New advisory group
Introduction
The final report of the third sector review sets out measures for how the
Office of the Third Sector will strengthen and rationalise its advisory
structures.
It will do this by committing to fund the strategic partner programme into
the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review years (2008–2011), and by creating a
single, streamlined advisory body.
The new advisory structure will be established for April 2008 (see section
2.34 of the
full report).
More details of the strategic partner programme are available on the
webpage on
our strategic partners.
Existing advisory structures
Until 31 March 2008 there are currently a number of bodies reporting to
Office of the Third Sector that advise ministers about aspects of third
sector policy:
-
the Voluntary and Community Sector Advisory Group, which
advises on voluntary and community sector policy and practice
-
the Futurebuilders Advisory Panel, which advises
ministers on the progress of the Futurebuilders programme and acts as a
'critical friend' to the programme
-
the Infrastructure National Partnership which advises
not only ministers but also other Government bodies and Capacitybuilders
on the strategy and implementation of the Government's ChangeUp
programme (which is run by Capacitybuilders)
-
the third sector review advisory group, which has
advised ministers on the review (no longer convened)
The OTS would like to thank all of the chairs and members of the OTS
advisory groups above and recognise their work and contribution towards
programmes such as Capacitybuilders and Futurebuilders as well as the Third
Sector Review.
The new single advisory body
The new advisory structure will replace the three advisory structures
currently operating and be complemented by our strategic partners
programme.
Having sought views on how best to establish a single advisory body via
questionnaires and feedback from existing advisory groups. The Minister for
the Third Sector has decided that the advisory body will be set up as an
advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB). There will be up to 12
individual members and one chair, placed on the body as a public
appointment. The chair and members will be recruited in line with the
Office of the Commission for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of practice
for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.
The primary purpose of the body will be to provide advice to Ministers and
the OTS in overseeing the implementation of the third sector review
commitments and priorities. It will work with our strategic partners.
Ministers will also be looking to members of the advisory body to present
ideas about future priorities, issues and policies which might affect the
sector.
Recruitment for the chair and members is now open. Please go to the
microsite for more details and how to apply - www.otsadvisorybody.org[External website]
