Civic Voice replaces Civic Trust - TrustNews March 10
For nearly a year Civic Society Initiative (CSI) has been investigating the potential support for a national body to replace the Civic Trust, which was obliged to close down a year ago having lost government contracts on which much of its funding depended. This has been possible because of temporary funding from the National Trust and others who believe in the need for an organization to represent local society interests.
The process has entailed numerous local and regional forums, a national conference, bulletins and a website. We have been very impressed by the efforts of the two provisional officers, Tony Burton and Ian Harvey, whose output is prodigious.
Support has been overwhelming, the prime reason being the need for what Griff Rhys Jones called a “loud barking voice” to represent our concerns to government. Some have also wanted the new body to provide advice and support for their own activities but, to minimize costs, we and others have argued that at least to start with this can be achieved via the website.
All have agreed that our national body should be funded by and answerable to the societies alone. This is not only a matter of financial stability, but of independence. We resigned from the Civic Trust a few years ago because we considered it had ceased to represent our interests and was too influenced by government. Many felt it had become self-serving rather than the campaigning organization it had been.
Provisional assessment of the optimum annual cost is £300,000 to £400,000, the equivalent of about £1 to £3 per head of each participating society’s membership. We believe this is not too much to pay because, with many of the most important issues we face, the local authorities are powerless to influence policies that are handed down with severe penalties for non-compliance. And whenever we have made a case direct to central government, it has been politely brushed aside; it would be a different matter if made by a body representing around 1000 societies.
Consequently, we have offered to contribute £1000 per year for the next three years to help the national body become established. We are currently able to do this from general funds, but after that we could only maintain a sum of this order by increasing members’ subscriptions. We believe that three years should be long enough for the organization to prove its worth both to us and to you, and we shall keep you posted and consult you well in advance of any subscription increase.
Following responses from societies several important decisions have just been taken: the name of the new body will be Civic Voice; annual contributions from societies will start at £1.50 per head of membership rising to £2 next year; there will be only two full-time employees; the object will be to campaign in various ways, and to give expert advice to member societies as well as running the website, etc. Less urgent decisions will await the formation of a board of trustees for whom all societies may put forward names and will then have the opportunity to vote.
Civic Voice will be launched in London on 17th April when we shall be represented. There is much more than this to be said, but no room to include it here, so we urge any of you who are interested to explore the website:
www.civicvoice.org.uk