The Centre for Social Justice has published a report on the resilience of the voluntary sector during the Coronavirus outbreak.

The report looks at the impact on the sector’s income and makes a number of asks to government.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new scheme to support self-employed workers who have been hit by coronavirus restrictions.

Under the scheme they can apply for a grant of up to £2,500 per month.

The scheme is open to people who are already self-employed, have a self-assessment tax return for 2019 and that make trading profits of up to £50,000.

A summary of the latest government guidance for employers and employees.

Sick pay  

*UPDATE: 16/03/2020 - This event is now cancelled, as the mayoral election has been postponed until 2021.*

Voscur will be holding a hustings for the forthcoming Bristol mayoral election. The event is being organised in partnership with:

The Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) has published its State of Local Government Finance report. 

The report is based on information provided by senior figures from around half of all English Councils.  

According to LGiU, this year’s findings tell a story of local government battling with the consequences of years of under-investment and neglect but continuing to be ambitious and innovative on behalf of their residents and places. 

Key findings included: 

Voscur has joined a range of other public organisations in declaring a climate emergency and adopted a Climate Action Policy that addresses more strategic issues and sets out some newer ways of working. The climate emergency was declared at the Voscur AGM by Chief Executive Sandra Meadows, and was followed by a speech from Joy Carey, from Bristol Food Network, part of the sustainable food campaign Going for Gold Bristol. 

The government is proposing that charitable trusts should be exempt from registering with the Trusts Registration Service.

The announcement was made in a technical consultation on the Fifth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) on the 24 January.

Bristol’s City Office has launched a new iteration of the One City Plan. 

Launched in January 2019, the One City Plan consists of targets for 2050 on a range of socioeconomic factors that impact people’s lives in the city, as well as providing a blueprint for achieving these targets. 

It covers six main themes, including health and wellbeing, environment, connectivity, homes and communities, economy and learning and skills.  

Earlier this year Bristol City Council consulted on its Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2019-2024. It is currently recommissioning Rough Sleeping Services, with a view to new contracts being in place at the start of October 2020.