Policy reports

Introduction The purpose of the Exemption Scheme is to support small-medium sized third sector organisations by exempting them from meeting the cost of water and sewerage services. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a new exemption scheme for third sector... Read more

Our response SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation. Our response draws from a number of discussions held with our members, third sector intermediary bodies and our Policy Committee. We are clear that the primary role for government and the public sector in... Read more

Our response The Need for Change Have there been significant changes over the last decade in the way that lobbying is carried out? Since the inception of the Scottish Parliament, the third sector’s role in the creation of public policy has increased steadily. By developing strong... Read more

More options download as a PDF document download as a Word document Introduction SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to this review of sanctions within the Jobseekers Allowance regime. Our aim in this response is to highlight the devastating impact of sanctions on... Read more

Key principles Local democracy is not the same as local government. Local representative democracy and participative democracy, where people associate directly to make change happen, act in concert to check and balance each other. Elected representatives need to nourish and... Read more

SCVO briefing The non-party campaigning section of this bill must be withdrawn The bill is an attack on democracy which could restrict legitimate participation in the political process Implications of the changes in Scotland The reductions in spending and registration thresholds... Read more

1. Underpinning objectives and principles Earlier this year, SCVO produced a paper which outlined third sector thinking about the principles and objectives which might underpin a future welfare settlement in Scotland. The paper argues that the starting point for welfare in... Read more

This paper is on Simplified Costs Options - Models for Third Sector Delivery Agents. The recommendations in this paper are based on the information available from the European Commission, including COCOF note 09/0025/04/EN, which provides technical guidance on how to interpret... Read more

The role of the Third Sector in the implementation and delivery of European Structural Funds has been recognised at policy and operational level by Scottish Government and the European Commission. The Commission in its guidance to Member States in preparing for the next programme... Read more

The European Network of National Civil Society Associations (ENNA) was founded in Belgium in 2011, following a series of successful transnational projects led by its founding members. The young network brings together national associations, platforms, umbrella, and civil society... Read more

General statement on composition of trustees Composition of Trustees 4A The Trustees shall exercise their powers under clause 5 with regard to appointment of Trustees in such a way as to ensure that, so far as reasonably possible, at any given time:- [insert appropriate material... Read more

Introduction SCVO is alarmed by the legislation being brought forward as part of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administrations Bill. It is our view that the second part of the Bill which focusses on non-party campaigning is an attack on... Read more

Our response SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation and would like to contribute to the following: Introduction SCVO begins this submission by pointing out that to the third sector it is not necessarily important what is devolved and what is not. What is... Read more

SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to this enquiry. Economic growth As in our other budget submissions we question the focus on economic growth which persists throughout the Draft Budget. It is our view that a focus on ‘sustainable economic growth’ will not address the... Read more

Our response Long-term funding Many within the third sector do not receive funding from local authorities over more than one year. This is detrimental to their ability to plan for the future and provide the best service they can to what are often vulnerable groups. Long-term... Read more

SCVO welcomes the opportunity to contribute this written submission to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee as part of its consideration of the Freedom of Information Designations Order. In your invitation to us it is stated: ‘To this end we would welcome a written... Read more

Shifting the balance of the bill The need to radically rethink how public services operate and the outcomes they achieve is part of the rationale behind the Bill. There are significant challenges ahead in this regard, not least of these being the need to shift power and resources... Read more

Introduction SCVO welcomes the opportunity to make a written submission to the Health and Sport Committee as it begins to consider the Public Bodies Bill. Major change is required in the way Scotland approaches the health and wellbeing of its population if we are, as a nation, to... Read more

Introduction SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the above regulations which will drive implementation of the Self Directed Support (SDS) legislation. Our response covers some specific points in relation to the tone and emphasis of the guidance... Read more

Our response SECTION 2 : SETTING THE CONTEXT Question 1: Given the EU’s Common Strategic Framework approach do you agree or disagree that EU funds in Scotland should be marshalled into three funds (paragraph 27)? Agree As a means of driving the integration and more effective... Read more

Our briefing SCVO welcomes the opportunity to input into the Bill and would like to contribute the following for members’ consideration: This is an opportunity to move the debate beyond technical issues to a wider discussion about how we can encourage people to get involved in... Read more

Summary The Stage 1 debate on the Referendum (Scotland) Bill on 14th May is an opportunity to move the debate beyond the technical issues of the franchise to a wider discussion of how we can encourage people to get involved in the debate. SCVO recently convened a voter... Read more

SCVO welcomes the opportunity to respond to this inquiry . We are pleased that the committee has opted for an ‘open information gathering’ approach. We would like to make the following five suggestions for improving the delivery of regeneration. Commit to genuine community-led... Read more

SCVO views the issue of land reform primarily in terms of the individuals and communities who live on the land. We are concerned with the potential for their relationship with the land to empower them to take voluntary action to help themselves and others and to bring about... Read more

1. The challenge for the third sector From advice providers and housing associations to homelessness services, carers’ organisations, and many more, a large slice of Scotland’s third sector works towards anti-poverty and pro-equality missions. With people and families across the... Read more