Voluntary groups highly dissatisfied with help from local statutory bodies

Finance | Tania Mason | 6 May 2009

The largest-ever government-sponsored survey of third sector organisations has produced an average national score for how effectively local statutory bodies help them achieve their aims, of just 16 per cent.

The low scoring has prompted charities minister Kevin Brennan to urge local authorities, primary care trusts and other local government bodies, to redouble their efforts to improve their performance under the National Indicator 7 – ‘An environment for a thriving third sector’.

Brennan said: “Now that the survey has provided a baseline score - we will judge local statutory bodies on their progress at developing their relationship with local third sector organisations."

However, he stopped short of criticising the statutory organisations, and expressed confidence that their performance would improve.

“Overall, I’m confident that there will be progress, we’ve already had really positive feedback from the survey and I’m pleased to note that local statutory body chief executives are very keen to develop their relationships with the third sector.”

The results differed vastly according to whether the respondent third sector organisations had current contact with local statutory bodies. Where they did, they give an NI 7 score of 75 per cent. Where they had little or no contact, the score dropped to 3 per cent.

The survey was mailed to more than 104,000 charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises, and 48,949 – 47 per cent - completed it.

The full results will be published today on the survey website.

Who's Who: Tania Mason

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