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This section details news updates relating to other matters.
Concise Guide to The Compact
The Commission for the Compact has published a 'Concise Compact Guide' offering "a quick, user-friendly summary of Compact undertakings for both the public and the third sector" on the national agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector.
Download the Guide from here or telephone 0121 237 5905 to order a copy.
How Charities Can Tackle Environmental Responsibility
The Charity Commission has published findings from research into the ways in which charities are taking environmental responsibility. 'Going Green: Charities and Environmental Responsibility' shows how 21 charities interested in environmental sustainability are tackling the challenge, from basic steps to fundamental changes in the way they deliver their services, and contains ideas that may be adapted and adopted.
To download the report click here
Joining Up for Stronger Voice for Health and Social Care Users
National Voices is a new umbrella organisation bringing together national voluntary organisations representing users of health and social care "to give them a stronger voice in policy-making".
It aims to ensure the service user is heard at the beginning of the policy-making process.
Their website can be found here
Online advice for older people and their carers
A service that provides a single source of information on care, housing and funding for older people has been created by a coalition of Help the Aged, Counsel and Care and the Elderly Accommodation Counsel.
It is provided through the FirstStop web site which can be found here
Updated PQASSO Quality Assurance System
The third edition of Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) has been produced published by Charities Evaluation Services.
Changes include more emphasis on the importance of planning and marketing of services, better support for working in partnership and greater focus on environmental and sustainability issues.
For more information click here
Changes in Rate Relief for Empty Property
From 6 April 2008 the rules on rate relief for empty non-domestic properties are tightened. Office and retail premises are eligible for full rate relief for the first three months after becoming vacant, and industrial and warehouse premises and listed buildings for the first six months. Thereafter full rates are payable.
Empty property with rateable value below £2,200 or properties where occupation is prevented by law or by a public authority is exempt from rates. Empty property owned by charities and community amateur sports clubs is eligible for 100% rate relief, so long as it appears that it will next be used wholly or mainly for charitable purposes or the purposes of the club. However, property held by a charity as an investment is subject to the same rules as non-charity property.
To read the relevant legislation click here and here
Explaining new Local Area Agreements
Urban Forum has produced a briefing about the new Local Area Agreements (LAAs) which local government will be implementing. It explains what they are and how they will work in their wider context of the New Performance Framework,
You can find out more from http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/word%20files/LAA_briefing_Jan_08.doc
Trade Mark Registration
Trade mark registration can protect an organisation's name, logo or slogans. In the past, a trade mark could not be registered if it was already registered for the same type of goods or services (called a class). As from 1 October 2007, the UK Intellectual Property Office will not automatically reject an application just because it is the same as or similar to another trade mark in the same class(es).
The UKIPO will send a search report to the applicant listing any marks which it considers to conflict with the applicant's. The applicant must, within two months, decide whether to continue with the application, withdraw it, or restrict the scope so it does not conflict with another mark.
If the applicant proceeds with their application the UKIPO notifies the owners of conflicting trade marks registered in the UK or under the Madrid protocol, and if any of them oppose the application, the UKIPO will reject the application.
For more information on Intellectual Property click here www.ipo.gov.uk
Driver Distraction
There has been much attention about driver distraction due to the use of mobile phones in vehicles, but increasingly research is also revealing the dangers of other forms of driver multi-tasking, and its contribution to road accidents.
ROSPA has produced a factsheet about driver distraction, and the dangers of distraction for other road users.
To view the factsheet click here
Train as a Quality Mark Peer Reviewer
Charities Evaluation Services is recruiting people within the voluntary and community sector who would like to become PQASSO Quality Mark peer reviewers, assessing organisations against the PQASSO standards.
For more information, see http://www.pqassoqualitymark.org.uk
Thinking about strategic choices
'Adventures in Strategy' a series of five 'think pieces' from the Performance Hub, addresses some strategic choices facing third sector leaders and managers. Titles include Renewing your strategy, Compete or collaborate?, Imagining the future using visions and scenarios.
To download go to the Hub's site
Making a citation
CIPD, the personnel professional's body, has a page on how to set out references (citations) "to all the books, reports and journal articles, electronic and paper, that you have read while doing research for your essays, assignments and management reports".
To read the guide go to: http://www.cipd.co.uk/about/library/referencing.htm
Environmental impact of community buildings
The Every Action Counts programme, getting voluntary groups to improve their environmental impact, has published a booklet entitled 'Your community building counts: helping community buildings lead the way to a better future' which gives advice reducing a community building’s impact on the environment.
You can download the large (2.78mb) pdf file from here
Privacy Impact Assessment
The Information Commissioner's Office has published a Privacy Impact Assessment handbook to help organisations address the risks to personal privacy before implementing new IT systems or changing the way they handle personal information.
You can download the handbook from here
Data Protection Act Exemption Guidance
Voluntary and Community organisations are exempt from registering with the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act in certain circumstances.
The Information Commissioner has issued a new Good Practice Note covering some frequently asked questions including details of when the exemption applies. The note states "The exemption applies to processing which is only for the purposes of: establishing or maintaining membership; supporting a not-for-profit body or association; or providing or administering activities for either the members or those who have regular contact with it."
To read or download the note, click here
Personal Screenreader Software
Thunder is award-winning screenreader talking software for blind and visually impaired people, currently only available for machines using Windows. Supplied by Screenreader.net CIC for personal use at no cost, with multi-user licences available for colleges etc.
To find out more or to download the software go to http://www.screenreader.net
What is Choose and Book?
Choose and Book is a national service that, for the first time, combines electronic booking and a choice of place, date and time for first outpatient appointments. It is hoped the new system will revolutionise the current booking system, with patients able to choose their initial hospital appointment, and book it on the spot in the surgery or later on the phone or via the internet at a time that is more convenient to them.
Research has consistently shown that patients want to be more involved in taking decisions and choosing their healthcare. The majority of patients who are offered choice view the experience as positive and valuable.
To find out more go to www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk and www.nhschoices.nhs.uk
Tools For Strategic Planning: What Works Best
The Performance Hub has produced a new publication containing their findings from their action research project on how to form a good strategy. It contains practical tips and learning from the experiences of voluntary and community sector organisations.
The experiences underlined how strategic planning provides an opportunity to consider the 'bigger picture' and to think laterally, outside the day-to-day tasks of running an organisation.
To download the full report or the summary of ten top tips click here
Resources for strategic analysis
NCVO’s Third Sector Foresight project has launched a new site bringing together a variety of resources to help voluntary and community organisations create effective plans with strategic insight and planning tools.
To find out more visit http://www.3s4.org.uk/
Sharing personal information between organisations
The final version of the framework code of practice for sharing personal information between organisations has now been published by the Information Commissioner.
You can download this from http://digbig.com/4tskd
Codes for premises
A new user-friendly guide to a newly updated Code for Leasing Business Premises has been produced as the result of collaboration between commercial property professionals and industry bodies representing both landlords and tenants. It includes a useful checklist when negotiating a new lease or a renewal.
For more information go to http://www.leasingbusinesspremises.co.uk/
A new Code of Practice on Service Charges in Commercial Property has been produced by the Royal Institute of Charted Surveyors which aims to make service charges more transparent and fairer.
For more information go to http://www.servicechargecode.co.uk/
Translation tools
FreePint, the information professionals newsletter, has produced a round-up of useful language translation web sites
This can be read at: http://www.freepint.com/issues/270907.htm#favourites
The British Social Attitudes Report
The British Social Attitudes 24th Report has been published, the report describes the state of public attitudes towards: relationships and parenting; cohabitation; gender roles; national identity; working in the public sector; prejudice; car use and the environment; newspapers; political participation; party policies; and poverty.
To see a summary of the findings click here
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