Longer funding deals and a new Civil Society Council promised
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has pledged to forge a new relationship between the state and the voluntary sector.
He also said new ways have to be found to secure funding for third sector organisations in order to end the uncertainty of them existing hand to mouth.
Murphy claimed a future Labour government would look at five-year – or “parliament-long” - funding deals.
He also pledged to set up a Civil Society Council in elected.
This would be a forum where charities and others could hold government policy to account and scrutiny.
Mr Murphy made the pledge at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Gatheringin Glasgow’s SECC.
The two day event has seen a series of promises made to the third sector by senior figures in Scottish politics.
Social justice secretary Alex Neil announcedthere will be £6.1 million funding for Community Jobs Scotland to help the third sector create 1000 more jobs.
He also promised“a new social justice agenda will put communities and people at the heart of decisions affecting them.”
Meanwhile, in an exclusive eve-of-Gathering interviewwith TFN, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon committed to look at implementing three year funding deals for the third sector.
Murphy’s pledge trumped this. He said year to year funding, which creates a massive sense of job insecurity in the sector, “wouldn’t be acceptable anywhere else in the economy”, adding: “it’s unacceptable for workers to live with potential redundancy notices being handed to them year after year.”
In his speech, Murphy said: “The voluntary sector has a vital role to play in criticising and challenging government.
“It is crucial that a strong third sector feels able to do this wholeheartedly without ever worrying that your policy decisions will affect your funding.
“That means secure, long term funding for the sector.
“For years politicians and the sector have discussed how short-term funding holds back the third sector from delivering its full potential.
“In my discussions with voluntary sector organisations I have heard over and over again that many in the sector are often left with no idea whether they will have continuity of funding and, in some cases they are told with a month of funding left to exist.
“I recently heard this loudly and clearly in a meeting with the sector in Aberdeen.
“It’s time to give the third sector the security it needs.
“Both government and the sector want to demonstrate that the funding is making a real difference to people’s lives but I think there is a more sustainable and successful way of doing this.”
As well as increasing funding timescales, he said all funding decisions should be made by January before the end of the tax year.
He said a permanent Civil Society Council would allow the third sector to play a part in the “restructuring of power” across Scotland.
In his speech, Murphy also promised to bring in legislation which would end zero hours contracts and to reform taxation in order to redistribute wealth, including implementing a so-called “mansion tax”.
He said: “My socialism is the language of priorities. It isn’t just enough for people to claim to be on the progressive left – they must show it by putting forward real policies that lay bare their real priorities.”
