Subjects:

Charities

Contents:

Part 1 Regulation and accountability of the voluntary sector: the legal framework for community involvement, Ian Leigh

judicial review of voluntary bodies, Ann Lyon

policing the voluntary sector - legal issues and volunteer vetting, Susan R. Moody

board responsibilities in the voluntary sector - the case of housing associations, Alice Belcher

guarantee companies in the voluntary sector, Joanna Gray

the regulation of charities in Scotland, Christine R. Barker

the privatisation of social housing - capture and commercialisation of a voluntary sector, Chris Handy. Part 2 Activities and conflict in the voluntary sector: paying the piper - the ""contract culture"" as dependency culture for charities?, Debra Morris

shoots among the grassroots - political activity and the independence of the voluntary sector, Alison Dunn

justifying the ban on politics in charity, Stephen Swann

taxation of trades in the charities sector, Ian Dawson

establishment and autonomy - the Church of England as a voluntary body, David Harte

challenges and dilemmas faced by conservation and animal welfare charities who both enforce the law and press for changes, Stuart Harrop

conflicts of interest in charity law, Peter Luxton

voluntary action and the future of civil society, Nicholas Deakin.

The essays in this collection draw out the tensions between the voluntary sector, the state and the law, and highlight the many areas where relationships between the principal actors are uneasy. The principles of independence and autonomy, regulation and accountability, and patronage through partnership have underpinned the development of the ""third sector"" in the 1980s and 1990s. The accommodation of these themes has created tensions, not least because the boundaries between state and voluntary responsibilities have shifted.;The emphasis of government has switched from the role of provider to enabler and regulator. The economic climate has meant that many charities and voluntary organizations have been forced by financial pressures to offer services, engage in trading activities and perform a wide range of sometimes conflicting functions which can threaten their relationship with users and funders. The contributions to this volume address the pressing legal questions about governance, openness, accountability and regulation raised by the changes.;The issues covered in this book include: governance of voluntary bodies; accountability to government and to users; legal structures; regulation and privatization; partnership with central and legal government; taxation of trading activities; volunteer behaviour and regulation; political independence and control; conflicts of interests; and the future of civil society.