Banmujer: Benefitting Over 300,000 Venezuelan Families Since 2001 > One of Venezuela’s most important public institutions created as a government run bank with the specific purpose of funding socio-productive business initiatives to assist impoverished women through micro- credit lending celebrated its 10-year anniversary last week.

Banking on the Big Society > Social entrepreneurs have been lionised for a decade, but the downside is that they are now expected to shoulder a growing share of society’s intractable problems as government budgets are cut. There is growing concern about just where the funding will come from.

Interview: Paul Boissier > The UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution chief executive tells David Ainsworth that he likes the idea of the big society but his charity’s tax bill has gone up and the VAT relief system for charities makes little sense.

Good, bad or ugly > John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, is wrong to think that “all businesses that create wealth, pay their taxes, and comply with the law are good companies”. For the success of a free society ruled by law hinges on how people – companies included – choose to exercise their freedom within what the law permits. There are plenty of legal corporate behaviours that society would be better off without.

Trade unions urge West Sussex residents to condemn cuts > TWO trade unions have joined forces to urge West Sussex residents to speak out against “damaging” cuts to the county’s youth services. The council has already slashed £2m from its spending on services ranging from community youth work to initiatives to prevent re-offending, and now proposes a further £2m in cuts over the next three years.

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