The document summarizes tweets from @commutiny about the Charity Commission's Annual Public Meeting on September 29, 2010. @commutiny live tweeted observations about presentations and discussions regarding the Charity Commission's work over the past year, including efforts to be more open, reduce bureaucracy, and support charities during difficult financial times. Attendees expressed concerns about the impact of funding cuts on small charities and availability of digital services for rural organizations.

1. Charity Commission Annual Public Meeting 2010
Twitter transcript from #ccommapm2010 & related conversations September 29, 2010
5:02 pm @commutiny The Charity Commission's vision is "Charity working at the
heart of society for public benefit" #CCommAPM2010
5:06 pm @commutiny #CCommAPM2010 is just one of the ways the Charity
Commission tries to be #open and #accountable
5:08 pm @commutiny I've had a very friendly welcome by Sam Younger and his
colleagues at #CCommAPM2010 which is encouraging...
They *want* to be open
5:24 pm @commutiny Wondering if these Charity Commission peeps get to talk to
#real people these days. They're *all* keen & smiley,
chatting away #CCommAPM2010
5:26 pm @commutiny Very civilised facilities at #CCommAPM2010 I wasn't
expecting Wifi so tweeting by SMS (risk of predictive text
slippage)
5:31 pm @commutiny Charity Commission mission includes championing public
interest in charity and enabling charities to maximise impact
#CCommAPM2010
5:34 pm @commutiny No attendee list or badges so can't slink around peering at
chests. Have to emulate unnervingly jolly Charity
Commission staff #CCOMMAPM2010
5:35 pm @hackofalltrades @commutiny Eek! I'm pretty sure I know exactly the type
you're talking about... may be a link to 'Cult of
Professionalism' stuff?
5:37 pm @commutiny Wondering how many #thirdsector #leaders are at
#CCommAPM2010 There's a full house, impressive in this
weather
5:38 pm @commutiny Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of Charity Commission opens the
meeting warmly #CCommAPM2010
5:39 pm @commutiny Happy Birthday to Andrew Hind got a round of applause
#CCommAPM2010
5:40 pm @commutiny It's a tricky time to be looking back when the immediate
future will see huge changes #CCommAPM2010
5:41 pm @commutiny Context is vital for #thirdsector to flourish and Charity
Commission is vital to shape this #CCommAPM2010
5:42 pm @commutiny Charity Commission has recently been shortlisted for Civil
Service "more for less" award #CCommAPM2010
5:44 pm @commutiny Sam Younger, new CEO presents the strategic and
operational highlights of the past year #CCommAPM2010
5:51pm @commutiny When I say unnervingly jolly I mean culture of this APM is
unusually approchable, chatty and open. Conversation not
broadcast #CCommAPM2010
5:52 pm @commutiny Not much paper around, Charity Commission is quite good
at digital information #CCommAPM2010
5:53 pm @commutiny Back on Track report shows some charities at risk due to
basic governance mistakes, largely financial & safeguarding
related #CCommAPM2010
5:55 pm @commutiny Only 7.5% of assessments lead to investigations #goodsign
and 80% charities filing on time #CCommAPM2010
5:58 pm @commutiny Research finds in addition to survival issues there is a fear
that infrastructure which supports charities is also at risk
#CCOMMAPM2010
5:59 pm @commutiny Avg age of trustees is 57 - sector is missing out on younger
talent #CCommAPM2010
6:00 pm @hackofalltrades RT @commutiny: Avg age of trustees is 57 - sector is

2. missing out on younger talent #CCommAPM2010
6:01pm @hackofalltrades @commutiny Apparently only 0.5% of trustees are under
25... which further highlights that divide...
6:02 pm @commutiny Commission Strategic Review launches after Govt Spending
Review and will go back to 1st principles.
#CCommAPM2010
6:03 pm @commutiny Sam Younger calls for all Charity folk to contribute to the
consultations when the review is launch #CCommAPM2010
6:05 pm @commutiny Next up, David Locke & Neville Brownlee presenting info
about how the Commission is managing demand for its
services #CCommAPM2010
6:06 pm @commutiny Progress has been made on response times, consistency and
levels of 'customer satisfaction' #CCommAPM2010
6:07 pm @commutiny First jarring note for me is use of "customer" several times
#CCommAPM2010
6:09 pm @commutiny Serious efforts are being made to reduce bureaucracy
#CCommAPM2010 What's your experience?
6:11 pm @commutiny If you have anything you'd like me to ask at the Charity
Commission APM Q&A just use the hashtag
#CCommAPM2010
6:14 pm @commutiny 50% of phone calls to the Commission are from small
Charities with <£50k income #CCommAPM2010
6:16 pm @commutiny Most popular subject in phone calls is submission/receipt of
Annual Returns, then technical calls e.g. password queries
#CCommAPM2010
6:17 pm @commutiny I hope I'm not boring you. This is very important stuff to me
and should be to all #thirdsector peeps #CCommAPM2010
6:18 pm @watfordgap @commutiny Please keep it going. One of my twitter selling
points is "eyes & ears at events i'm not able to attend". Thx
6:19 pm @commutiny Even the style of presentation is unnervingly jolly at
#CCommAPM2010 Neville is getting laughs
6:21 pm @commutiny This is all too cosy, someone give me a spiky question to
ask! #CCommAPM2010
6:22 pm @commutiny Ms Allcock Tyler is asking about how cuts will affect small
charities #CCommAPM2010
6:23 pm @commutiny Dame Suzi admits evidence base is inadequate for
understanding what the risks of cuts are and invites us to
inform #CCommAPM2010
6:29 pm @commutiny We are "on the record" cos @thirdsector are reporting. Of
course, this is a *public* meeting & they've also welcomed
my tweeting #CCommAPM2010
6:30 pm @ChrisPenberthy @commutiny with move to digital returns what about areas
with very slow/no broadband - especially for smaller rural
orgs CCommAPM2010
6:30 pm @commutiny question about a formal complaint which a member of the
public does not feel has been handled well
#CCommAPM2010
6:31 pm @commutiny I think this particular issue has been raised before, but it's
not the place of the audience to heckle (ahem)
#CCommAPM2010
6:33 pm @commutiny Commission has committed to personal attention & says the
public, not just the Commission, should hold charities to
account #CCommAPM2010
6:38 pm @commutiny And finally, a happy reflection on Andrew Hind's tenure as
Commission Head Honcho. It's a bit like crashing the office
party

3. 6:43 pm @commutiny Very warm tribute to Andrew was endorsed by the crowd
#CCommAPM2010 Now off to drinks and chat
6:45 pm @commutiny @ChrisPenberthy This was raised, response related to govt
digital online centres or whatever they're called
6:46 pm @ChrisPenberthy @commutiny I think that shows lack of understanding - if
broadband's not there then there aren't centres with it! Major
rural issue
6:47 pm @commutiny Ah, no need for name badges... many establishment chums
are here. More #public should take advantage of these
meetings #CCommAPM2010
6:48 pm @commutiny @watfordgap happy to be of assistance ;)
6:51 pm @commutiny This may seem shallow... @DebAllcockTyler is wearing the
most magnificent blue boots #CCommAPM2010
6:55 pm @commutiny It's quite difficult to join any of the conversations now,
establishment closes ranks? #CCommAPM2010
6:59 pm @prbass @commutiny if its not too late could you ask the CC about
@opencharities? Are they aware of opencharities.org and
what is their response?
7:00 pm @commutiny @ChrisPenberthy I spoke to Neville, he had reasonable
response too long for a tweet... #CCommAPM2010
7:02 pm @commutiny In summary … "The phone will never be unplugged, the
post box never nailed up" #CCommAPM2010
7:08 pm @ChrisPenberthy @commutiny that's good - as long as it is being sorted :)
7:24 pm @commutiny @prbass a bit late, will try :) #CCommAPM2010
7:25 pm @commutiny Sir Stuart Etherington has just popped up to praise Andrew
Hind... Ooh look! there's Richard Fries #CCommAPM2010
7:26 pm @commutiny I'm not showing off, I only recognise a few folk without the
badges #CCommAPM2010
7:30 pm @commutiny @ChrisPenberthy Neville is happy to talk to you more about
it if you want to contact him directly #CCommAPM2010
7:35 pm @commutiny Don't think @ChtyCommission would mind if y'all get in
touch direct to follow up on #CCommAPM2010 < my
opinion
7:45pm @commutiny @prbass short answer, opencharity is good stuff, regulator
wants to provide data & regulate, we can use it & do more
#CCommAPM2010
7:48 pm @commutiny Charity Commission Trustee Simon Weatherd is a
thoroughly nice chap (I know it's his job but still)
#CCommAPM2010
8:00 pm @commutiny Thx to all following #CCommAPM2010 I'm sending a
transcript to @ChtyCommission tomorrow
Roxanne Persaud @commutiny