In the run up to a General Election a number of third sector organisations have published major policy documents or manifestos. Here are a selection:
• The Social Enterprise Coalition - No More Business as Usual : A Social Enterprise Manifesto
• NAVCA - Strong Independent Roots
• Community Matters - A vision for Neighbourhoods

And you can read Urban Forum's policy proposals in our 10 things we'd like to see in 2010

The PB Unit has produced the second edition of the Participatory Budgeting (PB) Toolkit and a new leaflet to explain what PB is how it works in practice.

The Office of the Third Sector has produced new web pages which provide information about changes to charity law and regulation plus links to other Government Departments whose regulations have an impact on Third Sector organisations.

The Better Banking Campaign has been set up by Urban Forum and other organisations to call for more socially responsible banking system. Over 200 organisations are now part of the Coalition, calling on all Political Parties to introduce reforms to ensure banks meet the need for financial services to all.
Add your support here
See the campaign launch press coverage

Neil McInroy, Chief Executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), has called for local economic strategies to be more integrated with the social and environmental context in order to develop a greater appreciation of how to create ‘resilient places'.

The Audit Commission is currently consulting on its latest draft strategic plan, Trust, transparency and value for money . It sets out how the Commission will ensure that local public bodies can be held to account for looking after public money, achieving more with less and improving places and people's lives. The closing date for responses is 21st May 2010.