The
Compact
The Compact on Relations between Government and the
Voluntary and Community Sector in England (the Compact)
is a set of principles and undertakings that provide
a framework for relations between Government and the
sector. Introduced in 1998, it applies to Government
Departments in England, and its scope includes Government
Offices for the Regions, Executive Agencies and non-departmental
public bodies (NDPBs). It applies to the range of organisations
in the voluntary and community sector.
A series of Codes of Good Practice provide further
guidance on, Funding, Consultation and Policy Appraisal,
Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, Volunteering
and Community Groups.
Local Compact Guidelines have been issued (in 2000)
and are undergoing revision. Summaries of the Compact
and Codes of Good Practice have been published.
Implementation of the Compact is reviewed every year
at a meeting between Ministers, Local Government and
the sector at which a Joint Action Plan is agreed. You
can view reports of previous meetings, the Compact and
other important Compact publications under Compact
Publications
The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service
Delivery A Cross Cutting Review explores how central
and local government should work more effectively with
the sector to deliver high quality services, and highlights
the importance of mainstreaming the Compact.
Government is working hard to translate the principles
of the Compact into action. At central Government level,
the Home Office is working closely with other Government
departments to ensure that the Compact is embedded in
the Department’s engagement with the sector.
At regional and local level we are working with key
Departments, Government Offices for the Regions and
the Local Government Association (LGA), on engaging
local public bodies in Local Compacts. Currently at
least 93% of local authority areas have or are developing
a Local Compact. Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs)
are being encouraged to take a leading role in Local
Compact development, co-ordinating a strategic streamlined
approach to voluntary and community sector (VCS) engagement
between the range of public sector bodies represented
on the LSP.
ACU works closely in partnership with the Compact
Working Group and its Secretariat, responsible for promoting
the Compact within the VCS.
The Fifth Annual Meeting to Review the Compact took
place on 5 May 2004, and was attended in record numbers
demonstrating the commitment of Government and the sector
to build upon the progress achieved. The report of the
meeting appears in the ‘Compact Publications’
section and includes the Joint Compact Action Plan 2004-5.
This sets out what Government and the sector will jointly
work to achieve over the coming year, at national, regional
and local levels. In the Compact Action Plan there is
a target for all local authority areas to be covered
by a Local Compact by April 2005. There is also a need
to increase the number of public sector bodies involved,
and increase the effectiveness of Local Compacts.
For more information please visit the web sites given
under Useful Links
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