The presentation was a workshop at Evolve 2014: the annual event for the voluntary sector in London on Monday 16 June 2014. The presentation was given by Charlotte Ravenscroft, Head of Policy and Research (NCVO) and Elizabeth Chamberlain, Policy Manager (NCVO). The step up to the 2015 election was the main focus with the agenda items, 'Shaping the future for your organisations' and 'Shaping the future for the voluntary sector' the discussion point. Find out more about the Evolve Conference from NCVO: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/training-and-events/evolve-conference

1. Workshops
AM2: 2015 election
Charlotte Ravenscroft, Head of Policy and
Research, NCVO
Elizabeth Chamberlain, Policy Manager, NCVO

2. Agenda
Introduction & context
Shaping the future for your organisations:
Campaigning within the law & the Lobbying Act
Your questions
Shaping the future for the voluntary sector:
NCVO manifesto
How you can help

3. Looking ahead to 7 May 2015…
Source: Daily Mail

4. Source: UK Polling Report
Predictions (1)

5. It’s the economy, stupid!
and Europe
Source:
ONS/BBC

6. A final forecast… public spending
Change in central and local
government spending from
2010/11 (£ billions)
Excludes: social
security; interest payments;
capital spending
Source data: OBR

7. Your campaigning priorities and concerns
• What are your organisation’s campaigning
priorities for the election?
• What concerns (if any) do you have about
campaigning in advance of the election?

8. Shaping the Future 2015:
Campaigning within the law and the
Lobbying Act
Elizabeth Chamberlain – Policy Manager

10. Charity Law
Charity Commission Speaking Out: Guidance on
Campaigning and Political Activities by Charities
(CC9)

11. The guidance – key principles
Charities must always act for the advancement of their
charitable purposes
Charities must guard their independence and
reputation
A charity cannot exist for a political purpose
Campaigning and political activity can be legitimate and
valuable activities for charities to undertake
Campaigning and political activity must be undertaken
only in the context of supporting the delivery of the
charitable purposes

12. The guidance – political engagement
A charity must never be party political
A charity must not give support or funding to a
political party, nor to a candidate or politician
A charity may give its support to specific policies
advocated by political parties if it would help
achieve its charitable purposes

13. Charities and Elections
Supplementary Guidance on Elections and
Referendums
Guiding principle: charities should be, and be seen
to be, independent from party politics
Implications for:
• policy positions
• publicity material
• engagement with candidates

14. Electoral Law
Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning
and Trade Union Administration Act 2014

15. Non-Party Campaigning
What activity is included?
Definition of controlled expenditure
• “expenditure that can reasonably regarded as
intended to promote or procure electoral success”
• it is immaterial that it can reasonably be regarded as
intended to achieve any other purpose as well
Electoral Commission:
• purpose test
• publicity test

16. Key changes
• Longer list of qualifying expenses
• Higher registration thresholds
• Lower national spending limits
• New constituency spending limits
• New reporting requirements
• Option for organisations ‘working to a joint plan’

17. Regulated activities
• Election material
• Public events and rallies
• Press conference and other media events
• Canvassing and market research seeking views
or information from the public
• Transport to obtain publicity

18. Regulated period
365 days, ending on the day of the election
For 2015 General Election:
19 September 2014 – 7 May 2015
Review of the law after 2015 General Election

19. What happens after registration?
Record and report spending (including spending by
constituency)
Check the permissibility of donations received
above a certain amount that go towards regulated
activities
Submit a spending return or statement of accounts
covering the regulated period once the General
Election has ended

20. Find out more
NCVO FAQs:
http://blogs.ncvo.org.uk/2014/03/12/faqs-on-the-lobbying-
act/
Electoral Commission guidance comes out July 2014
Electoral Commission updates in the meantime
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/party-or-
campaigner/non-party-campaigners
Time for your questions

21. Shaping the Future 2015:
NCVO election manifesto
Charlotte Ravenscroft – Head of Policy &
Research

22. Launched May 2014

23. How to strengthen the economy and
help people find work

24. How to strengthen the economy and
help people find work
How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:
• Prioritise preventative spending
• Welfare to work programmes should be better
designed to help people with complex needs
• Organisations delivering public service contracts
should be able to pay the living wage

25. How to transform public services

26. How to transform public services
How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:
• Review the state of public service markets
• Extend the Commissioning Academy for procurement
professionals
• Create a Centre for Social Value

27. How to help communities and
volunteering flourish

28. How to help communities and
volunteering flourish
How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:
• Support growth of the volunteer movement
• Create a new Access to Volunteering Fund
• Support local philanthropy – by matchfunding
donations from businesses and individuals
• Make the Small Donations Scheme more accessible
to small charities
• Improve access of frontline organisations to social
investment

29. How you can help
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and
committed citizens can change the world.
• Invite your parliamentary candidates to visit your
charity
• Give your parliamentary candidates a copy of
NCVO’s manifesto
• Write a guest blog for our website
• Email or tweet us to show your support

30. Thank you for joining us today!
Contact details:
Elizabeth.chamberlain@ncvo.org.uk
0207 520 2559
@ncvoliz
Charlotte.ravenscroft@ncvo.org.uk
0207 520 2475
@charravenscroft
PS – follow our 5-minute policy manager blog for monthly policy
updates

31. Evolve 2014