Under the auspices of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership, with the support of the three local CVS, a wide range of voluntary and community sector representatives met last week to consider the need for and benefits of developing a compact with the CPP ‘s public sector partners. Following presentations from Martin Sime, Luska Jerdin of the Third Sector Unit, and Liz McEntee from GCVS the participants broke into workshops to explore what was wanted from a compact and how the process to develop and implement such an agreement might proceed. The outcomes of the workshops, a cautious agreement that development work and associated research should continue - resourced by the public sector partners, will be reported to the March meeting of the CPP.

Scotland's charity regulator is looking to reinforce its working relationship with the CVS network in 2008, starting with a major mailing in the next month. OSCR is to issue new guidance on the ‘Charities References in Documents (Scotland) Regulations 2007’ to every Scottish charity. Supplies of material will be sent to each CVS for reference and to allow further hard copies to be available to any local charities that require them. This move follows feedback given to OSCR by CVS members at the Regulator's roadshows in 2007; and a commitment given by OSCR on this matter at its conference in September 2007.

Scotland’s charity regulator has invited comment on its guidance for meeting the charity test. The consultation will last until 7th April 2008 and will see the Regulator’s current guidance updated in light of its experience over the past two years since taking up its powers under the Charities and Trustee Investment Scotland Act 2005.

Scotland’s charity regulator has begun to publish details of charities that have failed to provide it with Annual Returns and accounts. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, OSCR, has made the move in order to encourage compliance with the legislation and to highlight the importance of reporting to the Regulator.