We want to see a transformation in the role of community groups, social enterprises and the voluntary sector to help build a stronger society for all of us.
A Conservative government would create a more supportive environment for philanthropy and volunteering, reduce the bureaucracy faced by charities and voluntary groups, and enable them to earn a return on any investment they make in providing public services.
We would enhance the role played by charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in tackling the problems facing our society, with a series of measures including:
-
Reforming the Gift Aid system of tax relief on charitable donations to encourage more people to give to charity;
-
Reforming the Big Lottery Fund to ensure it spends all its Lottery funding on the voluntary and community sectors;
-
Enabling charities and voluntary organisations to make a fair return on money they spend on providing public services, just as private businesses already do;
-
Creating a single, simple website to advertise Government grant schemes, helping smaller charities to win a fair share of Government funding;
-
Encouraging regular volunteering by giving central Government employees an annual volunteering leave entitlement;
-
Reforming the criminal records checks system, which is currently slow, bureaucratic and puts people off volunteering;
-
Creating Social Enterprise Zones – areas where relaxed tax and benefit rules would help social entrepreneurs and the voluntary sector deal with problems such as drug abuse.