Department for Communities and Local Government have launched a consultation on new Best Value guidance, on setting out some reasonable expectations of the way best value authorities should work with voluntary and community groups when facing difficult funding decisions.

This draft guidance builds on a recent speech given by Eric Pickles, in which he outlined three reasonable expectations when changing funding. These  include:

• giving three months notice when changing or ending funding relationships;

• assessing the impact of changing funding to voluntary and community sector organisations; and

• consulting with affected organisations and communities.

These replicate undertakings established in the Compact, which also outlines other key mechanisms to help manage changes to funding and other support.

To respond to the short consultation, which comprises of 3 questions, please go to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bestvalue

The consultation ends 14th June 2011.

Following on from the consultation period held during 2010, we have since been waiting for the national Compact to be revised, before continuing our Warwickshire refresh. 

Now that that the national Compact has been refreshed, we have continued work on our Warwickshire Compact, ensuring that our document is in line with national guidance.  We are now at the stage where we have a comprehensive draft, ready to be taken to WCC Cabinet and WCAVA board for approval during February, before being published to wider audiences.  Compact Champions will then be asked to take the refreshed document to their governing body, to re-confirm their organisations commitment to the Compact.

A new website launching today will help to build a nationwide picture of how government spending cuts are taking a toll on the voluntary and community sector.
 
The site, www.voluntarysectorcuts.org.uk, gives voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to share their concerns about funding cuts and how they will impact on their ability to deliver vital services.
 
It is a joint project bringing together the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), Volunteering England, the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), the National Council of Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS), Compact Voice and the nine Regional Voluntary Networks from across the country (Regional Voices).
 
All of the data captured will be public, so that groups can use the information in their campaigning and policy work, and citizens can see the real impact on voluntary organisations in their area.

Research by the Commission for the Compact into the economic and social benefits for local authorities of applying Compact principles in their relationships with local third sector organisations is well underway

All top tier local authority areas have a Local Compact agreement that sets out guidelines for how the local public and third sectors should work together to improve the lives of individuals and communities. Local Compacts are often based on principles in the national Compact but reflect distinctive local partnership working arrangements.

This research has been commissioned to evaluate the economic and social advantages to local authorities of applying Compact principles when working with the third sector. In addition to the development of a tool, which will allow individual local authorities to project the benefits of applying Compact principles themselves, the research will provide case studies from selected local authorities.  To read the document, click here.

From 20 September to 29 October 2010, Compact Voice actively sought feedback from the community and voluntary sector on the draft text of the renewed Compact.  Through the support of Compact Champions, Regional Leaders and Compact colleagues, Compact Voice received 129 written responses, attended 47 events across the nine regions of England and engaged with approximately 1500 individuals.

Responses were received from national and local CVS', community groups, individuals, Compact implementation groups, infrastructure organisations, campaigning groups, social enterprises and unions.

Having received an impressive number of responses to their consultation on the draft renewed Compact, they will be negotiating with the Office for Civil Society over the next couple of weeks to ensure the best deal for the sector based on the input they received.

Download the Key Facts that have arisen from the consultation.

The formal 12 week public consultation period to refresh the Warwickshire Compact is now in its last week and closes on November 8th 2010.  The 2010 version will replace the 2005 agreement and five codes of good practice.

Anyone interested in the conduct of relations between organisations in the
public sector and organisations in the voluntary and community sector in Warwickshire is encouraged to participate, by sending in their views and comments, and use the opportunity to help bring the Warwickshire Compact up to date and ensure its relevancy.  

Responses to the consultation will be analysed and the final version of the refreshed Warwickshire Compact, taking account of the views expressed during the consultation, will be published by the end of November 2010.

Download the draft refreshed Compact and the current 2005 version.  For printed copies of either version, please telephone Lesley Jackson, 024 7637 1831.

To respond to the consultation by email

Please contact compact@wcava.org.uk.  If you prefer, you can make your changes to the document using Tracked Changes and return by email.

To respond to the consultation by post

Please write to:
Warwickshire Compact
72 High Street
Nuneaton
Warwickshire
CV11 5DA

Compact Voice have released a new report which summarises the key issues emerging from their recent regional events series entitled Building Better Communities Through Stronger Partnerships. Download a PDF copy here.

Compact Voice and the Commission for the Compact have developed a new resource pack to support Compact champions from the voluntary sector. This new PDF resource contains a number of tools to help champions promote Compact working in their own organisations and with their local partners. The document can be filled in and individual copies saved in electronic format, or it can be printed out and used at meetings and events. The tools cover topics such as designing a champion role, reporting to the local implementation group, a disputes record and a training schedule, and have been designed to be either used together or to stand alone.

Download your copy of the pack

Warwickshire Community And Voluntary Action (WCAVA) and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) have submitted a joint nomination for this years national Compact Award, in the category of Local Partnership Working.
 
In 2008 WCAVA conducted a survey of local voluntary sector organisations, looking at their experience of tendering for Council contracts. Their findings were contained in a report 'Managing Reality' identifying some satisfaction with the process and outcomes, but also areas of concern and lack of knowledge. Following a series of meetings with WCAVA, WCC published their response 'Working Together' addressing specific concerns.  They concluded that practical help was needed, and that by working together, WCAVA and WCC could develop training to improve the procurement knowledge and skills of the third sector supply market.
    
WCC's Sustainable Procurement Officer and WCAVA's Training Officer have developed and delivered procurement and tendering training to 64 delegates from third sector organisations. The first of 9 training sessions was held in October 2009 and more are planned. There are 2 modules.
 
This low cost training initiative is a joint response to a WCAVA survey identifying third sector suppliers’ concerns with WCC’s procurement processes. A stronger relationship has grown out of a difficult start and continues to flourish; illustrating what can be achieved through committed partnership working. It is exemplar practice.
 
Third sector organisations have really benefited from this partnership initiative.  It is enabling the sector to participate in the tendering process, one where previously they would have felt at a disadvantage.  Organisations now feel more skilled in writing tenders and competing for business.
 
Further training courses are arranged for:
 
Public Law Short Workshop – November 9th 2010, 2-4pm, WCAVA – Rugby office
Tendering Workshops Part 1 and 2 – dates to be confirmed

 For further information and to book onto these courses, contact Alison Orr or Louisa Smiton, training@wcava.org.uk

The formal 12 week public consultation period to refresh the Warwickshire Compact has now started with effect from August 16th 2010, and closes on November 8th 2010.  The 2010 version will replace the 2005 agreement and five codes of good practice.

Anyone interested in the conduct of relations between organisations in the
public sector and organisations in the voluntary and community sector in Warwickshire is encouraged to participate, by sending in their views and comments, and use the opportunity to help bring the Warwickshire Compact up to date and ensure its relevancy.  

Responses to the consultation will be analyzed and the final version of the refreshed Warwickshire Compact, taking account of the views expressed during the consultation, will be published by the end of November 2010.

Download the draft refreshed Compactand the current 2005 version.  For printed copies of either version, please telephone Lesley Jackson, 024 7637 1831.

To respond to the consultation by email

Please contact compact@wcava.org.uk.  If you prefer, you can make your changes to the document using Tracked Changes and return by email.

To respond to the consultation by post

Please write to:
Warwickshire Compact
72 High Street
Nuneaton
Warwickshire
CV11 5DA

The Department of Health has invited voluntary and community sector organisations to apply for the Innovation Excellence and Service Development Fund, an investment programme which supports health and social care projects.

A number of changes have been introduced into the application process this year; however the Department has continued to ensure that the process follows Compact principles throughout.  The process meets a number of key Compact undertakings, such as an application period giving sufficient time to enable organisations to apply, full-cost recovery and provision of constructive feedback for unsuccessful applicants.

Working with Compact Voice, representatives from the Department examined how changes to the application process would impact on the voluntary and community sector, and ensured that eligible organisations were able to apply for the fund.

Compact voice are also pleased to give the Department a ‘Committed to the Compact’ badge, in acknowledgement of the Compact-proofing they undertook in developing this application process.

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has released a new guide to local policing, which details the role of the National and Local Compacts in local policing and good community relationships.

The booklet provides guidance for all levels of police regarding local policing and confidence, and highlights the important role that Compact commitments play in ensuring that local police activity complements and supports the wider needs of the community, and other local partners addressing these needs.

Read an extract from the guide

In March 2008, Warwickshire Community And Voluntary Action (WCAVA) conducted a survey of 60 organisations from the voluntary sector Compact Signatory Register, together with some other organisations which may have had tendering experience in Warwickshire in the previous 3 years.

A report, Managing Reality, based on findings from the 19 responses, was published by WCAVA in May 2008, identifying some satisfaction with the procurement process and outcomes, but also areas of concern.

The report was discussed and issues were investigated within WCC, and the findings have been collated into a response document.  Please click here to read the full report.

As the roll-out of recent spending cuts to public services continues, Compact Voice is pleased to learn that the Department of Health (DH) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) have both announced new initiatives to promote their commitment to the Compact.  Working alongside Compact Voice, CLG and DH have responded to concerns that many local voluntary and community sector organisations will be facing cuts to their funding without regard to the principles of the Compact.

Recent announcements about cuts to local authority funding have affected many organisations, with changes made to how front-line services are supported locally. Alarmingly, Compact Voice has been made aware of many examples across the country where cuts have been announced without following the principles of the Compact.

Recognising the challenges ahead for many organisations, CLG have committed to working alongside Compact Voice, the Office for Civil Society, and the Local Government Association to  help support the sharing of good practice, encourage discussion, and support the continued application of the principles of the Compact during any changes to spending agreements.

This trend echoes the announcement from Nick Hurd, the Minister for Civil Society, in his address to a conference in London last week that one priority for the new cross-departmental big society committee of ministers would be making sure the Compact was observed across Whitehall.

They will support and promote the Compact Voice webpage www.compactvoice.org.uk/cuts, which provides information to both public sector bodies and voluntary groups about the importance of the Compact when making spending cuts.  They also stated that the positive outcomes the Compact can deliver should continue despite difficult spending decisions to be made by local authorities and government as a whole.

Compact Voice has also worked with the Department of Health in exploring new ways to promote changes to their grant application processes, which have been affected by the recent election.

Recognising that changes to application processes – not least in the context of wider spending cuts – might raise concerns in organisations who may have been considering applying, DH have indicated that they will continue to follow Compact principles when announcing new funding and grant opportunities to the Sector. DH have agreed to work with us to ensure that any changes take account of the sector's concerns; and to advise and support organisations in the sector to ensure they understand to any changes made.

This is the fourth yearly review of Compacts in the West Midlands.  It has been undertaken by the West Midlands Compact Panel, the support structure for Compacts in the region.  The Panel brings together representatives from the 14 upper tier Compacts in the Region, representatives from District level Compacts, Government Office for the West Midlands, the Compact Commission, Regional Action West Midlands and Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands.  To read the report, click here.

The two new documents are part of the growing series of Compact Voice briefings to help you get the most out of your Compact.  They are: Make procurement work for you - by using your Compact and Righting Public Law Wrongs: Challenge Unfairness.

Compact Voice have released a brief report into their key activities during 2009, in what is set to be an annual series.The report details some of the key Compact-related areas of concern to the voluntary sector, which are currently being addressed by Compact Voice.  It also maps the growth of the nationwide network of Compact champions, discusses reactions to the Compact refresh, and details other initiatives undertaken by Compact Voice during the year.

Download a copy or contact Lesley Jackson, 024 7637 1831, lesley@wcava.org.uk for hard copies.

A new chapter in partnership working between government and the third sector opened today with the publication of a refreshed national Compact.

The Compact is the longstanding agreement that sets out shared commitments and guidelines for effective partnership working between government and the third sector in England.  The original Compact was agreed in November 1998 and this new version has developed following extensive debate and consultation.

This Compact highlights the shared principles which Compact partners should follow when engaging in partnership working, and records all the Compact commitments. These commitments cover three key areas:

• Involvement in policy development

• Allocating resources

• Advancing equality

The Compact has been agreed by representatives of government and the third sector with Compact Voice and the Office of the Third Sector confirming the policy and the ‘commitments’ content.  It was signed by Simon Blake, Chair of Compact Voice, on behalf of the third sector and the Rt. Hon Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, on behalf of government. 

The agreement is accompanied by a smaller publication entitled ‘An introduction to the Compact’. This contains general information about the Compact, explaining who it applies to, how to implement the Compact and resolve differences.  To read the full document, click here.  Compact Voice have produced a Questions and Answers document about the refresh.  To read the short document, please click here.

Local public sector funders and third sector organisations in Warwickshire recently participated in a Monitoring and Risk Workshop facilitated by the Commission for the Compact.  The workshops were designed to look at how monitoring and risk Compact commitments are applied by local public sector funders and local third sector organisations. The workshops are part of the Commissions annual business plan and designed to further develop the Commissions thinking around monitoring and risk along with building its evidence base.

The Commission will produce an overall report highlighting best practice and areas where practice could be improved.  A number of quick wins will be agreed that feed into the overall refresh process of the Warwickshire Compact.

Richard Williams, Policy Adviser at the Commission said “intelligent monitoring and risk management are key Compact commitments and essential to healthy financial relationships. We are keen to see how these principles are applied locally.  The workshops highlighted some excellent practice which the Commission is keen to promote nationally.  The process also identified some key areas where practice could be improved and we are keen to see how Warwickshire addresses them, so we can influence and shape Compact implementation across the country.  I would like to thank all of those who took part.

Accessing European funding can be a challenge for many third sector organisations and new research from the Commission for the Compact has found that, in a small number of cases, European regulations can cause difficulties in implementing Compact principles.  This can result in tight timetables and short-term funding contracts.

Entitled Compact Application and the Administration of European Structural Funding, this research looks specifically at cases where there have been issues in Compact implementation.  It suggests that European structural funding should follow the Compact, the long-standing agreement that sets out shared commitments and guidelines for working between government and the third sector.

The issue of European funding and Compact application features in the refreshed national Compact, recently published in December 2009.

To read a copy of the report, please click here.  To order a hard copy of the report, please telephone the Commission for the Compact on 0121 237 5905.

Angela Smith MP, Minister for the Third Sector, has today apologised for the breach of the Compact caused by the transfer of funds designated for the Campaigning Research Programme to the Hardship Fund.

During Cabinet Office questions, Angela Smith stated that she “regrets and apologises” for the breach and reinforced her commitment to the Compact.

The Office of the Third Sector has suddenly abandoned a scheme to give £750,000 to small campaigning charities.

The decision was announced mid November without consultation, three weeks after successful applicants to the Campaign Research Programme had been told they would receive funds.  Applicants have now been told that the programme, which was intended to help small charities advocate for change, no longer exists.

The funding has instead been diverted to the Hardship Fund, a £16.7m fund announced in this year's budget to support third sector organisations providing services for disadvantaged people.

Umbrella body, the NCVO, said it was investigating the legality of the decision, which is said appeared to breach the Compact.  The Compact states that organisations should give 12 weeks notice of changes to funding agreements.

Chief Executive Stuart Etherington said he was appalled by the decision.

"Making this decision at such a late stage has resulted in a complete waste of public funds and time for all involved", he said.

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, said: "It is clear to me that our priority at this time has to be to support the third sector during the recession.  The decision does not alter the fact that the Government is committed to enabling campaigning in the third sector".

NAVCA's Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, has written to Angela Smith asking her to reconsider.  The letter can be viewed at: www.navca.org.uk/news/crpcancellation

So far, 160 organisations have been awarded grants worth £14.5m through the Hardship Fund.  The additional £750,000 will enable 15 extra organisations to receive funding.

Those organisations promised funding from the campaign research programme will be offered free campaign training and compensated for their application costs, which involved attending an interview.

Jenny Willot, charities spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats, has tabled an Early Day Motion demanding the Government reinstates the £750,000 it diverted from the Campaigning Research Fund.

She said the decision was shameful and added: "What is so appalling is the manner in which this has been done, with no warning or consultation.  How does the Government expect to convince other public bodies to abide by the Compact when they treat charities in this way?"

The EDM calls on the Government to reinstate the funding for the programme "without delay".

EDM's are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons, but rarely get debated and are regarded primarily as a way of raising awareness of an issue.

Tom Levitt MP tabled a question to ask Angela Smith whether her decision to divert funding from the Campaigning Research Programme to the Hardship Fund was made in accordance with Compact principles. 

On 1st December - Angela Smith's response:
"Although this difficult decision to divert funding away from the Campaigning Research Programme to the Hardship Fund is not in line with Compact principles, the Government reamins fully committed to championing the Compact.

Due to the feedback received from the third sector, the additional funding will provide grants to organisations suffering financial harship as a result of the extraordinary pressures caused by the recession.  This will mean that more third sector organisations will be able to deliver vital services to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in society at a time when they need help most."

Warwickshire Compact comment:

In such uncertain times, statutory partners need to be perfectly clear when engaging in commissioning processes that monies being committed are guaranteed and not at risk of being revoked or diverted elsewhere. - Paul Tolley, Chief Executive WCAVA

Local Compact Voice Officer, Paul Barasi, has written an article, published on the Local Compact Voice Forum website, praising the work achieved by Charles Holmes, who retired from employment as Warwickshire Compact Officer in March. To read the article, click here.

The report highlights work undertaken on a local and national basis, championing and funding, amongst other important items.

Research was undertaken earlier this year, by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) and involved local authorities in Calderdale, Derby, Devon, Rotherham, Southend, Sunderland, Surrey, Warwickshire, Wirral and Wolverhampton. The research has been published by the Commission for the Compact and Compact Voice, the independent body which represents the voluntary and community sector on taking forward the Compact.

The research, entitled They are Champions, highlights the positive impact that Champions have on increasing the awareness, understanding and implementation of Compact principles at the local level. The research is also designed to be a practical guide for those organisations that currently have Champions but also act as a blue print for those organisations seeking to recruit them.

Local Compacts provide a framework for local authority areas and third sector organisations to develop and improve their working relationships. Effective championing is key to improving Compact performance and the findings of the research highlight why this is so important. It acts as a practical guide to help local authorities, primary care trusts and third sector organisations both to sign up new Champions, as well as develop the role of existing ones.

Click here to read a copy of the document.

Third sector organisations can play many different and important roles in society, but to do so they need to be independent in order to use their distinctive experience and expertise. In recognition of this, new implementation guidance on independence has been published by the Commission for the Compact.

Entitled Independence Matters, the guidance aims to increase understanding in both the public and third sectors about the importance and benefits of independence and how it can be threatened. The second in the series of Compact implementation guidance, it looks at five common dilemmas that both sectors face and shows how to address them by applying Compact principles.

Click here to download a copy of the guidance or to order a hard copy of the guidance, please telephone the Commission for the Compact on 0121 237 5905.

A new report , Mapping third sector quality sector standards and the Compact, has found the Compact to be complementary to third sector quality standards.

Quality standards tend to be assessment tools that help organisations look at what they do, identify areas where they are doing well and not so well, and decide where improvements need to be made. Many third sector organisations choose to adopt quality standards to help them run their organisations effectively and efficiently.

The research, which was carried out by Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) on behalf of the Commission for the Compact, looked at eight quality standards and how they relate to the Compact.

The eight quality standards which were selected to be mapped against the Compact included: ACRE Good Practice Quality Standard, Hallmarks of an Effective Charity, investing in Volunteers Standard, Investors in People Standard, NAVCA Quality Award, PQASSO, Quality First and VISIBLE.

The main findings from the report show:

A high level of similarity between Compact principles and quality standards.

A similarity between the Compact and the quality standards across partnerships, volunteering, fundraising and external funding, and strategic leadership and management.

That various factors were found to influence the relationship between the Compact and the quality standards including language and structure

Download a copy of the Summary Leaflet or the full report.

A discussion paper looking at the potential impact of the recession on the relationship between government and the third sector has been issued by the Commission for the Compact.

Structured around eight key areas, the Think Piece reviews various changes that are expected to take place during the economic downturn, and discusses the possible effects on the relationship between the two sectors and implementation of the Compact. It identifies possible pressure points in the relationship where ensuring effective implementation of the Compact could become all the more important.

To download a pdf of the Think Piece, click here.

This is the third review of Compact's in the West Midlands, sponsored by the West Midlands Compact Panel, Regional Action West Midlands, Government Office for the West Midlands and the Compact Commission. To read the final report click here.

Following on from the retirement of Charles Holmes, the Compact Officer, WCAVA will now provide support for the Compact through the four Locality Managers and Chief Executive, Paul Tolley. Their “Compact Champion” role will be to promote the implementation of the Compact’s principles and good practice guidance.

Each Locality Manager will be a member of the Stronger Communities Theme Groups of their Local Strategic Partnerships and using the very successful Rugby model the aim will be to establish a joint Annual Compact Action Plan in each District and Borough Council area and to ensure that each plan is tailored to reflect the different needs and priorities in each locality.

The Locality Managers’ contact details are:

North Warwickshire: Davina Key; davina@wcava.org.uk

Nuneaton and Bedworth: Alison Thompson, alison@wcava.org.uk

Rugby: Clare Montague, clare@wcava.org.uk

Warwick District: Pauline Urwin, purwin@wcava.org.uk

Voluntary Action Stratford on Avon's contact details: Julia Phillips, julia.phillips@vasa.org.uk

The County Council, District and Borough Councils and NHS Warwickshire are all represented on the Third Sector Strategy Group and its aim is to establish a county wide and co-ordinated public agency approach to partnership working with the Third Sector.

Paul Tolley will seek to ensure that this group incorporates Compact principles into the way it works with the Third Sector.

Paul’s contact details are: paul@wcava.org.uk

Lesley Jackson will remain in post as the Compact Administrator, based at the Nuneaton Office. Lesley will sign post queries to the appropriate person , update and maintain the Warwickshire Compact website and communicate with Compact Champions.

Lesley’s contact details are: compact@wcava.org.uk 024 7637 1831

Dispute Resolution

If you believe that your organisation has been dealt with in a way that breaches the Compact’s principles then please ask your Locality Manager for advice.

If the alleged breach has been caused by the County Council, NHS Warwickshire or another County-wide public agency, please contact Paul Tolley for advice.