The Office for Civil Society has said that its “budget is due to increase over this Parliament” in its submission to the House of Lords Select Committee on Charities.
In its submission, published on the committee’s website yesterday, the OCS outlined how it is working to support the sector.
It said that: “The 2015 Spending Review delivered funding for OCS to carry on this work. In fact the OCS budget is due to increase over this Parliament, and we’re also looking at ways of unlocking other resources for the sector such as through the Dormant Assets Commission.”
When the Spending Review was published in November 2015 it was announced that the OCS headcount would be reduced, but have responsibility for distributing £80m new funding for social impact bonds. The Cabinet Office, then the OCS’s parent department, saw its budget cut by 26 per cent, but the specific budget for the OCS was not revealed.
Previous government documents have shown the OCS budget, excluding spend on National Citizen Service, to be £56m.
In the submission to the Lords’ committee OCS said it was currently working on incorporating its plans into the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s departmental plan.
“We are looking to build upon existing partnerships and realise further benefits and opportunities from this move,” OCS said.
Charity Commission board
The OCS also revealed that it has completed interviews for the vacant Charity Commission board posts. These were due to be filled by 1 September.
“The government accepted the National Audit Office recommendation to recruit a board member for the Commission with digital expertise; interviews for that post have concluded,” it said, “and with a strong field of candidates an announcement is expected shortly (along with other board member appointments).”
Public service delivery
The OCS also said that it is talking to the sector, commissioners and other public bodies about involving small charities in public service delivery.
“Supporting civil society’s role in public services is another priority for OCS,” it said. “This is another area where we have listened to sector concerns and are acting on them.”
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