NICVA Executive meets with DSD Permanent Secretary

Speaking after the meeting, NICVA Chair Bob Stronge said: "We were delighted to welcome the Permanent Secretary to NICVA and take the opportunity to talk to him about some of the serious issues facing voluntary and community organisations."

He continued: "This afternoon's meeting was frank and useful and we look forward to continuing this engagement with Mr Haire and his staff in the coming months."

The agenda for the meeting focused on key issues that will impact across the voluntary and community sector, such as the relationship between government and the voluntary and community sector and how the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Government's ideas around The Big Society might play out in Northern Ireland.    
 
The looming cuts to public expenditure were prominent on the agenda. The NICVA Executive Committee was strong in its opinion on the growing concern in the sector that services provided by voluntary and community organisations are particularly vulnerable to cuts as public sector budget holders struggle to cope with reduced budgets.  Mr Haire confirmed that he would be coordinating a meeting of Principle Finance Officers from across government to raise this issue with them.

The practical details of the process of deciding public expenditure in Northern Ireland following the budget announcement on 22 June were also discussed and the NICVA Executive raised the point that the voluntary and community sector will be keen to engage with government as early as possible in that process.  
 
The Review of Public Administration and the recent decision to retain 26 councils for the 2011 elections was also discussed.  Executive members queried whether initiatives such as the transfer of the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to local councils would now go ahead.  The Permanent Secretary assured the meeting that these issues will be high on the agenda of the new DSD Minister in the coming months.