[WiLT] The Future of the Compact - an NCVO Consultation

[WiL Admin]

The Future of the Compact - an NCVO Consultation

The Compact is a voluntary partnership agreement between the
Government and the voluntary and community sector (VCS) which sets out
principles for how the two sectors will work together.

The Compact was originally agreed in 1998.  The general principles
were further developed and supported by five codes of practice (on
Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community organisations
(VCOs), Community Groups, Consultation and Policy Appraisal, Funding
and Procurement, Volunteering).

Who does the Compact apply to?

The Compact is a national agreement that applies to all central
government bodies.  This includes Government departments, agencies and
NDPBs (non-departmental public bodies) and the Government Offices for
the Regions.

The Compact itself does not apply to local authorities.  However,
almost all local authorities in England have developed a local
compact.  Each local compact is an independent document which uses the
principles of the national Compact but reflects local concerns and
priorities.

The Compact also includes undertakings about how the VCS will work
with the Government.

What is the problem with it?

The original Compact agreement is almost ten years old.  But many
argue that in practice it has had limited impact.  The following
problems are suggested:
* The Compact is a voluntary agreement. Although Ministers have
committed to operating in accordance with the principles there is
nothing to force a government body to do so.
* Knowledge, understanding and use of the Compact is not
widespread -either in Government or across the VCS.
* The Compact and its associated codes are 135 pages long.  It was
written at different times and my different people.  In parts it needs
updating.  It may be that it needs to be rewritten to be more
accessible.
* For most VCOs it is their local compact, not the national Compact,
which is important.  But commitment to these varies substantially
across the country.
What are the suggested solutions?
* There have been suggestions that the Compact has been ignored
because it "lacks teeth".  Some have therefore suggested that it
should move from being a voluntary agreement and instead have legal
force, requiring government to comply with the undertakings.

Several different suggestions have been put forward for giving the
Compact legal force:
* Making the Compact (and the codes) legally binding;
* Requiring the Government (and the VCS?) to have regard to the
Compact;
* Giving the Compact Commissioner extra powers, for example to require
organisations that may have breached the Compact to provide
information or to justify their actions and to respond to the
Commissions recommendations after an investigation.

It has also been suggested that the Compact needs to be rewritten,
although there are various opinions as to what is required:
* A limited redrafting, maintaining the separate Compact document and
codes, to update the various undertakings;
* A consolidation to create a single document, possibly extending its
scope;
* A simplification, to create a much shorter document with a set of
simple commitments.

Finally, it has been suggested that the scope of the Compact needs to
be expanded.  At present it applies to the relationship with the VCS.
However, the Government has suggested it could be expanded to cover
their definition of the Third Sector (to include social enterprises
and mutual and co-operative organisations).  Or it could go beyond
that to include all civil society organisations (this would also
include trades unions and universities).

What issues do we need to consider?

The original agreement was intended to strengthen a partnership
relationship.  Making it a legal requirement could have a negative
effect: government departments may simply focus on what they have to
do, rather than what it would be good to do; and it could make the
relationship between the government and the sector more adversarial.

At the moment there are undertakings by both government and the VCS.
If the Compact undertakings become legal requirements, would these
also apply to VCOs?

To what extent is the problem that the Compact cannot be enforced, or
is it more that awareness and understanding of it is limited?

Will giving an enforcement power make it any more likely that VCOs
will be aware of or willing to use the Compact in their dealings with
government?

How can we improve the relationship at the local level?

Tell us your experience and what you think.

The Commissioner for the Compact has been asked to consider options
for the future of the Compact.  This includes discussions with the VCS
until the end of October.  If it is proposed to make changes to the
Compact a full consultation will take place at the end of the year.

NCVO intends to respond to the Commission for the Compact.  To do so,
we need to hear your views on how the Compact currently operates, and
how you think it could be improved.

You can respond via our on-line consultation
http://www.ncvo-consult.org.uk/survey.asp?s=01118176175025184, or by
emailing the Policy Team at mailto: policy at ncvo-vol.org.uk or in
writing to Policy Team, NCVO, Regents Wharf, 8 All Saints Street,
London N1 9RL.

http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/policy/index.asp?id=9958