Gweini Briefing Papers

Welcome to the Gweini Briefing Papers. Gweini Briefing Papers are compiled to provide the reader with a brief, intelligent introduction to the subject in question from a Christian Voluntary Sector perspective. We do hope that you find them useful.

Quick Links (click to get to the relevant section):

1. Gweini Briefing Paper No 1 - Community Planning
2. Gweini Briefing Paper No 2 - Local Authority Compacts
3. Gweini Briefing Paper No 3 - Welsh Church Acts Funds
4. Gweini Briefing Paper No 4 - County Voluntary Councils
5. Gweini Briefing Paper No 5 - Communities First
6. Gweini Briefing Paper No 6 - Local Health Boards

To obtain the most up to date assessment of the subjects in view please see the 2004 edition of Taking Our Place: Church in the Community, which engages with all of the above information and much, much more.

Gweini Briefing Paper No 1
Community Strategies/Community Planning:

A New Opportunity for the Christian Voluntary Sector Engagement
The Local Government Act 2000 requires all Local Authorities to prepare ‘Community Strategies’ ‘for the purpose of promoting or improving the economic, social and environmental well-being of their areas, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in the UK.’ These strategies have a number of features that together make their arrival a significant development for the Christian Voluntary Sector.

1) DETERMINING KEY PARAMETERS
First, Community Strategies constitute one of the most significant determinants of what Local Authorities can actually do. As the Assembly’s guidance to Local Authorities for developing Community Strategies makes plain, the Community Strategy ‘should be central to an authority’s planning and resource decision, ensuring that local priorities and concerns are reflected in the allocation of resources. Members who are responsible for developing policies and strategies, proposing the allocation of resources and taking decisions on behalf of the council will need to translate priorities arising from the community strategy into a clear set of activities for the council, and ensure that resources are allocated to deliver the specific actions to which the authority has committed itself.’

2) PROMOTING WELLBEING
Second, the new Community Strategy competence is located in the context of the new power that the Local Government Act invests in Local Government ‘”to do anything” to promote the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of local communities.’ As the Welsh Local Government Association’s reflections on this prerogative, in the context of their consideration of Community Planning, make clear, this constitutes a significant empowerment of local government.
‘This power is significant. It is not a power of general competence. It is a “can do” power of the first resort. In essence this means that councils can now move from the status quo where they are unable to act unless a specific legislative power can be found, to a position where they can act provided that their actions are not illegal and likely to achieve well being. This is a radical amendment to previous ultra vires doctrines. It provides a range of opportunities, not least in areas such as strengthening the loyal accountability of health services, developing the role of local authorities as consumer champions and increased involvement in areas of community safety.’ They note that central government is in no doubt about the significance of what it was doing in drafting the act, the local government minister’s, observation ‘that the government has been bold in creating this wide ranging power. Now we expect authorities by being as innovative as possible to be equally bold in taking action.’ (italics added)
In conclusion, drawing points 1 and 2 together, the Welsh Local Government Association is clear that the new approach located in these developments ‘significantly [has] enhanced the role of local government. The focus of local authorities is changed from one of service provider to one that also enables councils to “hold the ring” in setting the policy agenda locally and outwards.’

3) PLAYING OUR PART
Community Strategies are not being developed by Councillors and Local Government Officers alone but through ‘Community Partnerships’, involving everyone within the local community including statutory bodies, business, the voluntary sector community groups etc. Interestingly the Assembly has specifically encouraged Local Authorities in the guidance that it has given them for the development of Community Strategies to engage with faith communities. ‘Specific efforts should be made to involve different ethnic communities, women, faith communities, older people and disabled people who have a positive contribution to make to the future development and well being of their communities.’

CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR RESPONSE
INFLUENCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES
It is vital for the Christian Voluntary Sector, as a welfare provider and a key part of the community, to engage with the Community Strategies process. It provides us with a clear opportunity to shape the priorities and therein the values that will impact the administration of Local Government. Although the low turn out at Council elections demonstrate that the public at large does not really attach a great deal of importance to Local Government, our Unitary Authorities actually have very significant spending powers and make a major difference to the local community wherein the Christian Voluntary sector operates.

DEVELOPING KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Perhaps more significantly for practical purposes, the implications of the church demonstrating its concern about the future development of its community, and readiness to come out of its building and develop relationship with wider civil society, is hugely important. Quite apart from anything else, the development of such relationships means that when you are looking for funding you are not an unknown body. Indeed, if you have relationship and have demonstrated a real interest and capacity to make a difference, you may find that the Council or other partnerships that it has developed, approach you proactively.

THE CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND WELLBEING
Furthermore, the fact that Local Government now has the authority to move into the somewhat ethereal realm of ‘wellbeing’ presents significant new opportunities. As those Gweini members that have read our documents on sustainable development will know, the whole debate about ‘wellbeing’ and ‘quality of life’ has arisen from a secular appreciation of the paradox of modern life. People are in the main richer and have at their disposal greater material wealth and yet, far from experiencing a greater quality of life, are confronted by new problems of stress and relational breakdown at all levels including within the home. The Christian Voluntary Sector, with its Christian understanding of the human condition, is of course in a position to make a significant contribution to the challenges of wellbeing. To fully appreciate the importance of engaging with this issue, however, one must see it negatively as well as positively. In a very politically correct age, wellbeing could be interpreted in all sorts of ways that may well alarm us as Christians. We need to be present, offering the Christian model of wellbeing, proactively before ungodly alternatives gain currency.

TAKING OUR PLACE
The development of Community Strategies presents the Church/Christian Voluntary sector in Wales (and indeed the UK as a whole) with a new foundation/basis upon which to ‘Take its Place’ in society, to develop key relationships and become a community pivot. Furthermore, it presents a challenge that only the Local Christian Voluntary Sector and local Church can effectively respond to. Whilst it will not be possible for Gweini to engage directly in each Local Authority, it does hope that this, and other Gweini resources, will help equip the Local Christian Voluntary Sector to make an effective response. This ‘influencing/relationship developing strategy’ of engagement is never easy, especially in the context of rising political correctness, but that is precisely why we need to engage.

FURTHER READING
To find out more information about Community Strategies read the National Assembly’s Guidance on the development of Community Strategies.

Preparing Community Strategies
Guidance to Local Authorities from the National Assembly for Wales
http://www.wales.gov.uk/subilocalgov/content/community-e.pdf

Community Planning
Draft Guidance on Community Strategies, Part 1 of the Local government Act 2000.
http://www.wlga.gov.uk/index3e.html

Given the language of ‘wellbeing’ and ‘sustainable development’ within which the Communities Strategy/Planning process is located, it will be particularly important to have a clear grasp of these issues.

Daniel Boucher, Wales: A Community of Communities, Gweini 2000.

Briefing Compiled by Daniel Boucher Gweini Policy Development Officer
September 2001

Gweini Briefing Paper No 2
Taking Our Place In The Definition Of Local Authority Compacts And Joint liaison committees

BACKGROUND
In 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 COMPACTS
It 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 COMMITTEE
Taking 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:
• Help to make Local Government and the wider voluntary sector aware that the Church is still a very significant part of society.
• Share our best practice.
• Work to dispel any unhelpful misconceptions about faith based welfare.
• Be more aware of secular funding opportunities, both those emanating from Local Government and elsewhere.

COMPACT NEGOTIATION AND THE ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR
In 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 COUNCILS
Given 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 AHEAD
The 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
2001

Gweini Briefing Paper No 3
The Welsh Church Act Funds

The Welsh Church Act Funds
It will come as something of a surprise to some Christian Voluntary Sector projects to learn of a funding stream provided by an Act of Parliament and defined in terms of the Church, the Welsh Church Act Funds. The Welsh Church Act 1914, which secured the dis-establishment of the Anglican Church in Wales, made provision, in Section 19, for the funding of Church projects.
Today the money made available from this stream is limited. Grants are seldom more than £3000. Having said this, however, in aggregate the money still amounted to £500,000 for 1998-99. In an age where being a Christian Voluntary Sector project can make accessing funding difficult it is encouraging that there is still a fund, resting on an Act of Parliament, that is defined in terms of the Church.
The significance of the size of the fund, however, must also be qualified by the fact that, despite its name, it is not exclusively allocated to Church projects. In 1998-9 it was estimated that £250,000 went to non Church projects. Having recognised this, though the fact that £250,000 pounds went to the Church from a funding stream set in law and defined in terms of the Church is surely significant.

Simple Application Forms
One of the great attractions of Welsh Church Act Funds is that the funding application forms are some of the simplest we have ever seen!

Welsh Church Act Fund Criteria
For the purpose of providing something of a taster for the funding criteria of the Welsh Church Act Fund, this short briefing paper considers those operating in Carmarthenshire.

‘Guidance Re Welsh Church Fund From Carmarthernshire
In what follows we quote directly from the Carmarthernshire County Council’s guidance regarding Welsh Church Act Funds.

1. Eligible To Apply
Applications are invited from:-
• Churches & Chapels
• Organisations
• Individuals.

Organisations must be either Carmarthenshire based, or if of a national and regional character must be able to demonstrate that the money requested would be used for a specific Carmarthenshire based project.
Organisations must either:
• be registered as a charity
• hold certificates of charitable status
• or have funds which are exempt from income tax.

Applications for grant support from individuals towards a specific activity will be considered provided the applicant is resident in the County.
No grant will be made if assistance for a particular application is available from any other Committee of the County Council, or any other funding source e.g. Lottery.

No application can be considered from of any previous successful applicant in respect to building construction, contents, improvements or repair projects until a three-year period has elapsed from the award date.

2. Eligible Expenditure / Grant Rate
Applicants can apply for grant support for the following purposes:
• Advancement of Education
• Libraries, museums, art galleries etc.
• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of religion
• Other purposes beneficial to the community.
The degree of support to be offered will be at the absolute discretion of the County Council.

Generally the following eligible expenditure and grant rates apply:

a) Churches/Chapels (Grant rate of 20-25%)
Applicants can apply for capital costs (including repairs and renewals) and may be awarded the following grant rates:
PROJECT COST GRANT RATE

Up to £1,000
£1,001 to £2,500
£2,501 to £5,000
£5,001 to £10,000
£10,001 and over
Up to £250
£251 to £500
£501 to £1,000
£1,001 to £2,000
Up to a maximum of £3,000

b) Village Halls
Applicants can apply for capital costs (including repairs and renewals) and the grant rate for Village Hall Schemes is 12.5%, up to a maximum of £3,000 in respect of all building construction, contents, improvements or repair projects.

c) Organisations
Organisations can apply for revenue and capital projects. However the grant rate in respect of all building construction, contents, improvements or repair projects will be 10% on total project costs, to a maximum of £3,000

d) Individuals
Applications will be considered from individuals for aid towards a specific activity
(grant aid is generally not awarded to individuals who reside outside the County).
Grants to apprentices are available for the purchase of tools.
The normal level of support to individuals will be between £50 - £150.

e) Other
No grant will be awarded for schemes over £30,000 unless it can be shown that there are adequate funds for the completion of the scheme.
Enhanced financial assistance of up £10,000 may be made, if the overall cost less any financial contributions from parent bodies, the utilisation of capital receipts and other reserve funds is in excess of £100,000.
The Chairman of the Finance and Property sub-committee is authorised to award a grant of £100 for each person taking part in Operation Raleigh from the General fund.’ It is interesting to see a funding stream defined in law that deliberately states that it is for the ‘Advancement of religion’!

Where To Apply
If you live in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Newport, or Torfaen Your Welsh Church Fund Money is administered by Monmouthshire.

If you live in Bridgend or Merthyr Tydfil your Welsh Church Fund Money is administered by Rhondda Cynon Taff. If you live in Cardiff your Welsh Church Fund Money is administered by the Vale of Glamorgan.

In the case of all the Local Authorities not mentioned they administer Welsh Church Act Funds in their area. All allocating authorities are listed below.

Welsh Church Act Funds - Allocating Local Authorities
Carmarthenshire County Council
County Hall,
Carmarthen,
SA31 1JP
(01267) 234567
www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Ceredigion County Council
Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion,
Penmorfa,
Aberaeron,
Ceredigion,
SA46 0PA
(01545) 570881
www.ceredigion.gov.uk

Conwy County Borough Council
Bodlondeb,
Conwy,
LL32 8DU
(01492) 574000
www.conwy.gov.uk

Denbighshire County Council
Council Offices,
Wynnstay Road,
Ruthin,
LL15 1AT
(01824) 706000
www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Flintshire County Council
County Hall,
Mold,
CH7 6NB
(01352) 752121
www.flintshire.gov.uk

Gwynedd Council
Swyddfa’r Cyngor,
Caernarfon,
LL55 1SH
(01286) 672255
www.gwynedd.gov.uk

Isle of Anglesey County Council
Swyddfa’r Sir,
Llangefni,
Ynys Môn - Anglesey,
LL77 7TW
(01248) 750057
www.ynysmon.gov.uk

Monmouthshire County Council
County Hall,
Cwmbran,
NP44 2XH
(01633) 644843
www.monmouthshire.gov.uk

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Civic Centre,
Port Talbot,
SA13 1PJ
(01639) 763333
www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk

Pembrokeshire County Council
County Hall,
Haverfordwest,
Pembrokeshire,
SA16 1TP
(01437) 764551
www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Powys County Council
County Hall,
Llandrindod Wells,
Powys,
LD1 5LG
(01597) 826000
www.powys.gov.uk

Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
The Pavillions,
Cambrian Park,
Clydach Vale,
Tonypandy,
CF40 2XX
(01443) 424000
www.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk

City and County of Swansea
County Hall,
Oystermouth Road,
Swansea,
SA1 3SN
(01792) 636000
www.swansea.gov.uk

The Vale of Glamorgan
Civic Offices,
Holton Road,
Barry,
CF63 4RU
(01446) 700111
www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Wrexham County Borough Council
Guildhall,
PO Box 1284,
Wrexham,
LL11 1WF
(01978) 292000
www.wrexham.gov.uk

Briefing Compiled by Daniel Boucher Gweini Policy Development Officer
March 2002.

For those interested all legislation post 1988 in on the HMSO web site and thus the latest Order with respect to Welsh Church Act Funds (1996) can be seen: www.hmso.gov/si/si1996/Uksi_19960344_en_1.htm

Caramthernshire County Council web site.
www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/services_eng/grants/welsh_church_fund/criteria.htm

Gweini Briefing Paper No 4
County Voluntary Councils

The Churches’ relationship with the wider Voluntary Sector is of critical importance for a number of reasons:

1) CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR IN THE LOCAL PUBLIC SQUARE
County Voluntary Councils are funded by their Local Authority to represent/promote the voluntary sector to/within the Local Authority. If church projects do not join then Local Government will presume that the Church is no longer involved in voluntary work and probably more significantly this will authenticate the general sense that the church quite simply is just ‘no more’! There is thus an important sense in which, before providing services to the local voluntary sector to help them access funding, operate professionally etc, County Voluntary Councils provide an important political, representation role. In some senses, therefore, the decision not to join your CVC has greater political significance, because of its implications for representation, than it has practical hands-on significance. Non membership has the effect of a self-imposed social and political disenfranchisement as far as the local churches’ position as a welfare provider in the Local Authority is concerned. It removes you from Local Government’s radar screen!

One cannot overstate the Church/Christian Voluntary Sector’s lack of involvement with County Voluntary Councils. In researching for this Briefing we examined the published membership of a South Wales County Voluntary Council. It had 140 members on its web site (there would be others who have asked their details not to be published) of which just one was a church and three were Christian organisations. If the churches involved with voluntary work within that Local Authority joined the CVC then the largest membership category would probably be churches and we would have to be taken seriously by Local Government. Ironically, in years gone by, a very senior Local Government Officer recently reflected to me, these bodies used to be led by church people!

2) PRACTICAL HELP
Having gone to some lengths to stress the importance of engaging with your CVC for reasons of political representation, it is of course essential to recognise the significance of the key practical services which they provide. Among other things CVCs:

• Provide an important source of information about funding streams from the Local Authority and beyond,
• Alert the Voluntary Sector to changes in Local Government policy,
• Provide numerous training opportunities,
• Provide relationship building opportunities beyond the Church.

CVCs and LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPACTS
The cost both socially and politically of our failure to engage with the local CVCs has recently been demonstrated very eloquently by the failure of the Christian Voluntary Sector to properly engage with the Local Government Compact process. This has been very costly for the Christian Voluntary Sector although, as Gweini Members Briefing Paper No 2 makes plane, there is still room for our engagement. It has also made it impossible for us to engage in the Community Strategy process (see Briefing Paper No 1) as voluntary sector projects, although we can nonetheless still engage in this process as church.

COST?
In some cases there is a membership fee, whereas in others all a church has to do to join is send an e-mail!

CVC WEB SITES: CHECK THEM OUT!
Pages 4-7 list the details of each County Voluntary Council so that you can make contact with your CVC. Before moving to this list, however, we would particularly draw your attention to the CVC web sites of which there are currently 13. Regardless of whether one of the 13 covers your area we would really encourage you to visit a web site just to give you an idea of what CVCs do. Given that much of the information provided in these sites is useful across Wales, moreover, this will inevitably provide you with helpful information even if you don’t live in the in the area of the CVC in question. Also do bear in mind that at the time of writing more and more CVC’s are developing web sites so that by the time you read this yours may actually have a site so it would be worth giving them a ring to check.

www.bavo.org.uk Bridgend

www.vac4info.co.uk Cardiff

www.cavo.org.uk Ceredigion

www.cvsc.org.uk Conwy

www.flvc.demon.co.uk Flintshire

www.mantellgwynedd.com Gwynedd

www.pavo.org.uk Powys

www.interlinkrct.org.uk RCT

www.scvs.org.uk Swansea

www.valecvs.org.uk Vale

www.avow.org Wrexham

www.menternet.org.uk/ymvs/index.htm Ynys Mon

Welsh County Voluntary Councils

BRIDGEND ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISTIONS
10 Park Street
Bridgend
CF31 4AX
Tel: (01656) 647255
bavo@bavo.freeserve.co.uk

VOLUNTARY ACTION CARDIFF
Shand House
Fitzalan Place
Cardiff
CF2 1BD
Tel: (029) 20485722
enquiries@vacardiff.org.uk

CARMARTHENSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY SERVICES
Ty Carwyn,
3 St. Peters St,
Camarthen
SA31 1LN
(01267) 236367
director@cavs.org.uk

CEREDIGION ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
Bryndulais,
67 Bridge St,
Lampeter,
Ceredigion,
SA48 7AB
Tel: (01570) 423232
gen@cavo.org.uk

CONWY VOLUNTARY SERVICES COUNCIL
8 Riviere’s Avenue
Colwyn Bay
Conwy
LL29 7DP
Tel: (01492) 534091
mail@cvsc.org.uk

DENBIGHSHIRE VOLUNTARY SERVICES COUNCIL
Station Road Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 1BP
Tel: (01824) 702441
office@dvsc.freeserve.co.uk

FLINTSHIRE LOCAL VOLUNTARY COUNCIL
The Manse,
Tyddyn St,
Mold
Flintshire,
CH7 1DX
Tel: (01352) 755008
info@flvc.demon.co.uk

GWENT ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
8 Pentonville
Newport
NP9 5XH
Tel: (01633) 213229
info@gavowales.org.uk

INTERLINK
Maritime Offices
Woodland Terrace
Maesycoed
Pontypridd
Rhondda Cynon Taff
CF37 1DZ
Tel: (01443) 485337
admin@interlinkrct.org.uk

MANATELL GWYNEDD
24-26 Stryd Fawr
Caernarfon
Gwynedd
LL55 1RH
Tel: (01286) 672626
enquiries@mantellgwynedd.com

NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE
Ty Margaret Thorne
17-19 Alfred Street,
Neath,
Port Talbot,
SA11 1EF
Tel: (01639) 631246
nptcvs@freenet.co.uk

PEMBROKESHIRE ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY SERVICES
36-38 High Street
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 2DA
Tel: (01437) 769422
enquiries@pavs.org.uk

POWYS ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS

Registered office:
Marlow, South Crescent, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 5DH
Tel: 01597 822191
info@powys.org.uk

Satellite offices in the north:
Plas Dolerw, Milford Road, Newtown Powys SY16 2EH
Tel: 01686 626220
info@powys.org.uk

Satellite offices in the south:
Steeple House, Steeple Lane, Brecon, Powys LD3 7DJ
Tel: 01874 614010
info@powys.org.uk

SWANSEA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES
Voluntary Action Centre
7 Walter Rd
Swansea
SA1 5NF
Tel (01792) 544000
scvc@scvs.org.uk

TORFAEN VOLUNTARY ALLIANCE
Pearl House
Hanbury Road
Pontypool
Torfaen
NP4 6YD
Tel: (01495) 766204
nina@torfaenvoluntaryalliance.org.uk

VALE COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES
Unit 11
Barry Community Enterprise Centre
Skomer Road
Barry
CF62 9DA
Tel: (01446) 741706
vcvs@valecvs.org.uk

ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN WREXHAM (AVOW)
21 Egerton Street
Wrexham
LL11 1ND
Tel: (01978) 312556
chief@avow.org

YNYS MON VOLUNTARY SERVICES
Room 20 Mon Training
Pen Yr Orsedd Industrial Estate
Llangefni
Ynys Mon
LL77 7JA
Tel: (01248) 752550
wfxvs@anglesey.gov.uk

Gweini Members Briefing Paper No 5
AN INTRODUCTION TO ‘COMMUNITIES FIRST’

At the heart of the National Assembly’s Social Inclusion Policy is its funding stream called THE COMMUNITY PURPOSE FUND which over 2001-2004 is worth £83 million.

The fund supports three funding programmes:

• PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES
• SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
• COMMUNITIES FIRST

Of these three initiatives, whilst People in Communities and Sustainable Communities were developed by the old Welsh Office, the Communities First programme has been developed by the National Assembly and stands at the centre of its Social Inclusion policy, enjoying the bulk of the Community Purpose Fund. (£80 million 2001-2004).

COMMUNITIES FIRST DISTINCTIVES:

Communities First has a number of important distinctives:

• It is long term, running for at least ten years
• It is driven from the bottom up by local partnerships not from the top down by the National Assembly
• It is targeted at the poorest parts of Wales (88 separate communities involving 119 local authority wards. See Appendix 1)

UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITIES FIRST: A MEANS TO AN END
The great fanfare of trumpets that announced the launch of Communities First, celebrating its place at the cornerstone of National Assembly social inclusion policy, can seem somewhat misplaced when one confronts the hard facts of the situation. £80 million sounds like a lot of money but split between 88 communities over three years it only amounts to a few hundred thousand per community per year. The limitations of Communities First money, however, should not blind us to the strategic significance of this innovative programme.

In truth Communities First money is really about investing in the development of a state of the art ‘community development’ framework. Such a framework, it is hoped, will be very well positioned to access monies from other sources. In the current context Communities First is arguably a pump priming device developed by the National Assembly to enable local communities to access EU Objective 1, 2 and 3 monies (which amount to many millions) for social projects. The aspiration is clearly that Communities First will become a means whereby the poorest communities can access very much more than £800,000 (or so) every three years.

TOWARDS AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK:
THE LOCAL PARTNERSHIP
In laying the foundations for a state of the art community development framework, Communities First has determined that it is imperative to develop ‘community capacity’. This objective is realised through what community professionals call ‘capacity building’, which classically involves initiatives to help communities develop their ability to rise to challenges such as assessing their needs and priorities and making necessary decisions. Central to this goal is the place of the Communities First Local Partnership.

The Local Partnership is established on the basis of the ‘3 thirds principle’. According to this principle,

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
STATUTORY SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES
VOLUNTARY AND BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES

The National Assembly defines these as follows:

1. COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
‘The community can be represented by local people who have the respect and confidence of those living in the area or by community organizations that serve and are active in the area.’

2. STATUTORY SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES
‘Statutory bodies can include members and officers of the local authorities and community councils, health authorities, school/colleges, police authorities, housing associations and government agencies (e.g. ELWa, the Welsh Development Agency, Wales Tourist Board, Environment Agency and Sports Council for Wales.’ It can also include elected members.

3. A) VOLUNTARY SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES
‘The voluntary sector can include organisations that deliver statutory and voluntary service councils. It can also include single issue groups at the local level such as parent and toddler groups, faith groups, credit unions, tenant and resident groups, parent and teacher associations.’ (Emphasis added)

3 B) BUSINESS SECTOR REPRESENTATION
‘The business sector can be represented by employers in the area, in particular local small businesses which have operated in the community for some time. Members can also be sought from representative bodies such as Chambers of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, Business in the Community or the Federation of Small Businesses.'’

Thus there is a clear place for faith groups within the voluntary sector. We need to be there!

LOCAL PARTNERSHIP PLANS
The Partnership must develop two plans that inform all that it does:
• A CAPACITY BUILDING PLAN
• A COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CAPACITY BUILDING PLAN
‘The Capacity Building Plan sets out the community’s aims in developing the capacity of the community, Partnership and agencies to enable engagement in the process.'’

To the extent that a community with no capacity to engage is a dead community, Communities First, as noted earlier, is very much about the development of capacity and thus community life. The Capacity Building Plan is about addressing the need for community engagement which will not just build capacity in the community but specifically help in the construction of the COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
‘A Community Action Plan sets out what a community wants and how that will be delivered.'’

The plan must:
• Have long (10 years) medium (5 years) and short term (3 years) goals
• It must set out (among other things):
- ‘identified needs
- the activities/projects the community has identified as being necessary to address their needs and the overall community regeneration objective
- the estimated costs;
- how funding is to be accessed …
- anticipated outcomes or results’

ACCESSING FUNDING:

1) COMMUNITIES FIRST MONIES
Communities First funding will be allocated to partnerships on the basis of their plans.
The National Assembly will assess these in terms of:
• ‘The level of community support and participation
• How imaginative, innovative or appropriate the plan is
• The level of need
• The extent to which the Plan aims to tackle the deep-rooted causes of poverty in the area
• The extent to which the Plan addresses the principle and themes of the National Assembly
• The level of population in the area concerned
• The extent to which other appropriate sources of funding have been identified.’

2) FURTHER MONIES
As noted earlier, however, the success of the Communities First programme will really depend upon the extent to which the pump priming money provided by the National Assembly, and the incentives it provides for the development of civic capacity, then enable the partnership to access other monies. It is precisely because Communities First takes communities through the long process of both forming a partnership and engaging in wider consultation that they will be able to demonstrate that they have developed capacity which is what should attract other funding streams.

THE CHRISTIAN VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND COMMUNITIES FIRST
Communities First provides another policy departure that makes it very difficult for Christians wishing to pursue community development to do so effectively by ‘going it alone’. It presents the Christian Voluntary Sector with a further challenge to engage with civil society at large. Whilst money will ultimately be allocated to specific projects, a great deal of time will be devoted to developing civic capacity through generating plans and partnering with other bodies and other individuals. This is a great challenge to Christian welfare providers who would rather live in a Christian cosmos and only engage with the world at the point of service delivery to the homeless person, the parent and toddler etc. If we are to access government and other monies at a time when PARTNERSHIP is everything, however, then we must engage with partnerships.

ACTION
Check Appendix 1 and find out whether you live in a Communities First area.
There are two ways in which you can engage:
• By engaging with your local Communities First consultation process
• By seeking membership of the Communities First Partnership. If membership has already been determined this could be difficult but if membership decisions were made without the involvement of faith communities then you might want to suggest that this is an oversight that needs to be corrected with the appropriate amendment of the Partnership.

Contact the National Assembly Communities First Unit to discover the state of play with your Communities First Partnership and ask how you can engage.
If you do not live in a Communities First area but provide a service in a neighbouring community, accessed by people within the Communities First area, then you may be able to benefit from the Communities First process:
For further information contact:

THE COMMUNITIES FIRST UNIT
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Tel: (029) 20823784
Fax: (029) 20825136

e-mail: communities.first@wales.gsi.gov.uk

For information about Communities First on the National Assembly Web Site visit:

http://www.wales.gov.uk/themessocialdeprivation/content/comfirsthome_e.htm

For the National Assembly’s Communities First Guidance visit:

http://www.wales.gov.uk/themessocialdeprivation/content/comfirst-e.pdf

STOP PRESS!!!
COMMUNITIES FIRST TRUST FUND
The National Assembly has just launched the Communities First Trust Fund. This will be attractive for many church/para church projects because of its relative simplicity. Individual projects can make individual bids without having to worry about developing the partnerships which are central to the thrust of the mainstream Communities First process.

The Communities First Trust Fund is worth £9 million over the next three years and covers 139 wards and sub-wards. Each ward and sub ward is allocated £20,000 per financial year. The aspiration of the fund is that rather than giving out £20,000 to one project in each area per year smaller grants should be made to a number of projects in the area which corporately add up to £20,000. The WCVA Bulletin April 15th defined the Communities First Trust Fund in the following terms: The Welsh Assembly Government’s Communities First Trust Fund is a new grants scheme targeted at the most disadvantaged communities in Wales. The fund is managed by the Communities First Support Network on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government and administered by WCVA. Small grants are available for groups in Communities First areas for any type of activity that involves local people through small community-led organisations. The Fund is aimed at supporting activities that provide economic, environmental, social or cultural benefit for people.

Further details are available from the Communities First Helpline on
0800 587 8898 or email enquiries@communitiesfirst.info ‘

Send them an e-mail and ask for a fund application pack.
Also see letter regarding ‘The Communities First Trust Fund’ in Appendix 2.

Briefing Compiled by Daniel Boucher Gweini Policy Development Officer
May 2002.

APPENDIX 1
Electoral Division Eligible for Communities First Funding

Blaenau Gwent CBC
Nantyglo
Tredegar Central & West + Sirhowy
Llanhilleth
Rassau
Cwmtillery
Blaina

Bridgend CBC
Llangeinor
Caerau
Bettws
Blackmill

Caerphilly CBC
New Tredegar + Tir Phil + Darran Valley
Aberbargoed + Bargoed + Hengoed + Gilfach
Twyn Carno + Darran Valley + Pontlottyn + Moriah + Abertysswg
Argoed
Aber Valley

Cardiff CC
Butetown**
Ely + Caerau
Splott

Carmarthenshire CC
Glanymor + Tyisha
Llwynhendy
Felinfoel
Pantyfynnon

Denbighshire CC
Rhyl West + Rhyl South West

Flintshire CC
Flint castle

Gwynedd Council
Peblig
Marchog
Talysarn
Bowydd & Rhiw
Barmouth
Pwllheli South

Isle of Anglesey CC
Morawelon
Holyhead Town
Tudur
Maeshyfryd
Amlwch Port
Porthfelin

Merthyr Tydfil CBC
Gurnos + Penydarren
Dowlais
Merthyr Vale
Bedlinog
Cyfarthfa

Neath Port Talbot CBC
Cymmer + Gwynfi +Glyncorrwg
Sandfields West + Sandfields East
Onllwyn + Seven Sisters
Ystalyfera
Briton Ferry West + Neath East
Lower Brynamman **
Pelenna

Newport CBC
Pillgwenlly
Tredegar Park
Bettws
Ringland

Pembrokeshire CC
Pembroke: Monkton
Pembroke Dock: Llanion

Powys CC
Ystradgynlais

Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC
Pen-y-waun
Maerdy
Tylorstown
Glyncoch
Llwyn-y-pia
Penrhiwceiber
Treherbert
Cwm Clydach
Rhydfelen Central
Gilfach Coch
Mountain Ash West
Cymmer
Ynyshir
Trealaw
Aberaman South
Tonyrefail West
Pen-y-graig

Swansea CC
Townhill
Penderry
Graigfelen
Castle

Torfaen CBC
Trevethin + St Cadocs & Penygarn

Wrexham CBC
Plas Madoc
Queensway + Caia Park
Gwenfro

Communities First Programme
Sub-ward pockets of deprivation
Conwy CBC
Community Ward(s)
Tudno Tudno + Mostyn
Chester Avenue Estate Kinmel Bay

Monmouthshire CC
Community Ward(s)
North Abergavenny Lansdown + Cantref + Priory

Vale of Glamorgan Council
Community Ward(s)
St Thompson community Castleland
Gibbonsdown Gibbonsdown

Communities First Programme
Imaginative Proposals

Blaenau Gwent CBC
Community Ward(s)
Ebbw Vale
(Communities affected by the Corus Steel Closures) Ebbw Vale South + Ebbw Vale North + Cwm

Cardiff CC
Community Ward(s)
Black,Minority Ethnic community of interest All Cardiff wards

Carmarthenshire CC/ Neath Port Talbot CBC
Community Ward(s)
Amman Valley
(Cross local authority border community) Lower Brynamman + Gwaun Cae Gurwen (NPT CBC) +
Upper Brynamman (Carmarthenshire CC)

Powys CC
Community Ward(s)
Dyfi Valley
(“Necklaced” rural communities) Llanbrynmair + Glantwymyn/Cadfach + Machynlleth

APPENDIX 2
LETTER RE: COMMUNITIES FIRST TRUST FUND

Gweini Briefing Paper No 6
ENGAGING IN THE HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE AND WELLBEING STRATEGY PROCESS

There have recently been some significant changes to the way in which health care is organised within Wales. This briefing paper will define these changes, their challenges and opportunities, and consider how the Christian Voluntary Sector should respond.
In 2003 Wales’ 5 Health Authorities were replaced with 22 Local Health Boards (LHBs) whose boundaries deliberately coincide with Wales’ 22 local authorities. These new bodies are of particular relevance to Christian Voluntary Sector projects involved in health, social care and wellbeing not least because they are responsible for the monies the old Health Authorities used to invest in the voluntary sector. The last available figures for 2001 demonstrate that this amounted to £8.5 million.
The Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy Process
• Every LHB and local authority are responsible for devising and implementing a Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy for their area.
• The LHBs and local authorities must co-operate and consult with a number of interested parties in the formation of their strategy.

How is this to be achieved?

1) Needs Assessment
First, the LHB and local authority must undertake a ‘Needs Assessment’ to identify the unmet health, wellbeing and social care needs within the community. It should address the provision of and access to services, activities and amenities that are needed to respond to health inequalities. The Needs Assessment will then inform the strategy priority setting, and the decisions about effective use of resources. It must be subject to formal consultation for a period of a minimum of 8 weeks, and should actively involve patients, service users and carers.

2) The Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy
Having completed the Needs Assessment the LHB and local authority can then move to actually define the Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy. The Strategy must be subject to a consultation period of at least 12 weeks.
The creation of the strategy consists of 4 stages:
The publication of a Draft Needs Assessment. (Done already)
Open Consultation on the Draft Needs Assessment. This must be open for a minimum of 8 weeks, to involve patients, service users and carers.
The publication of the Draft Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Strategy. This must be done by March 31st 2004, and open for consultation for a period of at least 12 weeks. By 31st December 2004, the Strategy must be formally adopted.

The Christian Voluntary Sector and the Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy Process? Failure to engage with the consultation runs the risk that the LHB and local government will be unaware of what the Christian Voluntary Sector provides in terms of health, social care and wellbeing. It will make the sector invisible. Quite apart from anything else it is important that the Christian Voluntary Sector, as a potential funding recipient, is in the LHB’s field of view.? Participation in this consultation process is also important because it obviously provides an opportunity to be involved in the definition of the strategy. The Christian Voluntary Sector should have a lot to say about ‘wellbeing’!

AN EXAMPLE OF A RESPONSE FROM GWEINI SWANSEA:
When the Christian Voluntary Sector in Swansea recently looked at the Swansea Needs Assessment it was concerned to see that the assessment of current capacity made no reference to the important work of the sector. Gweini Swansea’s consultation response highlighted this omission and asked that the work be mentioned in the forthcoming strategy document. This consultation response – which has been acknowledged and its contents noted - included mention of the following initiatives:

‘Groups range widely, from those with their own premises, like the Methodist Church’s National Children Home, the Church in Wales Family Centre in Bonymaen and the Christian Counselling Centre (which incorporates volunteers from over 20 different churches) who own Nicholaston House. This like Llanmadoc Camp provides accommodation for a peaceful short break. Then to groups like Breakout, the Gap, the Goldfish Bowl and Red Café’s GLIDE and music mix - who will go out to where they are needed to provide a service in many areas including team building, environmental and fair trade issues and promoting self worth.

Many churches hold marriage preparation classes as well as carry out weddings. There are christenings and dedications, parenting classes, parent and toddler groups, after school clubs, homework clubs, children clubs, youth clubs, alternative curriculum provision, prison visiting and support, a Football League and teams, aerobics and other exercise classes. Churches go into schools to take Assemblies and PSE lessons. The arts are well represented with theatre and music as well as one group which provide art and drama therapy. Churches not only officiate at Funerals but are involved in bereavement counselling, care and support. KEY Hope, amongst other groups, offer Crisis in Pregnancy which gives Pregnancy and pre and post abortion counselling.

Their buildings are facilities often used for community use such as help the aged kitchens, drop in centres, community education classes, and health support groups. Many are officially available to emergency planning.

Some groups such as Prospects provide homes for those with learning difficulties. There are other small housing projects too. There are various other groups such as Christians against poverty, those giving debt advice, those offering family therapy. Then there is the area of Chaplaincy work in Hospitals, University, the prison and other specific groups.’

What can I do now?
Given that draft Needs Assessments are already out to consultation, do not delay contacting your LHB and asking for a copy. If you have missed the deadline don’t worry. As noted above, the Needs Assessment goes on to inform the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Strategy. Ask that your details be added to the database and that a copy of the Strategy be sent you as soon as it is released for consultation. All LHB’s are required to have their draft strategies in place by the 31st March, and open for consultation for a minimum of 12 weeks.

WALES’ LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS:

Anglesey Local Health Board
Address: 17 High Street, Llangefni, Ynys Mon
Post Code: LL71 1LT
Tel No: 01248 751229
Web Site: http://www.angleseylhb.wales.nhs.uk

Conwy Local Health Board
Address: Glyn Colwyn, Nant y Glyn Road, Colwyn Bay
Post Code: LL28 7PU
Tel No: 01492 536586
Web Site: http://www.conwylhb.wales.nhs.uk

Denbighshire Local Health Board
Address: Ty Livingstone, HM Stanley Hospital, St. Asaph, Denbighshire
Postcode: LL17 0RS
Tel No: 01745 589601
Web Site: http://www.denbighshirelhb.wales.nhs.uk

Flintshire Local Health Board
Address: Preswylfa, Hendy Road, Mold, Flintshire
Postcode: CH7 1PZ
Tel No: 01352 744103
Web Site: http://www.flintshirelhb.wales.nhs.uk

Gwynedd Local Health Board
Address: Eryldon, Campbell Road, Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
Postcode: LL55 1HU
Tel No: 01286 672451
Web Site: http://www.gwyneddlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Wrexham Local Health Board
Address: Ellis House, Kingsmills Road, Hightown, Wrexham
Postcode: LL13 8RD
Tel No: 01978 290883
Web Site: http://www.wrexhamlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Bridgend Local Health Board
Address: North Court, David Street, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend,
Postcode: CF31 3TP
Tel No: 01656 754400
Web Site: http://www.bridgendlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Carmarthenshire Local Health Board
Address: Thyssen House, Heol y Bwlch, Bynea, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Postcode: SA14 9SU
Tel No: 01554 778593
Web Site http://www.carmarthenlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Ceredigion Local Health Board
Address: 1st Floor Offices, Nat West Bank, 37 High Street, Lampeter,
Ceredigion.
Postcode: SA48 7BD.
Tel No: 01570 423983
Web Site: http://www.ceredigionlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Neath Port Talbot Local Health Board
Address: Suite C, Britannic House, Llandarcy, Neath.
Postcode: SA10 6JQ
Tel No: 01792 326500
Web Site: http://www.neathporttalbotlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Pembrokeshire Local Health Board
Address: Unit 5, Merlin’s Court, Winch Lane, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Postcode: SA61 1SB
Tel No: 01437 771220
Web Site: http://www.pembrokeshirelhb.wales.nhs.uk

Powys Local Health Board
Address: Mansion House, Bronllys, Brecon, Powys. Post Code
Postcode: LD3 0LS
Tel. No: 01874 711661
Web Site: http://www.powyslhb.wales.nhs.uk

Swansea Local Health Board
Address: Raglan House, Charter Court, Phoenix Way, Swansea Enterprise Park,
Swansea
Post Code: SA7 9DD
Tel No: 01792 784800
Web Site: http://www.swansealhb.wales.nhs.uk

Blaenau Gwent Local Health Board
Address: Station Hill, Abertillery
Post Code: NP13 1UJ
Tel No: 01495 325400
Web Site: http://www.blaenaugwentlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Cardiff Local Health Board
Address: Trenewydd, Fairwater Road, Llandaff, Cardiff
Post Code: CF5 2LD
Tel. No: 029 2055 2212
Web Site: http://www.cardifflhb.wales.nhs.uk

Caerphilly Local Health Board
Address: Ystrad Mynach Hospital, Caerphilly Road, Ystrad Mynach
Post Code: CF82 7XU
Tel. No: 01443 862056
Web Site: http://www.caerphillylhb.wales.nhs.uk

Merthyr Tydfil Local Health Board
Address: Units 2A & 4A Pentrebach Business Centre, Triangle Business Park,
Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil
Post Code: CF48 4TQ
Tel No: 01685 358500
Web Site: http://www.merthyrtydfillhb.wales.nhs.uk

Monmouthshire Local Health Board
Address: Chepstow Community Hospital, Tempest Way, Chepstow, Monmouthshire
Post Code: NP16 5YX
Tel No: 01291 636400
Web Site: http://www.monmouthshirelhb.wales.nhs.uk

Newport Local Health Board
Address: Wentwood Ward, St. Cadocs Hospital, Caerleon, Newport
Post Code: NP18 1XG
Tel. No: 01633 436200
Web Site: http://www.newportlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Rhondda Cynon Taff Local Health Board
Address: Unit 17/18, Centre Court, Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd
Post Code: CF37 5YR
Tel. No: 01443 824400
Web Site: http://www.rhonddacynontafflhb.wales.nhs.uk

Vale of Glamorgan Local Health Board
Address: 2 Stanwell Rd, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
Post Code: CF64 2AA
Tel No: 029 2035 0600
Web Site: http://www.valeofglamorganlhb.wales.nhs.uk

Briefing Compiled by Adrienne Johnson and Daniel Boucher Gweini Policy Development Officers
January 2004