Charities don’t want charity, ACEVO’s voluntary sector “manifesto” for the next General Election argues that many of its members want to play a bigger role in both designing and delivering public services but due to current procurement policies barriers are created which often result in poor outcomes for users. The new positions would allow the government’s work with charities and not-for-profit organisations to be better managed, thus leading to more successful service performance.

Stephen Bubb, chief executive of ACEVO, says: “The sector can deliver many key public services more effectively and at better value than the state. We want to be part of radical solutions in mainstream public service delivery, not just tinkering on the edges. This would lead to a more streamlined civil service, and better use of public money.

“This agenda can only be delivered by a Cabinet Minister, supported by a Charity Tsar and top level civil service team.”

Beth Breeze, deputy director of the Institute for Philanthropy and an adviser on the development of the manifesto, says: “Politicians reading ACEVO’s manifesto are in for a surprise. They might expect charity chief executives to be lobbying for special treatment or putting out the begging bowl. But in fact they are simply asking all political parties to take reasonable steps to give charities the support they need to fulfil their missions.”

The manifesto contains a total of 10 proposals that focus on modernising and professionalising charities and not-for-profit organisations. It follows the Efficiency Review, an independent consultation into the way government does business by Sir Peter Gershon, which recommended the development of a more efficient relationship between government and the sector. The sector had originally been omitted from the Review’s remit until intensive lobbying by charity ceo’s resulted in this decision being reversed.