Voluntary sector leaders warn of missed opportunity to reach into communities and make new structures fully representative
Local charities are being shut out of devolution planning in England, voluntary sector leaders have warned after a survey found that only one in 20 grassroots groups believed they had been consulted on the process in their area.
Failure to involve the local third sector means that emerging “devo” practices risk missing the opportunity to draw on the sector’s reach into communities and to make new structures fully representative.
The warning comes in response to the third annual survey by Localgiving, the leading UK network for local charities and community groups. Of respondents in areas of England where devo has begun, such as Greater Manchester and the west of England, 5% said they could recall being consulted about the process.
Among all 686 respondents, 27% thought the impact of devo would be positive and 17% that it would be negative, but the majority were unsure or believed it would have no significant impact.
There were sharp differences in attitudes around the UK. Only 25% of English respondents thought the impact would be positive, rising to 35% in Wales and 56% in Scotland, where no one regarded it as negative.
Chris Dormer, head of business development at Localgiving, said at the launch of the survey report that it was “crazy” for grassroots groups to be excluded from devo planning “when you think these are organisations helping so many beneficiaries, working close to the ground, having such knowledge”.
Related: Local charities stretched to breaking, with half not sure of surviving
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