Volunteers all over the country are being urged to speak out against uncaring officialdom – but also to give credit where credit is due if someone has been really helpful.
The Government is urging anyone involved in volunteering – from a jumble sale, to organising a Jubilee party, to a three-peaks challenge – can feed in their experiences, good and bad, of dealing with local authorities and other regulators as part of the Focus on Enforcement campaign.
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said: “Volunteers are the unsung heroes of communities in this country. But dealing with the way rules are enforced can sometimes be more of a problem than the red tape itself – no one volunteers to be a bureaucrat.
“So, whether it’s an inspection by someone who won’t listen or having to fill in the same form twice – we want to hear about it. I urge you to go to the Focus on Enforcement website and let us know your views so that we can take action.
“We know there are good regulators out there, so we also want you to tell us on the website about the heroes – people who give really good guidance and help your event to happen well and safely.
“This is your chance to make a real difference to the way regulations are enforced.”
The campaign allows comments to be posted anonymously and is also looking to hear about other organisations or officials who suggest volunteers must follow rules they shouldn’t have to. This happens where regulation does not actually require a group to do something – but somebody insists that they do.
Questions we are looking for answers to include: Do you want to do something locally but you daren’t because you might be breaking the rules and regulations? What sort of advice would help you run your event without worrying about whether it meets health and safety? If you already organise a volunteer event, do you get useful help, and if so where from, or do you keep quiet and hope no one knows?
The Focus on Enforcement website, for the first time, also provides details on national regulators in one place and also on regulatory functions carried out by local authorities.
