About the Futurebuilders Advisory Panel

The Futurebuilders Advisory Panel was set up in 2005 by the Home Office to provide independent advice to Ministers on how the Futurebuilders programme is progressing. The role of the Advisory Panel is to act as a ‘critical friend' to the programme and to be a sounding board for Ministers.

The Futurebuilders programme is a new concept in public funding for the Voluntary and Community Sector, with its focus on a range of investments and loans rather than grants, so it is very important to ensure that we all learn as much as possible about how it works and how effective it is at helping the Voluntary and Community Sector deliver more effective public services.

The Advisory Panel is chaired by Baroness Pitkeathley and the other members are:

• Dr Mohammed Amran
• Mr Imtiaz Farookhi
• Ms Flora Goldhill (Department of Health)
• Ms Margaret Hyde
• Mrs Pamela McHale
• Mr Bhupendra Mistry
• Ms Maureen Salmon
• Ms Pat Samuel (HM Treasury)
• Ms Ruth Siemaszko (Department for Education and Skills)
• Ms Anna Southall
• Mr Ted Unsworth
• Mr Richard Weatherill (Home Office)
• Ms Sarah Wood (Local Government Association)

The Panel was appointed after public advertisement and we have been fortunate to attract people who have such wide ranging experience and knowledge across public, voluntary and private sectors. In addition, membership includes representatives from those government departments which have a major interest in the Futurebuilders programme..

The Advisory Panel has been set up as a Non Departmental Public Body and our terms of reference are:

• To advise on progress, effectiveness and future developments relating to the fund
• To scrutinise and evaluate the activities of the fund
• To influence the development of the fund

The Advisory Panel works in close co-operation with the Futurebuilders Board and with its other evaluation programmes, while maintaining the independence which a ‘critical friend' requires. Members of the Advisory Panel are undertaking a number of activities including a programme of visits to projects to increase their knowledge and to receive direct feedback from investees and potential investees.

Members of the Advisory Panel would be delighted to receive any kind information from potential and existing applicants, successful or otherwise. The Panel can be contacted by writing to:

The Chair of the Futurebuilders Advisory Panel Baroness
Jill Pitkeathley
c/o The Secretariat
The Home Office
Charities and VCS Development Unit
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF

Email: [email protected]