#VoteSocialEnterprise

This is the consultation for our manifesto for the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

The consultation is open to all Scottish social enterprises (those who meet the criteria of the Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise - copy and paste this link: www.se-code.net/VoluntaryCodeofPractice.pdf).

Your views, experiences and knowledge are vital to us in formulating a coherent, concise and dynamic manifesto - for the benefit of all Scottish social enterprises. This is a unique opportunity to directly influence the next Scottish Government & Parliament - please ensure that your voice is heard. The short consultation will only take you a few minutes to complete.

Everyone who takes part will be entered into a FREE PRIZE DRAW to win one of five £30 John Lewis vouchers!

Your name, the name of your organisation and location will remain confidential and won't be published anywhere.

The deadline for this consultation is WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER.

Any questions or comments to: news@socialenterprisescotland.org.uk or 0131 243 2650.

Thank you!
The Scottish Government & Parliament have a wide range of powers and will gain more as part of the Smith Commission agreement / Scotland Bill within the term of the next Scottish Parliament. See powers currently available: www.gov.scot/About/People/Ministers

We’ve not included every policy area in this consultation as we’ve focused on those areas most relevant to social enterprise. You’ll have the opportunity to comment on additional areas at the end. We’ll ensure that this work complements key partners in the broad community e.g. bodies supporting social housing, co-operatives, development trusts etc.

Please share your views on the following topics (answer those areas of most interest, you’re not expected to answer every policy area). Be as concise as possible with each answer - please don’t tell us what's going wrong but do tell us specifically what should change to make improvements!

Question Title

* 1. What is (a) your name (b) the name of your social enterprise and (c) your main office location? (This will be kept confidential and won't be published anywhere).

Question Title

* 2. Does your organisation meet the criteria set out in The Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise in Scotland?

Copy and paste this link to view The Code: www.se-code.net/VoluntaryCodeofPractice.pdf

Question Title

* 3. Employment and Welfare

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Skills, training and jobs, social security/welfare provision, poverty alleviation, wealth creation and enterprise, employment support (new power), living wage development, women’s employment, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 4. Public Service Reform

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Public procurement, the use of Community Benefit Clauses (local authorities, NHS, other public bodies), preventative spending, development of Public-Social Partnership (PSPs), public arms-length companies (ALEOs), the development of public sector “spin-out” services, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 5. Health and Social Care

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Health intervention and illness prevention, integration of health and social care, protection of vulnerable groups, youth work, children’s services, reducing reoffending, homelessness, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 6. Sport, Culture and Arts

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Community sport, the operating environment for cultural and creative social enterprises, tourism, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 7. Economic Development and Regeneration

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Sustainable economic development, community-led regeneration, business improvement districts, transport, community empowerment, community planning, housing, community safety and resilience, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 8. Environment and Land

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Energy, rural Scotland, land reform, food and drink, environmental protection, climate change, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 9. Social Investment and Taxation

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Scottish Government funding for social enterprise, other social investment of loan or grant (NOT inc. reserved UK tax reliefs etc), Council Tax (freeze/reform etc), Business Rates, Income Tax (inc. new powers), VAT (some new powers), European Structural Funds, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 10. International

Tell us specifically what should change to improve:

Fair trade development, exporting by social enterprises, international development by social enterprises, anything else relevant.

Question Title

* 11. Please tell us about any other policy improvements that could be made to benefit social enterprises, that were not covered in this consultation.

Thank you for taking part, your knowledge and expertise is vital to our work in making improvements to Scotland's support for social enterprise.

You’ll now be entered into a FREE PRIZE DRAW to win one of five £30 John Lewis vouchers!

#VoteSocialEnterprise

With best wishes, the Social Enterprise Scotland team.

Not yet a member? Join online in a few easy steps: www.socialenterprisescotland.org.uk/join

Sign up for our free, monthly public e-bulletin: www.socialenterprisescotland.org.uk/subscribe

Question Title

www.socialenterprisescotland.org.uk

www.socialenterprisescotland.org.uk

T