Working Together 
A Partnership Compact for Swale

Introduction

Swale Borough Council and the Voluntary and Community sector wish to see Swale as a place where people are proud to live, work and learn. This joint vision is reflected in the aims and objectives of the Swale Community Plan.

We believe that only by working together in Partnership with each other, and other organisations, can this vision be achieved. This COMPACT has been drawn up to set-out the way that voluntary and community groups, and the Borough Council, will work together to achieve this joint vision.

Underlying this document are a number of guiding principles which the Partners have signed up to:
 

o           transparency;

o           fairness;

o           equity.

These three principles form the basis upon which the Partners will work together to achieve their joint vision.

Voluntary & Community Sector Undertakings

Voluntary and Community groups are important to the economic well-being of the Borough through:­
 

o           the provision of directly funded services;

o           the provision of services that would not be provided if it were left to the public or private sectors to provide;

o           representing the rights and interests of marginalised groups within the local population - a strength of the sector is its diversity;

o           identifying and meeting the needs of the local community.

Swale Council for Voluntary Service is the lead organisation for the voluntary sector within Swale, and acts as an information gateway and representative of the wider sector.

A Voluntary Sector Forum has been established to bring voluntary and community groups together and to provide a conduit between the Swale Local Strategic Partnership and local groups.

In signing this COMPACT Voluntary and Community groups undertake to

o           work constructively with the Borough Council through consultation, meetings and Partnership structures, to identify needs, develop policy, and deliver services;
 

o           work together in Partnership for the good of the Borough, their service users and the wider community;
 

o           play a full part in Partnership activities within the Borough. This includes electing representatives to the Swale Local Strategic Partnership and sub­groups, through the Swale Voluntary Sector Forum, and playing an active role in the various Partnership structures (see Annex A);

o           ensure high standards of governance in their activities (see Annex B).

Borough Council Undertakings

The Borough Council is the lead organisation for the Borough and, through its elected Members, is the democratic voice of Swale. In signing this COMPACT the Borough Council undertakes to:-

o           be open and accessible to the voluntary and community sector;

o           develop a co-ordinated and consistent approach towards those issues affecting the voluntary and community sector that fall across Directorates;

o           appraise any new policies, undertakings, or decisions that it proposes, to identify their implications for the voluntary and community sector. This is similar to the process that takes place with regard to the environmental implications of any decisions;

o           consult the voluntary and community sector on major issues that are likely to affect them. This will be undertaken through appropriate Partnership structures and will enable groups space and time (wherever possible) to consult their service users/members;

o           develop a clear process and framework for applying for funding from the Council, and periodically review this in consultation with the community and voluntary sector (see Annex C);

o           where appropriate establish Service Level Agreements with voluntary sector agencies delivering services which are financially supported by the Council (see Annex D)

o           support voluntary and community organisations through offering assistance in kind (providing redundant equipment and support in kind) and helping them to access sources of funding;

Implementation and Review

All partners agree to:

o           share responsibility and demonstrate commitment to implementing and reviewing the Compact and any Codes of Practice

o           provide induction and training within their organisations, and jointly, to raise awareness of how the agreement affects joint working, and to distribute the Compact widely

o           establish criteria for the evaluation of the Compact through an annual work plan with targets

o           establish and distribute a procedure by which organisations dissatisfied with the implementation of the Compact are able to raise concerns, and procedures for addressing these concerns

COMPACT working group

Responsibilities

o           To draw up an action plan, derived from commitments made in the compact

o           To report on progress to partners and the Swale Local Strategic Partnership.

o           To oversee the delivery of these actions within the Council and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and any other partner organisations.

o           To periodically review the Compact document

Composition

o           Composed of representatives from the Council and the Voluntary and Community Sector, and other partners supporting the Compact.

o           Quarterly meetings, to be held at different locations around the Borough.

APPENDIX A

VOLUNTARY SECTOR ENGAGEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP STRUCTURES

The Voluntary Sector will engage in Partnership structures within the Borough in the following ways:­

Swale Council for Voluntary Service

The lead organisation for the voluntary and community sector within Swale. Swale CVS is the conduit for supporting voluntary and community groups to engage in structures and to deal with any shortcomings with regard to governance issues. Swale CVS keep the voluntary and community sector informed of developments and act as representatives of the sector as necessary.

Swale Local Strategic Partnership

The Voluntary and Community Sector will be represented on the Local Strategic Partnership. The Voluntary Sector representative’s on the Partnership will be chosen by the voluntary sector through an election process managed by Swale CVS through the Voluntary Sector Forum. The Voluntary Sector representation on the Partnership should be fair, equitable, and based on the membership of other sectors.

Swale Local Strategic Partnership Working Groups

Individual voluntary and community organisations are able to be members of any Working Groups with which they have an interest and to which they can add value to the Partnership’s considerations. The Voluntary Sector Forum for the Borough will act as the main vehicle for voluntary and community groups to come together to discuss issues of joint concern and for the wider Partnership organisations to consult with.

Voluntary Sector Conference

An annual voluntary sector conference will be held to include information on the progress of the COMPACT.

APPENDIX B

VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR GOVERNANCE

Voluntary and Community sector groups signed up to the COMPACT will ensure good governance in their activities and operations. This will include:-

o           written constitutions setting out how the group operates and how it is accountable;

o           keeping accurate records and financial reports;

o           ensuring that their members/supporters and service users are informed and consulted about the policy positions that the organisation intends to take with regard to the Council and Partnership structures within the Borough;

o           having an equal opportunities policy;

o           not undertaking activities or campaigns designed to affect support for any political party;

o           having clear standards of operation that are appropriate to the organisation;

o           having monitoring systems that are able to show how and where any grants for funding have been spent, and the benefits to the community in terms of the activities undertaken.

The groups will engage both individually with the Borough Council and collectively through the Partnership structures established within the Borough.

APPENDIX C

GRANT FUNDING

The Council will establish a clear process and framework for applying for funding and periodically review this in consultation with the community and voluntary sector. It will include:­

o           widely available, easy to use forms and guidance notes;

o           named contacts in each directorate, able to provide information and advice;

o           a clear, easily understandable process for assessing applications;

o           an explanation where an application has been unsuccessful;

o           support through the Swale Council for Voluntary Service to provide guidance and support to unsuccessful applicants;

o           an annual application cycle with a clear timetable.

APPENDIX D

SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS

Service Level Agreements are concerned with the delivery of services by the voluntary sector for and on behalf of the Borough Council.

Where appropriate and particularly where significant funding is provided, the Council will look to establish agreements that may be for periods of up to three years, subject to annual performance review.

These agreements will be:-

o           appropriate to the services being purchased and provided;

o           negotiated with, and agreed by, all parties;

o           written in plain language;

o           comply with Swale Borough Council’s core values;

o           contain clear and agreed specifications for the work involved;

o           where appropriate, be for a maximum three year period, subject to performance review;

o           have systems for monitoring and evaluating the service provided.