English councils make charities a priority

By Paul Jump, Third Sector Online, 1 July 2008

Phil Hope, the third sector minister, hailed news that almost two-thirds of English councils are prioritising the voluntary sector in their Local Area Agreements as a "defining moment" for the Government's efforts to support charities.

Under the new system of agreements, top-tier councils are required to prioritise 35 out of 198 new national performance indicators, in accordance with their area’s particular needs for the next three years. The Communities and Local Government department launched the scheme yesterday. Of England’s 150 councils, 61 have chosen national...