Winchester MP Mark Oaten issues a warning to charities (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Winchester MP Mark Oaten issues a warning to charities

3:30pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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CHARITIES and the voluntary sector could have to find new funding streams if they are to survive the recession, says Winchester’s MP.

Mark Oaten said the so-called third sector might need to experiment to meet the expected future shortfall in public sector funding.

The Liberal Democrat was speaking at a conference entitled ‘The Third Sector and the Next Government’.

Mr Oaten said he was on the board of five charities, and that every meeting had been dominated by the impact of the economic recession and budget cuts.

He feared that organisations doing “unfashionable” work or whose role included challenges to Government policy, might be the first to suffer from budgetary restrictions.

He was joined at the Alresford meeting by Nick Hurd, shadow minister for charities, social enterprise and volunteering, and Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test.

Mr Hurd said the third sector provided solutions to some of society’s most stubborn problems, and that it was often the “glue” holding communities together.

Dr Whitehead said national and local government should continue to support third sector initiatives and to recognise the sector’s immense value.

The Rev Brian Strevens, chief executive of the Institute of Social Enterprise, the event’s organisers, said: “It was very gratifying to hear the positive comments made by all three MPs about the added value contributed by third sector organisations and their need for continuing support in the recession.”