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An agreement between Bexley Council, Bexley
Care Trust, the Police and voluntary and community organisations in membership
of Bexley Voluntary Forum.
It is an agreement to improve relationships for mutual advantage and the benefit
of the community. It sets out a series of guiding principles by which all parties
agree to abide.
 Bexley
Voluntary Sector Compact (935KB, PDF file)
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"A living document
which improves the
way in which the
partners work together"
Bexley Mencap Children's Party |
Summary
The Bexley Voluntary Sector Compact includes an Executive Summary, which covers
the background, aims, status and development of the Compact.
The Compact lays out guidelines for achieving agreed aims, which are divided
into four main sections, as follows:
Values and Principles
This section contains some general principles to guide the relationship
between the partners. It includes for example a commitment that those signed up
to the Compact will endeavour to build and maintain mutual respect and trust and
understand each other’s roles. There is also a commitment to promote equality
of opportunity and value diversity.
Consultation and Communication
This section focuses on the statutory sector consults and shares
information with voluntary and community groups. It includes the following principles:
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Consultation documents should include, as appropriate, information about the
purpose and remit of the consultation, the process, the amount of influence the
consultees have, the feedback that can be expected and who is ultimately going
to make the decision.
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Except where external deadlines have been imposed, or other factors make it
impossible, allow sufficient time for voluntary and community organisations to
involve members and users in agreeing responses to council consultations. The
minimum 12 week period recommended in the National Compact will be used whenever
possible. Contact must be made even if less time is available.
Resources (funding and premises)
Funding issues covered in this section include an acknowledgement
of the need for sustainable funding with core costs being met including appropriate
increases. There is a commitment to work together with clear and realistic expectations.
The section on premises issues includes the following principles:
Measuring Effectiveness
This section looks at how the voluntary and community sector
measures the effectiveness of its services including monitoring and evaluation.
It includes the guideline that monitoring and evaluation should be proportionate
to the level of funding allocated.
There is also a section that sets out how the Bexley Voluntary Sector Compact
will be monitored and an Action Plan that will be updated annually.
Two protocols are then described.
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The Complaints Protocol outlines an agreed approach to
dealing with complaints in order to ensure that voluntary sector organisations
have an opportunity to address any complaints about them independently, prior
to any statutory sector involvement.
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The Bidding for Funds protocol sets out a process for
the selection of voluntary sector partners for joint funding bids. Its purpose
is to ensure that voluntary sector organisations have equal opportunity to
participate in bids and that the process of selection is transparent and
fair.
"We achieve more for
the community by
working together"
Volunteers clear up River Cray |
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Contact Details
Included in the Compact is a list of the Compact Steering Group members.
The Council's contact is Amanda Flower, who is based at Bexley Council, Civic
Offices, Broadway, Bexleyheath, Kent. She may be contacted at 020 8294 6375, or by email at amanda.flower@bexley.gov.uk.
Download & Read the Compact
Bexley
Voluntary Sector Compact (935KB, PDF file)
Upcoming Events
A Thriving Third Sector in Bexley - Voluntary Infrastructure Conference 31 March 2009 (1.26MB, PDF file)
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