Results from the 2010 National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises (formerly the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations) have been released by the Cabinet Office, which has published a report focussing on Somerset. More than 500 charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations operating in the county responded to the survey between September and December 2010, providing their opinions on issues such as funding, local partnerships and relationships with statutory bodies such as local authorities, NHS and Police.
The key findings include:
There has been little or no significant change in results since the 2008 survey.
In general, Somerset is fairly typical of
England, although participating groups were more likely than the
national average to focus their activities on a neighbourhood rather
than a larger area.
Of those organisations to whom the issue was
applicable and who felt able to give an answer, most agreed that local
statutory bodies (including councils, PCTs, Police, etc) valued their
work, understood their role and respected their independence.
Somewhat fewer agreed that such bodies informed, consulted or involved them in issues affecting them.
Almost 1 in 4 currently have direct dealings
with local statutory bodies and 1 in 6 thought they influenced their
organisation's success.
More were successful than unsuccessful with bids for funding or contracts from local statutory bodies over the last five years.