Partnership Working
Local Strategic Partnership:
A working group formed to develop strategy for the future development of Uttlesford It includes representatives from Uttlesford District Council, West Essex Primary Care Trust, Uttlesford's voluntary sector. Chaired by Councillor Howard Rolph, Vice-Chair, Jan Mennell. Cllr Eric Hicks, Chairman, CVSU, attends this and the Essex County Council Strategic Partnership meetings. www.uttlesford.gov.uk
NHS West Essex /West Essex Primary Care Trust Board:
CVS Uttlesford has close involvement through the Board of the PCT, where it has the opportunity to comment and influence items involving the wider voluntary sector. http://www.uttlesford-pct.nhs.uk
EACVS - Essex Association for Councils for Voluntary Service:
CVS Uttlesford is one of 14 CVSs covering Essex. EACVS is a meeting of Chief Officers of these CVSs to share working and good practise. It is an un-administered body which voices the need of Essex's voluntary sector through the CVSs on a county wide basis. Contact the Sue Sumner at http://ns1.c10hosting.net/~cvsuttle/admin/suecvs@btconnect.com
ESTIC - Essex Southend and Thurrock Infrastructure Consortium : http://www.estic.org.uk/?q=home
THE ESSEX COMPACT
These documents are available in alternative formats- Braille, large print or on tape, and in alternative languages on request.
1. Vision
Voluntary and community organisations make a major and literally incalculable contribution to the social, cultural and economic life of Essex. They act as pathfinders for the involvement of users in the design and delivery of services and often act as advocates for those who otherwise have no voice. In doing so they promote both equality and diversity. They help to alleviate poverty, improve the quality of life and empower socially excluded people. The voluntary and community sector also makes an important direct economic contribution to the County. The Voluntary and Community sector in Essex can operate most effectively if it has the understanding and support of the statutory sector, and vice versa.
2. Purpose of the Essex Compact
A ‘Local Compact' is a written understanding between the Statutory, Voluntary and Community Sectors and other partners within any given locality about how they will co-operate. It should recognise the contribution Voluntary and Community groups make and acknowledge their independence, and also the moves in central government and wider society towards empowering the voluntary sector and communities.
We recognise that the voluntary and community sector has a vital role in society as the nation's ‘third sector', working alongside the state and the market. It is crucial to the governance and wellbeing of communities in Essex as elsewhere, working through engagement of volunteers; promotion of active citizenship; promotion of debate, questioning and new ideas; and providing services. If the Compact is effective, it will support the development of voluntary and community sector capacity, to increase and improve the impact of the sector and benefit Essex people. This is what we are setting out to do.
The voluntary and community sector in Essex is wide-ranging and richly diverse. Despite this, statutory organisations and the voluntary and community sector share many aspirations. These include the pursuit of inclusiveness, dedication to public life, and support for the development of healthy and safe communities. If the two sectors work well together, the people of Essex will benefit: they will be empowered, and will receive better services.
The diversity of the sector in Essex means that while the principles by which statutory organisations should engage with voluntary and community bodies will remain the same, the levels and methods of engagement will often quite rightly differ.
All local public bodies need to have an effective relationship with the sector, including small community groups. We intend the Essex Compact to provide a countywide framework which will complement the existing District and Borough wide Compacts as well as the National Compact and any regional compact, assisting in making roles and responsibilities clearer for Essex-wide and cross-district organisations. We see the district compacts as governing co-operation at district level, the Essex Compact as applying to wider Essex matters, and the National Compact as governing national compact matters as well as guiding the development of local compacts. Partners should make reference to the most local compact relevant, and move to the next "level up" only if the local compact does not cover the matter in question. Where national programmes are applied locally with some devolved decision-making, first reference should be to the National Compact if rule or principle applied uniformly across the country is at stake, but to the appropriate local compact if the issue concerns local decision-making on devolved matters. The competence of a regional compact should be interpreted in the same way. We recommend that district compacts refer to the Essex Compact just as this compact refers to the national one, and that all levels learn from one another.
3. Shared Principles
We assert that these principles are fundamental to the relationship between statutory sector organisations and the voluntary and community sector:
- voluntary action is an essential component of a democratic society.
- an independent and diverse voluntary and community sector enriches society and is fundamental to its well being.
- all members of the Compact will respect and recognise the independence and values of other members.
- in the development and delivery of public policy and services, statutory organisations and the voluntary and community sector have distinct but complementary roles.
- all members will strive to work with partners to make services excellent.
- all members accept the need to communicate with and listen to other partners
- partnership is effective if it works towards common goals and achieves benefits for service users and communities.
- statutory organisations and the voluntary and community sector have different forms of accountability and are answerable to different stakeholders. But common to both is the need for integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership and inclusivity.
- voluntary and community organisations are entitled to campaign within the law to advance their aims.
- promoting equality of opportunity for all people regardless of race, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or any other discriminatory or oppressive criteria, and eliminating discriminatory or oppressive practice, is essential.
- Parish and town councils are recognised as an important part of the statutory sector, but with unique roots in local communities.
4. Undertakings by both Statutory Sector and Voluntary and Community Sector
•· All partner organisations will appoint a Compact Champion and spread knowledge of the Compact through their organization
•· Reach out to and empower underrepresented and disadvantaged communities
•· Work to avoid conflict and spread best practice between the different Essex compacts
•· Respect the confidentiality of information provided by partners from other sectors, within the constraints of the law and the proper performance of public duties, when given access to it on that basis
•· Check all activities and structures involving co-operation with Compact partners, including the Local Area Agreement, against Compact principles
•· Implement mutually agreed monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the Compact
•· Establish and implement accessible mechanisms for dealing with complaints
•· Support as appropriate training on compact issues, learning from one another
•· Recognise training needs of volunteers, people with governance responsibilities in and for relations with the VCS and for volunteers
•· Recognise the added value volunteers bring to organisations and ensure they are all valued and thanked for the unique contribution they make.
5. Undertakings by Statutory Sector
To advance a positive relationship with voluntary and community bodies, statutory organisations signing up to the Essex Compact adopt these undertakings:
- recognise and support the independence of voluntary and community bodies, including their right within the law to campaign, to comment on and to challenge policy within the law, irrespective of any funding relationship that might exist, and to determine and manage their own affairs.
- take account of the need for greater proportionality, targeting, consistency and transparency in funding frameworks and to promote strategic funding, enhancing the capacity of voluntary and community organisations.
- recognise the importance of infrastructure to the voluntary sector and volunteering and, where appropriate, to support its development at a county and local level.
- seek to appraise new policies and procedures, particularly at the developmental stage, to identify as far as possible implications for the sector.
- consult the voluntary sector, subject to considerations of urgency, sensitivity or confidentiality, on issues that are likely to affect it. Such consultation should be timely and allow reasonable timescales for response, taking into account the need of organisations to consult their users, beneficiaries and stakeholders.
- take account positively of the specific needs, interests and contributions of those voluntary and community bodies which represent women, minority groups and socially excluded people.
- ensure that statutory sector staff are trained and otherwise informed on the nature and importance of the Third Sector
- undertake regular mapping exercises with the VCS to identify gaps and overlaps in service provision and areas of support needed.
- promote effective working relationships, consistency of approach and good practice between itself and the voluntary sector.
- support and actively develop policies and promote opportunities for volunteering.
6. Undertakings by voluntary and community sector
In developing their relationship with the statutory sector, voluntary and community voluntary sector organisations agree the following undertakings:
Voluntary and community organisations: -
- will maintain high standards of governance and conduct and meet reporting and accountability obligations to funding bodies and users.
- respect and be accountable to the law, and in the case of charities observe the appropriate guidance from the Charity Commission, including that on political activities and campaigning.
- Acknowledge responsibilities and constraints placed on the statutory sector, including the democratic responsibility and legitimacy of elected representatives.
- develop quality standards appropriate to the organisation.
- ensure that service users, volunteers, members and supporters are informed and consulted, where appropriate, about activities and policy positions
- promote effective working relationships with other agencies and across the voluntary and community sector.
- involve users, wherever possible, in the development and management of activities and services.
- put in place policies for promoting best practice and equality of opportunity in all activities, including employment, involvement of volunteers and users, and service provision.
6. Making it Work/Next Steps
The publication of the Essex Compact in itself will not change anything. Positive and lasting change will depend on a number of essential and critical factors agreed on and committed to by all partners, namely:
•· maintaining close links with District and Borough Compacts and with the National Compact, to aid cross-boundary working and avoid duplication of effort.
•· to review in partnership the operation and implementation of the Essex Compact annually and publish a report detailing achievements, aspirations, issues and amendments
•· to embrace the principles of the Essex Compact and promote its adoption by all other partners
•· to develop a mechanism to resolve disagreements and complaints between the voluntary and community sectors and the statutory sector which compromise the stated commitments or undermine the spirit of the Essex Compact itself. A policy and mechanism for this will be attached to the Compact as soon as it is completed.
FUNDING AND PROCUREMENT CODE OF PRACTICE
This Code of Practice sets out the principles and undertakings which will inform the relationship between the Statutory Sector, the Voluntary and Community Sector and other partners in relation to funding and procurement.
The Government Office of the Third Sector states that ‘third sector organisations of all sizes have a contribution to make to the design of and improvement of public services'. The Statutory Sector together with the voluntary and community sector intend to realise this contribution. Through an innovative and informed grant funding and procurement process, the statutory sector will recognise the value which the voluntary and community sector (VCS) may bring to the delivery of its objectives. More than this the VCS through its independence may identify areas of need in a way which the structure of the public sector prevents it from doing.
There are two main funding mechanisms which the statutory sector may use to finance this support - grant giving and procurement. Each of these serves a different purpose and is appropriate in relevant circumstances. Traditional grant aid is generally accepted as being relevant in relation to smaller grants where there may be an element of capacity building required.
Key principles
The following key principles set out the commitment by the statutory sector and the VCS to improve the delivery of public services through more effective and appropriate grant funding and procurement practice.
1 | Early involvement - Early involvement of the VCS in the grant funding and procurement processes |
2 | Market analysis - market analysis to be carried out to ensure a thorough understanding of how potential providers would satisfy needs |
3 | Grant funding and procurement - maintain and develop two separate processes for financing service provision through the VCS |
4 | Process simplification - Clear efforts to be made to simplify the documentation and processes associated with grant applications / allocation and procurement. |
5 | Risk - Consideration to be given on specifying requirements around the sharing of risk to ensure that risk is not loaded on to the provider. |
6 | Evaluation - Evaluation of the grant and procurement process to be appropriate to the value and risk requirement. |
7 | Monitoring - Key Performance Indicators to be proportionate to value of the grant or contract and be relevant and effective. |
8. | Full cost recovery - the statutory sector to fund the full cost of services / activities grant funded or purchased from VCS |
9. | Sustainable funding - Grants or Contracts to be awarded for 3 or 5 years whenever appropriate |
The Statutory and Voluntary and Community Sector undertake to:
•▪ recognise the value of funding the Voluntary and Community sector
•▪ recognise the added value that the Sector can bring to all areas of work
•▪ recognise the overriding requirement to deliver best value for money of the Statutory Sector from all its spend
•▪ respect the roles and responsibilities of both sectors, and utilise the skills and expertise within each;
•▪ adopt good practice and take account of national guidance with regard to all funding and procurement arrangements;
•▪ respect confidentiality;
•▪ build capacity and understanding between the statutory and the voluntary sector to facilitate successfully tendering.
The Statutory Sector undertakes to:
•▪ maintain a programme for funding the VCS that includes both grants and contracts;
•▪ ensure adequate lead in time is available for VCS to respond
•▪ ensure that market analysis is undertaken when a need is identified to ensure all relevant parties are consulted and that views are incorporated into service design;
•▪ ensure that the process and level of information requested is appropriate for the level of grant available or the contract to be awarded;
develop simplified processes to increase efficiency and reduce paperwork;
•▪ ensure that information and guidance on funding and procurement opportunities are publicised widely and made available in appropriate formats;
•▪ increase awareness of particular needs of voluntary and community sector in grant funding and procurement
•▪ build capacity within the statutory sector to enable it to successfully tender with the voluntary sector
•▪ ensure that the procurement and commissioning process is appropriate to the value and type of contract
•▪ ensure risks are fully identified and apportioned fairly
•▪ recognise the independence of the voluntary and community sector in managing its organisation and making its own decisions for the benefit of the service users;
•▪ agree longer-term funding and contracting agreements - 3 years wherever possible;
•▪ operate an open and transparent process around how funding and procurement decisions are made;
•▪ recognise the importance of full cost recovery to the long term stability of the VCS;
The Voluntary and Community Sector undertakes to:
•▪ respect confidentiality and be clear about whom they represent and how they came to their views when consulted about service design
•▪ meet the published deadlines for admission of applications and monitoring criteria;
•▪ have clear lines of accountability
•▪ have good financial management and monitoring systems in place to manage finances and account for expenditure;
•▪ be honest and transparent in reporting on activity
•▪ build capacity within the voluntary sector to enable it to successfully compete in tendering process
Glossary
Procurement process - the start to finish process of understanding a need, developing a method of satisfying that need, awarding a contract for that requirement and then managing the results of the contract against original need
Market analysis - the method for consulting a market to consider options for satisfying a need or the suitability of options already developed
Grant funding - a bidding process against identified criteria to deliver funders objectives; traditional grant aid is generally accepted as being relevant in relation to smaller grants where there may be an element of capacity building required.
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY GROUPS FACING MARGINALISATION INCLUDING BLACK & MINORITY (BME) AND DISABILITY GROUPS
1. Who is the Code of Practice for?
•· Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Voluntary and Community Sector Groups (including traveller, refugee/asylum seeker, migrant worker and minority ethnic faith groups)
•· Disability Voluntary and Community Sector Groups including mental health groups
•· Other marginalised groups as appropriate
•· Organisations supporting these groups
•· Public Sector Bodies active in Essex
3. What is the aim of this Code of Practice?
This Code of Practice focuses on the needs of marginalized communities in Essex. It recognises that in particular BME and disability groups still experience social exclusion, discrimination, marginalisation and disadvantage, and aims to set up a framework for promoting:
- A joint commitment to taking forward equal opportunity and access, in particular race and disability equality, including sharing best practice and promoting good relationships
- Improved quality and quantity of consultation and participation with marginalised groups, in particular BME and disability groups
- Recognition of the specific needs of BME and disability groups
- Better access to resources and support for marginalised groups.
Where points appear to be specific to BME or to disability groups and not common to both, they are listed as such. While all groups and agencies working with BME, disability or other marginalised groups should take account of this code, the voluntary and community groups whose rights the code is intended to support are those whose membership is drawn predominately from disadvantaged or marginalised communities, and not any who provide a service to such communities.
5. Joint Undertakings: all Groups
The Voluntary and Community Sector and Statutory Agencies will:
- Develop a partnership approach to responding to policy issues and strategies for achieving disability and race equality, including the promotion of fairness and a positive environment for diversity.
- Work in partnership with other agencies on initiatives to improve services for the BME communities and disability groups, social inclusion and cohesion.
- Encourage and support volunteering by and within BME communities and disability groups in line with this Compact's Code on Volunteering.
- Consult BME and disability groups on policy documents to ensure that they address the needs of their specific communities.
- Challenge institutional racism and discrimination against disabled people constantly
- Detect and take action on processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, racist and disability stereotyping which disadvantage these groups of people.
6: The Statutory Agencies will:
- Encourage the development and integration of BME communities and disability groups that represent the diverse communities in Essex
- Seek and value the contribution the BME communities and disability groups can make in helping them achieve their objectives.
- Recognise and support the independence of the BME communities and disability groups, their uniqueness and diversity.
- Operate effective and transparent equal opportunity policies with monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure that the BME communities and disability groups are treated fairly and with respect in all their interactions with statutory agencies.
- Support and advise BME communities and disability groups to access grants and funding administered by local statutory agencies and government funded programmes, particularly those important to these groups.
- Positively target initiatives at BME and disability groups and work with these groups to make intervention effective
- Ensure that policy development and implementation meets the needs of BME communities and disability groups
- Seek the views and encourage the active involvement and participation of the BME communities and disability groups in the LAA, the development of community plans/strategies and the Essex Compact.
7: The BME and disability sectors will:
- Play a full and active part within the wider VCS by making sure that the Compact undertakings are realised.
- Work with statutory agencies and the wider VCS in promoting race and disability equality, tackling social exclusion and promoting cultural understanding.
- Make use of appropriate training and capacity building opportunities for the BME communities and disability groups of Essex
8. On Consultation
- consultation with the BME communities and disability groups should be all inclusive, recognising the broad spectrum of interests, including women's groups, gay and lesbian groups, age groups, disability specific groups, service user groups such as mental health service users, ethnic groups and faith groups
- Aim to recruit a wide range of individuals to act as representatives from BME communities and disability groups to avoid individual overload.
Specific to BME groups: statutory sector commitment:
- Barriers to the effective involvement of the BME communities and small community groups in consultation processes must be overcome, especially by engaging the many smaller, under-resourced groups , for example by:
•§ informal interactions
•§ meeting language and communication needs
•§ meeting access requirements including premises
•§ Offering financial support for expenses incurred
•· Specific issues concerning faith and language will be dealt with sensitively and taking into account needs and characteristics of the relevant groups.
Specific to disability: joint undertaking
•· Adopt the social model of disability and accept a broad definition of disability including mental health issues
•· Communicate and consult in accessible and unthreatening ways.