Kevin Curley, chief executive of Navca will represent the voluntary sector on a stakeholder group established to provide advice to the government for the upcoming 2010 spending review.

The Independent Challenge Group will provide advice to the Treasury on the 2010 spending review over the next month.

Curley is the only civil society leader appointed to the body. Other representatives on the group include key business and government figures, such as Douglas Flint, executive director, HSBC and Anita Charlesworth, chief information officer, Department for Culture, Media and Sports.

Mike Martin, Navca's chair, said: "With the public sector funding cuts already affecting many in the voluntary sector, it is reassuring that the Treasury has appointed a prominent, trusted representative from the sector to ensure all decisions from the review will challenged and discussed."

The spending review, which will set out the government’s new spending plans for the years 2011-12 and 2014-15 is being highly anticipated by the voluntary sector who are wary of high level cuts.

The review is due to be published on Wednesday 20 October 2010 and the government has set out a detailed framework which will underpin the review.

The government spending criteria is -

- Does the government need to fund this activity?
- Does the activity provide substantial economic value?
- Can the activity be targeted to those most in need?
- How can the activity be provided at lower cost?
- How can the activity be provided more effectively?- Can the activity be provided by a non-state provider?
- Can non-state providers be paid to carry out the activity according to the results they achieve?
- Can local bodies as opposed to central government provide the activity?

For a full list of members of the Independent Challenge Group click here.