- Civil society working in partnership with government at the
highest level to drive implementation of the Covenant
- Better policy delivery across government through closer
partnership on issues that cut across departments, from social
cohesion to public services
- Council to provide an open and representative voice for civil
society at the centre of government
Leading voices from across the voluntary, community and social
enterprise sector have today been appointed to the new Civil
Society Council, established by the Prime Minister to bring civil
society into the heart of government decision‑making.
The Council will drive a new approach to partnership with civil
society, overseeing implementation of the Civil Society Covenant
at national and local level, and builds on last summer's Civil
Society Summit and the launch of the Office for the Impact
Economy.
Together, these steps mark a renewed commitment to working with
charities, social enterprises and community groups as core
partners in tackling the country's most complex social
challenges.
The Civil Society Council will provide a central forum to address
issues that cut across government, including social cohesion and
public service commissioning, and to identify opportunities for
civil society to play a greater role in the design and delivery
of policies and services.
The Council will be chaired by Kate Lee OBE, Chief Executive of
the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), and will
bring together senior leaders from charities, social enterprises,
philanthropy, faith and community organisations, and the youth
sector. It will meet quarterly in Downing Street and be supported
by a dedicated team in No10, maximising the opportunities for
civil society to contribute across government.
Council members were appointed following an open and competitive
Expressions of Interest process which received nearly 600
applications. Final members were selected to reflect a broad mix
of experience, expertise and geographic representation.
The Council will hold its inaugural meeting next month.
A full list of Council members is set out below:
- Kate Lee OBE (Chair) - CEO of NCVO
- Matt Hyde OBE – CEO of Lloyds Bank Foundation
- Gemma Peters – CEO of Macmillan Cancer Support
- Dame Clare Moriarty – CEO of Citizens Advice
-
OBE – CEO of The Children's
Society
- Emma de Closset – CEO of UK Community Foundations
- Charlotte Hill OBE – CEO of The Felix Project &
FareShare
- Bishop Rob Wickham - CEO of the Church Urban Fund
- Dr Tessy Ojo CBE – CEO of The Diana Award
- Maddy Desforges OBE – CEO of NAVCA
- Saeed Atcha MBE DL – CEO of Youth Leads UK
- Innes Morgan – Director and Founder of Act with Purpose
- Dr Lindsay Cordery-Bruce – CEO of WCVA
