committed. Actions always speak louder than words. So policies have to be grounded in practicalities before change become real.It is our job to ensure that happens . So acevo will carry on the push for better funding . longer term contracts and public service reform with Government and Opposition .
And as I remind a journalist if they are serious on profit I expect to see the many Tory Local authorities starting implementing this for their third sector clients. We shall see . I tell my folk back in the office we should conduct a survey of Tory authorities in a years time to gauge progress.
They also say they will consult on making the Compact statutory . Hooray . It can now only be a matter of time before the Government and the Compact Commissioner announce this reform . Indeed I understand it was only conventions that stopped the Tories actually saying they would make it statutory .But this is now just a question of how to do it , not whether it is a good thing . And about time too. Another notch on the acevo bedpost , if I can be so vulgar.
We are preparing for our Chief Executive Summit next week Alan Milburn MP and former Health Secretary is to speak. We have been talking to him about what the sector needs and he is up to a major speech on the role of the sector. he wants to outline a really radical vision of a strong sector driving social change , empowering communities and transforming public services. It promises to be challenging . And I have asked Greg Clark to speak on the Tory plans . Our members are in for a truly rewarding day . Book NOW ; June 12th .And you even get a speech from me on the need for sector mergers and partnerships with the private sector. If you want thought leadership ; think acevo. Whinging NO . Ideas for change YES.
Feeling fairly dazed I get back to London for an evening with Harvey Nash , the headhunters , who are having an evening of light Opera in St George's Hanover Sq. I'm gagging for a drink , or 2 , but mindful of the latest daft plans from the Home Office on " persistent drinking" ,for goodness sake, I am reasonably abstemious. I'm still fearful of the knock on the door from the local Constabulary after my scandalous" binge drinking with young nephews " revelations in the Sunday blog.
And I still have not prepared my speech for our trade union report launch in No 11 tomorrow morning . Breakfast time I ask you. Inspiring oratory over the croissants . We shall see.
Granny Gertrude Bubb was a formidable woman , at least so it seemed to a 8 year old boy . The long dress and coat .The forbidding hat . Gertrude died in 1960 when I was 8 . 46 years sater I am on my way to the launch of the Conservative Party Plans for the Third Sector at the inaptly named ( it is raining ) Sunlight Centre I doubt Granny would understand the term third Sector , but I suspect she would be hugely proud of her first born Great Grandson.
The Tories were having the launch of their Green Paper on the Sector at the aforementioned " Sunlight Centre * ( a former laundry as my Father reminds me ) , a social enterprise on Richmond Rd. It is in the very Parish where my Parents were married in 1952 as I tell Greg Clark MP , who is the Tory spokesperson on the Third Sector . He mentions this in his speech when he launches the plans with David Cameron. I'm flattered ,and even more so when he introduces me as " somewhat of a Guru for the Third Sector. " I always thought that Greg was very perspicacious.
The Green Paper is welcome . It should be as they have clearly been listening to the voices of sector Chief Executives. They make clear the need to reform contracts and commissioning , the desire to sweep away bureaucracy and to give the sector it's head. Of course in this they are reflecting what the current Government are trying to achieve , but who are finding that reality in local authorities and health trusts is very different from the bold rhetoric of Government support for the sector. Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the plans is their demand that charities be allowed to make profits....though David Cameron eschews that actual word and talks of surplus . But they are right. We should be able to make a surplus ,which we reinvest into the business ; building our capacity and ability to deliver professional services.
acevo has led the charge on funding and contract reform . We invented the term " full cost recovery " to ensure the state paid the full cost of the contracts they have with the third sector . The Government have accepted the concept as policy . But the Tories are going further . They are saying we should be on a par with the private sector in competition and as able to generate profit . This is counter cultural when most people think of the charity sector as all jumble sales and raffles , rather than professional deliverers of citizen focused services. I am quizzed by a journalist from The Times who suggests this is not a proper function of charity, but I hope I convince her a modern dynamic third sector is entitled to a proper return for good services delivered.
I ask David Cameron about their commitment to third sector service delivery .Their Green Paper says they support more service delivery through the sector but is light on specifics . So what , I ask, is their plan to achieve this ? He says long term contracts and effective commissioning . After the launch I talk to Francis Maude who says they intend to do more work on contract and commissioning reform . I pledge acevo support for this work . They are right to identify this as a major stumbling block to change and this is a message I have been hammering away on with Government.
The truth is the Green Paper does not contain many surprises but the fact that they have heard our concerns and want to take action is a step to progress. We now have to ensure they deliver the change to which they have committed. Actions always speak louder than words. So policies have to be grounded in practicalities before change become real.It is our job to ensure that happens . So acevo will carry on the push for better funding . longer term contracts and public service reform with Government and Opposition .
And as I remind a journalist if they are serious on profit I expect to see the many Tory Local authorities starting implementing this for their third sector clients. We shall see . I tell my folk back in the office we should conduct a survey of Tory authorities in a years time to gauge progress.
They also say they will consult on making the Compact statutory . Hooray . It can now only be a matter of time before the Government and the Compact Commissioner announce this reform . Indeed I understand it was only conventions that stopped the Tories actually saying they would make it statutory .But this is now just a question of how to do it , not whether it is a good thing . And about time too. Another notch on the acevo bedpost , if I can be so vulgar.
We are preparing for our Chief Executive Summit next week Alan Milburn MP and former Health Secretary is to speak. We have been talking to him about what the sector needs and he is up to a major speech on the role of the sector. he wants to outline a really radical vision of a strong sector driving social change , empowering communities and transforming public services. It promises to be challenging . And I have asked Greg Clark to speak on the Tory plans . Our members are in for a truly rewarding day . Book NOW ; June 12th .And you even get a speech from me on the need for sector mergers and partnerships with the private sector. If you want thought leadership ; think acevo. Whinging NO . Ideas for change YES.
Feeling fairly dazed I get back to London for an evening with Harvey Nash , the headhunters , who are having an evening of light Opera in St George's Hanover Sq. I'm gagging for a drink , or 2 , but mindful of the latest daft plans from the Home Office on " persistent drinking" ,for goodness sake, I am reasonably abstemious. I'm still fearful of the knock on the door from the local Constabulary after my scandalous" binge drinking with young nephews " revelations in the Sunday blog.
And I still have not prepared my speech for our trade union report launch in No 11 tomorrow morning . Breakfast time I ask you. Inspiring oratory over the croissants . We shall see.
Sunday, 1 June 2008
The Bishop and the Trout
I was talking to the Bishop of London yesterday . He boarded the train at Charlbury , ( escaping his in laws at Finstock ; the next village to Charlbury ) and I was heading for Oxford. I have been giving support to the Bishop in his campaign to get Government to provide funding to the many rural churches which want to provide better facilities ( loos and kitchens , as he says ) to enable them to be more effective community hubs. The village church in England has always been at the centre of the community ; whether for Church goers or not. As we lose village facilities like post offices , police and shops then the Church could play a much larger role. I know of one Church where there is a sub post office , and one which is used in a police support role. But often funders will not support the Church , either because they think " faith " is too difficult , or because they think Churches have oddles of heritage cash.
We also talk of the appalling stance of Government and politicians generally to crime. Always talking about punishment and retribution and ignoring the fact that most crime is committed by people who have been in prison ; so devoting resources to rehabilitation and to support for ex offenders is a much more effective way of cutting crime. Of course this would not please the Daily Mail so nothing much happens . And disgracefully the Government which had pledged to reform probation and establish an offender management service capitulated to the entrenched interest of the current prison and probation service who are lamentably failing in their jobs. The third sector could do so much better at this but pathetic funding regimes and lack of interest mean little is happening .
The Bishop says he was shocked when he discovered recently that the London Probation service have 45,000 people on their books. What is needed is a root and branch reform . This is not exactly rocket science; if you ensure someone coming out of prison has a job and a home , support for drug problems or tackling mental health troubles ,then a return to crime is less likely.
But I'm just a wet liberal . Far better to pander to Daily Mail prejudices and do nothing but build more prisons and bring in yet more laws .More ASBOs . A new law on binge drinking ( today's crack pot news from the Home Office ). More young people in the criminal justice system . Is there anyone with a brain left working in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office ?
The Bishop is a splendid chap; witty and erudite , the proper bearing for a high Prelate of the Church as by law established . A truly Trollopian figure in a Church where most Bishops nowadays wear trainers and jeans and expect to be called by their Christian names. Long may My Lord of London continue in his Episcopacy .
I leave my Lord Bishop at Oxford as O am taking my 2 nephews out to lunch at The Trout Inn at Godstow ; a charming 18th century hostelry next Godstow nunnery on the banks of the River Isis. Alexander ; the aesthete and vegetarian , is reading English at my old College , Christ Church . He has already won a national Poetry prize and was one of the team of 4 from the College that recently triumphed as champions of this year's University Challenge. He has just taken finals and we confidently expect a First . Julian is the butcher version , a hearty at Keble College reading History and German. He has recently been elected as Captain of Boats for the college rowing team . They has a disastrous Eights week just recently and Julian indicates he will lick them into shape I'm sure this is true. Bubbs do not like being associated with failure . We are a family of talent , brain and over achievement ( and the occasional eccentricity ).To celebrate his election he was stripped naked by the rowing 8 and impaled by croquet hoops in the front Quad , much Pimms and beer having previously been consumed . He shows me the hoop bruises. Well , well .
We have a great lunch . I discover the Cotes du Rhone is rather magnificent so we have 3 bottles , then stagger back to town through the marvellous open space of the Port Meadow. Get back in time for Evensong in my College Chapel ( it is also the Cathedral for Oxford ) and we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the BVM. Alexander comes with me . Not Julian ; he is an atheist. And probably had an appointment with a croquet hoop .
We also talk of the appalling stance of Government and politicians generally to crime. Always talking about punishment and retribution and ignoring the fact that most crime is committed by people who have been in prison ; so devoting resources to rehabilitation and to support for ex offenders is a much more effective way of cutting crime. Of course this would not please the Daily Mail so nothing much happens . And disgracefully the Government which had pledged to reform probation and establish an offender management service capitulated to the entrenched interest of the current prison and probation service who are lamentably failing in their jobs. The third sector could do so much better at this but pathetic funding regimes and lack of interest mean little is happening .
The Bishop says he was shocked when he discovered recently that the London Probation service have 45,000 people on their books. What is needed is a root and branch reform . This is not exactly rocket science; if you ensure someone coming out of prison has a job and a home , support for drug problems or tackling mental health troubles ,then a return to crime is less likely.
But I'm just a wet liberal . Far better to pander to Daily Mail prejudices and do nothing but build more prisons and bring in yet more laws .More ASBOs . A new law on binge drinking ( today's crack pot news from the Home Office ). More young people in the criminal justice system . Is there anyone with a brain left working in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office ?
The Bishop is a splendid chap; witty and erudite , the proper bearing for a high Prelate of the Church as by law established . A truly Trollopian figure in a Church where most Bishops nowadays wear trainers and jeans and expect to be called by their Christian names. Long may My Lord of London continue in his Episcopacy .
I leave my Lord Bishop at Oxford as O am taking my 2 nephews out to lunch at The Trout Inn at Godstow ; a charming 18th century hostelry next Godstow nunnery on the banks of the River Isis. Alexander ; the aesthete and vegetarian , is reading English at my old College , Christ Church . He has already won a national Poetry prize and was one of the team of 4 from the College that recently triumphed as champions of this year's University Challenge. He has just taken finals and we confidently expect a First . Julian is the butcher version , a hearty at Keble College reading History and German. He has recently been elected as Captain of Boats for the college rowing team . They has a disastrous Eights week just recently and Julian indicates he will lick them into shape I'm sure this is true. Bubbs do not like being associated with failure . We are a family of talent , brain and over achievement ( and the occasional eccentricity ).To celebrate his election he was stripped naked by the rowing 8 and impaled by croquet hoops in the front Quad , much Pimms and beer having previously been consumed . He shows me the hoop bruises. Well , well .
We have a great lunch . I discover the Cotes du Rhone is rather magnificent so we have 3 bottles , then stagger back to town through the marvellous open space of the Port Meadow. Get back in time for Evensong in my College Chapel ( it is also the Cathedral for Oxford ) and we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the BVM. Alexander comes with me . Not Julian ; he is an atheist. And probably had an appointment with a croquet hoop .
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