Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has written to ministerial colleagues asking them to "raise the alert button" on local authority cuts to the voluntary sector.

Speaking at the Big Society launch in Liverpool, Maude admitted that during a time of austerity, local authorities could target charities and community groups:

“During a time of spending cuts, local authorities may see taps of support to the voluntary sector as the easiest taps to turn off.

“I’ve written to my colleagues in government to raise the alert button on this.”

Maude however, ruled out ringfencing funding to the sector, which was suggested as a solution by an audience member.

"The government is allergic to ring-fencing,” he said.