Jamie Carpenter,
Regeneration & Renewal,
9 May 2008
A new target to assess councils' efforts to create an environment for a thriving third sector will not measure their progress in supporting informal grass-roots groups, it has emerged.
Councils and their partners are currently agreeing with central government up to 35 targets that will be included in their Local Area Agreement (Laa) deals.
But third sector umbrella bodies are concerned that one of the targets - to create an environment for a thriving third sector - will sideline informal groups.
Progress will be measured through a survey that will be sent only to bodies that are registered with voluntary sector regulator the Charity Commission, missing out thousands of unregistered groups.
Neil Cleeveley, director of information and policy at umbrella body the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action, said some councils may focus resources on larger charities, because "that's what they'll be measured on". He said: "It's good we've got the indicator, but it's how we use it to make sure partners are ensuring a strong third sector."
New figures published this week reveal that the indicator is currently a priority for central government and local areas in 56 of England's 150 Laa areas.
- Headline Messages from the National Laa Negotiations is available via www.regen.net/doc.
