Chair's statement: Grants to Big Society network, Society Network Foundation
28 November 2014
A statement from The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts:
"It’s alarming that the Cabinet Office continued to fund the Society Network Foundation, despite concerns over the charity’s poor performance and financial health. In May 2013, Cabinet Office acted on advice from the Prime Minister’s Office before renewing funding and paying a bridging grant to cover its immediate costs.
This is all after Cabinet Office officials advised the Minister for Civil Society that it would not be appropriate to grant fund an organisation that is struggling to manage its financial affairs. The Minister shared this advice with the Prime Minister’s Office. At the same time, the Minister for Civil Society raised concerns about the financial sustainability of the Big Society Network owned by the Society Network Foundation.
It’s hard to believe that government’s decision to renew funding was in the best interests of the taxpayer. Over a year later, the Society Network Foundation applied to be wound up and the Cabinet Office decided to take over the operation of its work."