The government has announced the membership of an expert group to oversee implementation of its Civil Society Covenant, which it says will bring the voluntary sector “into the heart of decision making”.
The new Civil Society Council will be chaired by National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) chief Kate Lee and will meet quarterly in Downing Street, a 10 March statement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said.
Matt Hyde, Lloyds Bank Foundation CEO, Gemma Peters, Macmillan Cancer Support chief and Saeed Atcha, who heads Youth Leads UK, are among 12 other appointees.
In December 2025, the government invited sector experts to apply for positions on a new advisory body to provide strategic oversight of the covenant, which was published in July.
Lee, ahead of the council’s first meeting in April, said: “Together, we share a commitment to resetting the relationship between government and civil society.
“I have no doubt this group will help turn that commitment into real change.”
The covenant was launched as a set of principles designed to reset the relationship between the state and the charity sector. It included plans for a “joint civil society council”.
This has now been realised after an expression of interest process which garnered almost 600 applications.
The council will provide a central forum for charities to address problems that intersect with government and influence policymaking.
Civil society's ‘insight’ needed to drive change
One of the new Civil Society Council members, Innes Morgan, director and founder of Act with Purpose, an organisation which works across civil society, said: “The Civil Society Covenant is a chance to reimagine how government can work with communities, to rebuild trust, and to collaborate with civil society.
“I’m deeply proud and honoured to have been appointed to the council, and I look forward to contributing to a partnership that will drive real and lasting change.”
In July last year, the Civil Society Advisory Group, which contains leaders of sector bodies such as NCVO and ACEVO, said it would take “honesty and humility” to build trust.
The group added that tangible change was needed so that civil society was valued as an expert and strategic partner.
Reacting to the new council’s formation, Gemma Peters, Macmillan chief executive, echoed this sentiment. “Throughout my career, and most especially at Macmillan, I’ve seen how civil society organisations bring fresh insight and real-world experience into policymaking and service delivery,” she said.
“I’m committed to championing that contribution and ensuring the voices of communities are at the heart of national decision-making,” Peters added.
The full list of appointees is as follows: Kate Lee, Matt Hyde, Gemma Peters, Innes Morgan, Saeed Atcha, Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, WCVA chief, Maddy Desforges, NAVCA CEO and Rob Wickham, Church Urban Fund chief.
Charlotte Hill, The Felix Project & FareShare CEO, Emma de Closset, chief of UK Community Foundations, Mark Russell, CEO of The Children’s Society and Clare Moriarty, Citizens Advice chief, complete the council.
