[WiLT] Majority think relationship between Government and VCS is getting worse

[WiL Admin]

Majority think relationship between Government and VCS is getting
worse

Analysis of results and comment to DSC's October e-survey

It is ten years since the Compact between the government and the
voluntary sector was introduced. The Compact is 'the agreement between
government and the voluntary and community sector to improve their
relationship for mutual advantage and community gain.'

DSC asked: In your opinion, is the relationship between the government
and the sector getting better, getting worse, or still the same?

There were three possible responses, and only one response could be
selected. Responses are broken down as follows:

  18% getting better
  49% getting worse
  33% still the same

People were also invited to submit additional comments and 113 people
did so.

Analysis of Comments

Comments were categorised into the following 12 themes, which
summarise the main points made. Some people wrote much more than
others and touched on many points - those comments were categorised
according to the main focus or thrust of what they said.

1. Compact has failed - The Compact has failed, and is a waste of time
and resources.

2. Funding decreasing - Statutory funding is decreasing or becoming
harder to access for most organisations (especially smaller groups),
is still predominantly short-term, and the burden of administration
makes it almost impossible to manage in many cases.

3, Government bureaucracy - Government bureaucracy and frequent
changes in policy prevent good relationships being developed at all
levels. Lack of effective consultation with the sector and lack of
coordination between Central and Local government exacerbates this
problem.

4. Miscellaneous - Unclear meaning of the comments meant they could
not be categorised.

5. Public service delivery / commissioning - The government's public
service delivery agenda, and the associated increase in commissioning,
is being driven forward regardless of whether a good relationship
exists between statutory bodies and the VCS. Many contractual
relationships are not based on a Compact way of working but are
characterised by bad practice, particularly on the part of the
statutory funder.

6. Relationship getting worse - The voluntary and community sector's
relationship with government is getting worse, in general.

7. Relationship getting better - The voluntary and community sector's
relationship with government is improving in general.

8. Relationship getting better, with qualifications - The sector's
relationship with government is getting better, but with
qualifications - i.e. not improving fast enough; not improving in a
comprehensive manner; signs are good but concrete results are not yet
evident.

9. Relationship still the same - The voluntary and community sector's
relationship with government has remained the same.

10. Split between smaller and larger organisations - Government policy
has exacerbated splits within the sector, between larger charities and
umbrella-type bodies, which have the capacity to access statutory
funding, deliver public services, manage relationships with statutory
bodies, and in some cases implement government policy, and smaller
organisations that do not.

11. Statutory bodies breach or ignore the Compact - Statutory bodies,
especially Local Authorities, breach, ignore, pay lip service to, or
are not aware of the Compact. The Compact 'needs teeth' for it to be
taken seriously by statutory bodies.

12. VCS awareness of the Compact - The voluntary and community sector,
particularly smaller groups that lack capacity, is not aware of the
Compact or of its obligations.

Selection of Comments

Overall the Central Government policy, and the way funding is made
available, is encouraging better partnership working and respect, to
achieve a common goal.

.compared to how it was when I started in the sector 20 years ago
(when we barely registered on Government's radar!) or even 10 years
ago - we are now in a much better scenario.

The Compact is like the Curate's Egg - good in parts. It will work
more effectively when the culture of the Statutory bodies fully
reflects an acceptance that voluntary and third sector bodies have
something positive to contribute.

Better strategic thinking at higher level government - but still token
local government commitment and implementation.

[Getting better] but the pace of improvement is way too slow and is
not consistent over all areas.

The implementation of the Compact is very dependent on local council
officers.

The relationship between the VCS and the Government is an abusive
relationship. We are disrespected and slapped around, and yet we keep
going back for more.

The voluntary sector is being seen as a means of achieving government
targets at minimal cost. We should not be contributing to social
engineering, regardless of its political source.

Compact is a waste of time and although the VCS understand it and
abide by it, in most situations the public sector do not even know of
its existence.

The Compact does not appear to have made any positive difference at
all to the way in which my local authority deals with the voluntary
sector.

The situation whereby commissioners prefer one big provider is getting
worse (the 'Tesco-isation' of the sector!)

The Compact is making no difference to small grass roots
organisations. The big boys in the third sector are sharing the
benefits among themselves. The small organisations are excluded or get
the crumbs.

Small and medium charities are being killed off by the drive towards
delivering public services.

This is an edited version of the full report which can be read at
http://www.dsc.org.uk/charityexchange/surveyanalysis1107.htm

Posted on WiLT blog at
http://www.freecharity.org.uk/~womeninlondon/?p=457