Lord Hodgson disappointed his lobbying act recommendations will be ignored

The Conservative peer says the decision risks more confusion occurring at election times

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts has said the government’s decision to not enact his reforms to the lobbying act is “disappointing” and risked allowing problems with the act to reappear at the next general election.

The Conservative peer, who carried out a government-commissioned review of the lobbying act that was published last year, told Third Sector his proposals were received well by both the sector and the government, and warned that not enacting the reforms risked confusion about the act resurfacing in the future.

His comments come after the decision announced by the Cabinet Office earlier today to not enact the reforms, which Third Sector understands related to a lack of space in the legislative programme.

The lobbying act sets spending limits and makes it a legal necessity for all organisations that spend more that £20,000 in England or £10,000 in Wales on regulated campaigning in the year prior to an election to register with the Electoral Commission.

Hodgson’s review of the lobbying act called for a number of reforms, including reducing the regulated campaign period to four months before an election, changes to the rules on joint campaigning and reducing the scope of the lobbying act to include only activity intended to influence how members of the public vote.

Hodgson told Third Sector: “Obviously I’m disappointed because it was well received by the sector and it was well received by the government. There were a number of statements from ministers that they proposed to bring the reforms forward.

“The question is are they going back on their previous belief that the proposals were quite sensible and could provide the basis for some discussions or legislation, or is it because there is not enough time? Is it in the long grass or is it in the pavilion, so to speak?”

Hodgson said he understood that Brexit had taken up a significant amount of the legislative programme, but by not legislating to reform the lobbying act the government was making it likely that problems would reappear at future elections.

“We’re bound to be under a certain amount of Brexit pressure; from now until 2019 there’s bound to be a lot of pressure on the timetable,” Hodgson said.

“The question of course is that these things only really come to the fore when we have an election, and in between it is out of sight, out of mind. We are mid-election and nobody cares about this at all that much. But of course it will then come up during election time when there is a problem and it will be too late then to do anything about it.”

Hodgson’s comments come after condemnation of the government’s decision by several charity sector representative bodies, including Acevo, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the international development umbrella body Bond and the Charities Aid Foundation. 

Steve Reed, the shadow minister for civil society, said: “It’s shocking that the government is ignoring the Hodgson review’s recommendations. It’s the latest in a long line of decisions that show utter contempt for the sector.

“Yet again this weak government has shown it is afraid to be challenged and fearful of being questioned.

“More than 100 organisations have now publicly called for the government to remove the gag it has placed on charities. A Labour government will listen to them and scrap the lobbying act so charities can once again speak up for the people they work with.”

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‘Unprofessional’ charities have ignored levy payment requests, says Lord Grade

The chair of the Fundraising Regulator says 138 charities have not responded to requests for payment of the fundraising levy

Lord Michael Grade, chair of the Fundraising Regulator, has reiterated calls for large fundraising charities to pay the fundraising levy and said it was “unacceptable and unprofessional” that 138 had ignored letters requesting payment.

In a blog on the Fundraising Regulator’s website about his first meeting with Amanda Bringans, chair of the Institute of Fundraising, Grade said more than 1,400 charities had paid or promised to pay the levy to fund the regulator.

“Those charities that haven’t paid are effectively being subsidised by those who have, which is hardly a fair situation,” said Grade.

“All of these charities have the ability to pay the levy. It is unacceptable and unprofessional that 138 charities have still not even responded to our several communications about the levy. If a charity feels that it should not pay the levy, we need to know why.”

Almost 1,800 charities that spend more than £100,000 a year on fundraising are eligible to pay the levy.

The regulator is due to announce by the end of the month the names of all the charities that fall within the scope of the levy and whether or not they have paid.

Bringans wrote in a blog post about their meeting last month that Grade had agreed to speak more positively about fundraisers after he was criticised by sector umbrella bodies for saying too many charities were “proving to be laggards” in terms of reforming their fundraising practices.

In his post published yesterday, Grade said that some of his words about the sector “have been emphasised by the media”, which had focused on his “criticism of the few”.

He said: “Yes, we have been firm and will continue to be firm in calling out bad practice.

“However, we have also consistently acknowledged the outstanding work undertaken by charities and fundraisers. Sadly, we don’t have the power to write our own headlines but, whenever the opportunity arises, we will speak positively about the charitable sector and its excellent work.”

Grade said in his blog that most larger and many smaller charities were redefining their relationships with donors so the changes so the changes in regulation were an opportunity rather than a threat.

“There are many in business who could learn from this,” he said.

“This reflects how fundraisers have been committed to operating to an increasingly high standard.

“It is clear that the public is appreciative when fundraisers interact in a sensitive, considerate manner, understanding the precious trust the public holds in charities and how vital that trust is to ensuring that charities continue to be supported.”

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Лорд Сорд пообещал быть более позитивным », – говорит председатель IoF

Аманда Брингангс, председатель Института фандрайзинга, говорит, что председатель регулятора фандрайзинга сказал ей, что он будет больше поддерживать сбор средств на публике

Лорд Сорд, председатель регулятора фандрейзинга, согласился быть более позитивным в отношении сборщиков денег, по словам Аманды Брингангс, его коллеги из Института фандрайзинга.

В своем блоге о своей первой встрече с классом Брингангс сказал, что Консервативный коллега согласился больше рассказать о позитивных примерах работы сборщиков денег.

. Оценка была подвергнута критике за увековечивание негативных представлений о благотворительных фондах и фандрайзерах, которые контролирует регулятор, описывая их как «отстающих» и «мошенников и ковбоев» в национальных СМИ.

В своем блоге Брингангс сказала, что она рассказала о своем опыте быть сборщиком средств за последние пару лет и «преданностью и страстью» за поддержку лучшей практики, которую она видела.

Она сказала, что класс «быстро ответил на подлинную похвалу подавляющему большинству сборщиков денег», описывая их как «великую работу» и заслуживающий признания.

«Я попросил его больше об этом позитивном обмене сообщениями на общественных форумах, чтобы поддержать всех нас, и он согласился», – сказал Бринганс.

Но она сказала, что он также четко заявил о своем намерении продолжать вызывать плохую практику и признал, что это, вероятно, будет воспринято национальными СМИ. Бринганс сказал, что он «очень хочет поддерживать себя»

Она сказала: «Мы обсудили некоторые конкретные идеи о том, как мы будем применять эту поддержку на практике, которая, надеюсь, скоро произойдет».

Никто из ИОФ не смог прокомментировать, что это за идеи и как они будут реализованы, и регулятор отказался от комментариев.

Бринганс сказал, что они также обсудили тот факт, что многие благотворительные организации еще не выплатили добровольный сбор для финансирования регулятора.

Вчера регулирующий орган заявил, что из 1,768 благотворительных организаций, которые тратят более 100 000 фунтов стерлингов в год на сбор средств и, таким образом, имеют право на выплату налога, 1334 человека заплатили или взяли на себя обязательство выплатить 224 человека в переговорах с регулирующим органом об оплате, 35 Отказался платить, а 165 не ответил.

Регулирующий орган заявил вчера, что опубликует список в конце августа, в котором сообщается, какие благотворительные организации имели и не платили налог.

В своем блоге Бринганы призвали благотворительные организации выплатить налог и связаться с регулирующим органом, если они были одной из благотворительных организаций, которые еще не ответили на запрос, и сторожевой тайник знает, в чем проблема.

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Petition calls for Lord Grade to resign from Fundraising Regulator

The Change.org petition had 84 signatures this morning, including Ian MacQuillin of the Rogare think tank

An online petition calling for Lord Michael Grade to resign as chair of the Fundraising Regulator has garnered support from fundraisers after his comments in The Daily Telegraph and on BBC Radio 4 last week.

The petition, started two days ago on the petition website Change.org, had attracted 84 signatures at the time of writing and was started by a user under the name “Proud to be a Fundraiser”.

The petition comes just days after the regulator confirmed that Grade’s term as chair, which was initially an interim appointment up to January 2016, had been extended until the end of 2018.

Grade attracted criticism from sector bodies last week after saying in a national newspaper article that too many charities were “proving to be laggards” and were failing to address public concerns about fundraising.

He then appeared on Radio 4’s Today programme and gave out incorrect information about how the FPS would work, mistakenly saying it would allow people to block contact from all charities at once, rather than specific charities.

He has previously described fundraising as “the Wild West” and fundraisers as “rogues and cowboys”.

The petition calls on Stephen Dunmore, chief executive of the Fundraising Regulator, to “initiate a process to replace Lord Grade immediately and find a chairman who is willing and able to represent donors and not-for-profit organisations responsibly”.

The person who started the petition, who did not wish to be named, told Third Sector they were not expecting to attract thousands of signatures, but it was “a gesture of support” for a strong relationship between the Fundraising Regulator and the fundraising community.

“It’s not just to stir things up for the sake of it,” the person said. “Having the regulator is critically important and every fundraiser I speak to recognises that, but having that trust of the regulator, the donor and charities is the fundamental basis of moving forward.”

The person said Grade’s comments had been “disrespectful and myopic” and risked “forcing a wedge rather than forging a bond” between donors, charities and the regulator.

The text accompanying the petition describes the extension of Grade’s term as unacceptable, describing his comments as “broad sweeping statements to deliberately court controversy and fan the flames of division and discontent”.

It warns that Grade’s comments could result in charities becoming wary of engaging with the regulator, believing they would not get a fair hearing, and donors being put off making donations.

Ian MacQuillin, director of the fundraising think tank Rogare, was among the signatories.

In his comment on the Change.org website explaining why he had signed, he said: “I reluctantly made a call for Lord Grade’s resignation because I believe his public comments, which showed contempt for fundraisers and a lack of knowledge of his own organisation, mean he is bringing regulation of fundraising into disrepute at a time when we need a leader of the regulator who can build bridges and consensus, and regulate with the sector, not at it, to rebuild public trust in fundraising.”

The Fundraising Regulator declined to comment.

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Lord Grade to stay on as chair of Fundraising Regulator

Appointed on an interim basis in November 2015, he will continue until the end of 2018

Lord Michael Grade will continue as chair of the Fundraising Regulator until the end of 2018, the regulator has confirmed.

Grade was initially appointed to the role in November 2015 on an interim basis, but his term was extended in January until the end of June. It has now been renewed a second time until the end of 2018, a spokesman for the regulator said.

Grade attracted criticism from sector leaders last week when he said too many charities were proving to be “laggards” in terms of improving their fundraising practices.

He then gave out incorrect information about the Fundraising Preference Service, mistakenly saying it would allow people to block contact from all charities at once, rather than specific charities.

A spokesman for the regulator said: “Initially board members were appointed for two-year terms. Their terms are now being staggered so that not all members retire at the same time.

“New board members – including, when the time comes, a new chair – will be recruited openly, as happened recently with the board member for Wales and as will be the case soon with a board member for Northern Ireland.”

Grade works as chair at least four days a month and is paid £500 for each day he works.

Stephen Dunmore, the regulator’s interim chief executive is also expected to remain in post until the end of the year, having previously agreed to stay until the end of September.

The spokesman said the appointment of a new chief executive would also be subject to open competition.

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Sector critical of Lord Grade’s ‘laggards’ comment on fundraising

The chair of the Fundraising Regulator said in a Telegraph article that ‘too many charities are proving to be laggards’ and misinformed the Today programme about the preference service

Lord Grade, chair of the Fundraising Regulator, has been criticised by charity sector umbrella bodies after he said too many charities were “proving to be laggards” and mistakenly said the Fundraising Preference Service would enable people to opt out of receiving communications from all charities.

Grade wrote an article for The Daily Telegraph newspaper today in which he said that the regulator had seen many charities make “a real effort to review their practices, leading to innovative and creative approaches that put the donor first”.

But he said there was still a long way to go. “Too many charities are proving to be laggards,” he wrote. “But they will have to follow suit, whether they like it or not, due to another regulation which comes into force next year,” said Grade, meaning the General Data Protection Regulation.

Grade also appeared on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 this morning, where he mistakenly said people would be able to use the FPS to prevent communication from all charities or hear only from “charities that you favour”.

Information on the Fundraising Regulator’s website about the FPS, which will prevent direct marketing communications from charities by email, post, text message or telephone, says people will be able to identify up to three charities that they do not wish to hear from per online request. If people want to identify further charities, they must submit new requests.

Peter Lewis, chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising, said he was “deeply frustrated and saddened” to hear Grade talking again about fundraisers in a negative way and “misrepresenting how the overwhelming majority of charities communicate with and value their supporters”.

Lewis said: “We know that our members’ relationships with donors is paramount, which is why over the past year charities have supported the set-up of the regulator and helped to shape the FPS.”

He said the IoF supported a strong regulatory system, but in order for it to succeed it was vital that “clarity prevails over confusion”.

He said: “Only then can the regulator fully command the trust of both charities and the public.

“Ahead of Thursday’s launch of the FPS it is essential that the public hear the right information about the service so that the level of public trust and confidence that Lord Grade wants to see can be achieved.”

Vicky Browning, chief executive of the charity leaders body Acevo, said Grade’s remarks were “not helpful”.

She said: “For Lord Grade to brand charities ‘laggards’ in public only serves to undo the hard work of both his organisation and the sector in restoring public trust and confidence.”

Other people in the sector used Twitter to respond to Grade’s comments.

The Daily Telegraph used the article as the basis for its top story today, which says charities could be fined up to £25,000 if they “pester donors for cash”.

The figure is not mentioned by Grade, who said in his Today programme interview that any fines were a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Grade’s Telegraph article was written before the regulator is due to launch the FPS on Thursday, which coincides with the body’s first anniversary.

A spokesman for the Fundraising Regulator said it would be issuing clarifications to the media on some of the statements made by Grade. 

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