NCVO and Acevo are both reviewing the Charity Commission, but there’s no suggestion of one-upmanship, says Ian Allsop.

Right let's get one thing out of the way first. Last month’s CFG dinner. It was very good. We move on.

Anyway I am sure if it wasn’t considered to be up to scratch there would be plenty of other umbrella bodies prepared to review whether the event was fit for purpose. They like that sort of thing. As if it didn’t have enough on its plate fighting terrorists, the Charity Commission faces not one but two independent reviews of how it operates.

Tripping over each other

NCVO and Acevo nearly tripped over each other in the rush to announce what they were up to in the last week of October. NCVO got there first but Acevo claimed that actually, yeah, it had been planning its own review since 1948 or something.

Naturally, there is no suggestion of one-upmanship from either of the two organisations which are completely different, other than the fact they are both headed by men whose names start with ‘Sir St’. As such, the reviews will be complementary if not complimentary.

What isn’t clear is what will happen once they are completed or what authority they will have. I expect that ultimately the Charity Commission will initiate an inquiry into the role of the committees reviewing its role. And then NCVO will set up a working party to dissect Acevo’s work, while Acevo will similarly convene one to pull NCVO’s recommendations to pieces.

One part of NCVO’s self-appointed brief will focus on options for funding the Commission’s work, and whether different models of financing may make it a more effective regulator. It will also explore how to avoid the (in my view) inaccurate accusations of political bias it has had to contend with from people who confuse bias with the Commission not doing what they would like.

Acevo has said it will look at what changes could be made to improve the regulatory framework and remove red tape. This could be risky, as it may be the red tape that is holding everything together.

Let’s hope Sir St Bubb doesn’t fall foul of his own contradictory stance on regulation, which at times has been that the Charity Commission should demonstrate a light touch and do less regulating, while on other occasions criticising it when it isn’t regulating enough – depending on what the issue is and how it affects his agenda.

You can’t pick and choose what a regulator regulates any more than you can select what label the free champagne is at a corporate-sponsored reception.

Because, of course, the one thing that is guaranteed with these types of review is the opportunity for a top-level launch party. With fizz and canapes. And nothing reflects ‘helping-the-disadvantaged’ more than free sparkly.

Speaking of which, I always thought I would love to write reviews about the quality of food and drink in the charity sector – be it in-house catering at the gleaming investment houses, or the quality of the vol-au-vents at close-of-conference receptions.

A metaphor for regulation

I was reminded of this recently when hosted by a fund manager, which I obviously cannot name, but if I could I would wholeheartedly recommend the raspberry soufflé.

Powerful yet lightweight – a gastronomic contradiction which could well serve as a metaphor for the type of regulation that whets the appetite of many in the sector. It will be interesting to see what recipe the respective NCVO and Acevo menus end up presenting.

The other thing the two organisations will be keeping a close eye on is the accountability, balance and proportionate wisdom of the latest civil society minister, Rob Wilson. I have been outraged by him saying at least two things so far that were sensible.

He does seem to be savvy enough to at least try and engage and say the right thing, whatever he thinks in private. As such the sector should support him until May when Lisa Nandy takes over. Or a Ukip bloke (bound to be a bloke). Will they have a charity minister? Or will it be a ‘Begins at Home’ one?

Which seems a good point to end things, while wondering how long it will be before NaCeVo commence independent assessments of what I have just written and how this column is regulated.

Ian Allsop is a freelance editor and journalist, and regular contributor to Charity Finance