Voluntary Action Westminster has welcomed Westminster Council’s new consultation on a proposed civic contract, but  warned that proposals for benefit claimants to do more community work, must have no element of compulsion.

This week, Tory-run Westminster Council has launched a consultation on a civic contract, which includes a series of measures to encourage people to get more involved in their community. It suggests, for example, that volunteers in the community should receive some form of benefit for their contribution.

The consultation also proposes expecting benefit claimants to do more community-based work to help other residents while they’re in receipt of benefits.

Bernard Collier, chief executive Voluntary Action Westminster, told civilsociety.co.uk that the consultation had a lot of positive and interesting ideas, but that it would be wrong to compel benefit claimants to volunteer:

“If there is an element of compulsion it ceases to be voluntary. Therefore by definition it is not volunteering,” he said. “We will be making this clear when we respond to the consultation.”