| Gweini Briefing Paper No 2 - Local Authority Compacts and Joint Liason Committees |
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Taking Our Place In The Definition Of Local Authority Compacts And Joint liaison committees BACKGROUNDIn the last thirty years the Voluntary Sector has grown from a politically insignificant body, which it was hoped would one day be rendered superfluous by the welfare state, to the powerful and extensive movement that it is today. Such is its significance that the sector now finds itself described as one of the key parts of the economy the "third sector" - third, that is, to the private sector and public sector. In the context of its rising importance, Government recognised during the mid '90s that there was a need to devote more time to developing its relationship with this "third sector". This conviction gave rise to the initiative to create "Voluntary Sector Compacts": formal agreements between government and the voluntary sector. These were launched in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1998. The Compact process consists of two elements. A document, which outlines the formal agreement and a Joint Liaison Committee, made up of politicians, voluntary sector representatives and civil servants. The formal agreements enumerate a number of commitments: Government undertakes to make the Voluntary Sector aware of funding opportunities, to meet regularly with the sector and listen to its ideas for policy development, whilst the Voluntary Sector undertakes to share its best practice and to operate highly professional management practices. The Monitoring Group, meanwhile, exists for the purpose of institutionalising regular Government-Voluntary Sector dialogue and for monitoring the Compact. LOCAL AUTHORITY COMPACTSIt is, however, not the purpose of this Briefing Paper to consider the national compact process but rather the more recent drive (announced in 1999) for the creation of Local Government Compacts. The compact process at the Local Authority level has been based very much on the national model of a formal agreement and Joint Liaison Committee. Consisting again of politicians, voluntary sector representatives and (this time) local government officers, this is potentially an influential body. It is interesting to note that where Christians have obtained membership this has generated significant benefits especially in helping Local Authorities feel more relaxed about Faith Based Welfare. If the Christian Voluntary Sector were to be represented in Joint Liaison Committees in each Local Authority in Wales it would make a very real difference. THE IMPORTANCE OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT LIAISON COMMITTEETaking our place in the Joint Liaison Committee is important because it gives us the opportunity to build relationship with Local Government and the wider voluntary sector so that we can:
COMPACT NEGOTIATION AND THE ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTORIn putting together this resource we are aware that the Church to date has largely been left out of Compact negotiation. The reason for this is that Government consults with the voluntary sector, which "it can see" because it is represented by those voluntary sector umbrella bodies that it recognises i.e. the County Voluntary Councils (CVCs) and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA). Whilst a few churches may be members, most do not tend to engage with these organisations and so, as part of the voluntary sector addressing community needs, the Christian Voluntary Sector is largely invisible to Government. The role of the CVCs in relationship to the Compact process is especially significant because the principle has been established that voluntary sector membership of the Monitoring Group shall be determined by the local County voluntary councils. Indeed if your church is not a member of your CVC you almost certainly will never have heard about the Compact consultation let alone the opportunity of sitting on the Joint Liaison Committee. THE LOCAL CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND COUNTY VOLUNTARY COUNCILSGiven the extent of the Christian Voluntary Sector's contribution, our under-representation before Local Government is clearly profoundly unfortunate. To the extent, however, that it is understandable that government should want to address the voluntary sector through central umbrella bodies and we have chosen, by and large, not to engage with these bodies, the disenfranchisement is of our own making. In truth, perhaps it did not matter in the past when the voluntary sector was small, did not access large grants and had less political salt and light influence. Today, however, it matters a great deal. If the church is to re-take its place in the voluntary sector and gain access to the Compact process, it must re-engage with local CVC's. THE WAY AHEADThe position of the CVCs in relationship to Compact negotiation and our non membership does present the Christian Voluntary Sector with some real short term strategic challenges as it seeks to influence Compact documents and gain membership of the Liaison Committee. In what follows, this briefing paper will consider how best to navigate our way through this complex environment. Join your CVC, build relationships and work towards getting membership when the Joint Liaison Committee personnel changes (appointments are for fixed terms). You could argue for the incorporation of a new Christian Voluntary Sector seat. In this regard one is helped by the fact that today it is actually quite acceptable/desirable for progressive Government-Community bodies to have "faith communities" representation. Indeed, of great significance for Local Authorities, the national compact group, the Voluntary Sector Partnership Council, has a post for "religion". This is an important precedent to which one can appeal. GO FOR IT!Contact your local authority and County Voluntary Council and find out about your Compact and Joint Liaison Committee (remembering that these have many different names) and take steps to ensure that the Christian Voluntary Sector is fully represented. Briefing Compiled by Daniel Boucher Gweini Policy Development Officer |