Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. This report seeks Cabinet approval to publish, for consultation, the draft version of the improvement plan which sets out the County Council's approach to "Improving the Relationship with the Voluntary & Community sector".

1.2. At their meeting on 23^rd February Cabinet approved the development of a VCS (Third Sector) strategy. Since then each department has been involved in a project group to look at the most effective way of describing the Council's ambitions for improving the way we work with voluntary and community organisations. Whilst there is national use of the term Third Sector this does seem to cause confusion and therefore it is recommended that the Council refers to the relationship with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).

1.3. The main aims of the proposed improvement plan are to:
- Improve efficiency and value for money in the way the Council invests in and engages with the VCS
- Provide a clear framework for the County Council's strategic relationship with the VCS to inform the community leadership and place shaping role
- Increase capacity in the sector to deliver public services and support the County Council's move to improve efficiency.

1.4. It sets out to explain:

a) The complexity of the relationship and the diversity for the sector

b) The challenges for both sectors as the Council faces the increasing challenge of matching scarce resources to the different community aspirations of our residents and communities.

c) The Council's commitment to continuous improvement

d) The outcomes which the Council is seeking to achieve and how progress will be measured

1.5. The role of Members is crucial to the improvements and the plan proposes that Cabinet appoint a voluntary sector champion to oversee increased Member involvement especially with the strategic `place shaping' relationship and the monitoring of the Council's investment through grants and contracts.

2. Further details about the Plan

2.1. The plan¹ reflects the County Council's recognition of the need to work more closely in and with communities to improve services and tackle deprivation. It looks at the role of the VCS in providing a conduit and source of intelligence to improve the way we work both with communities and at a strategic level to shape the future for Hampshire. The plan also considers what both sectors need to do to improve and develop this partnership working.

2.2. Specific action is required that will

· Improve the nature of the partnership with the Voluntary & Community Sector

· Work with the VCS to develop their capacity to deliver services in support of the County Council

· Ensure that the Council can be a better client

· Find ways for the Council to be a better Commissioner providing value for money for Hampshire taxpayers

· Make sure that the Council can manage performance in a pragmatic and proportionate way.

2.3. The plan also sets out the County Council's outcomes; what we expect to see as a result of the work and how we will measure progress.

3. Implementing the Plan

3.1 There will be a more detailed project plan to take forward these actions and build on the existing good practice in departments which can be shared across the Council to bring about a more consistent approach and better understanding of the relationship. This work has already begun, for example:

· Bringing together grants officers from all departments to share knowledge and experience and gain a consistency of approach. They have developed a single web page which links to all the different grants across the Council and the next project will be to look at a more consistent application form.

· Discussions with District Council partners and infrastructure bodies in the VCS to develop clear grant agreements and monitoring processes have concluded and will be reported to the Executive Member for Policy & Resources in December.

3.2 Many of the actions are process related and therefore can be seen as `quick wins', however the behavioural change aspect will take longer and progress will be harder to measure. Improved monitoring will look at ways to measure social impact based on case studies which show how the Council's investment has been used to deliver real outcomes for individuals and communities. This an area for development and Community Action Hampshire is supporting this through the Hampshire Voluntary Sector Consortium (HVSC).

3.3 It is proposed that this work be overseen by a strategic group of officers and Members who will liaise with the Hampshire Voluntary Sector Consortium to establish the strategic dialog and monitor the implementation of this plan.

3 Performance

3.1 The work to improve the relationship with the VCS will support the Council's overall performance. There are a number of national performance indicators which relate to the VCS and this plan will have a direct impact on two indicators in particular which have been reflected in the LAA:

NI 7 - Environment for a thriving third sector (which has a local focus in the L AA)

NI 6 - Increase participation in volunteering

Measurement of these national indicators is through the Place survey which measures perceptions, therefore improving performance in the national context will be quite challenging.

4.2 There are other, local sources of performance information which will better measure this performance including the local interpretation of NI7 through the LAA annual VCS survey, the recent LPSA2 survey and data provided by the VCS themselves which can provide baseline data for improvement measures under this plan.

4 Finance

5.1 This plan signals a change of direction for the relationship by clearly stating the need to manage the Council's investment in the VCS alongside an improved partnership approach based on mutual trust and respect. It also highlights the importance for both sectors to make some key changes in the way that we work together.

5.2 The proposed changes will have most impact on the way the Council manages current grant and contract processes and therefore potential for increased efficiency to be gained by better partnership working with the VCS and through more robust monitoring.

5 Other key issues

5.1 The Hampshire Voluntary Sector Consortium (HVSC) represents a range of different voluntary sector networks and is a communication conduit for the wider sector. This group of organisations has been involved in the original reviews and much of the follow up work that has taken place over the past 2 years. They are keenly awaiting the publication of the plan and the consultation period of 12 weeks will provide plenty of opportunity for constructive dialog. This forum will provide a way for the Council to engage in strategic `Place Shaping' discussions; as the plan shows departments also have service specific arrangements which involve voluntary sector service providers.

5.2 Some of the actions being taken involve more detailed scrutiny of the funding provided by the Council. This is likely to present short term challenges in the relationship for both the Council and the VCS , however, once the benefits of this greater scrutiny are recognised and negotiations are finalised the relationships should improve as it will give the VCS greater opportunity to explain their role and HCC will benefit from increased awareness. The improvement plan will support this as it explains the Council's commitment to improving the relationship clearly.

6 Next steps

6.1 The plan will be distributed to the wider VCS through the HVSC for a period of 12 weeks consultation. The consultation will include meeting with key VCS partners, senior officers and Members to explore some of the key aims in the plan. This meeting is planned to take place in early 2010.

6.2 Following the consultation period a further report and a final version of the plan will presented to Cabinet for final agreement.

7 Recommendation

8.1 It is recommended that:

a) Cabinet agree that the plan be published for wider community consultation

b) an Executive Member champion is appointed to oversee the implementation of the plan

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

1.1 A full equality impact assessment will be undertaken through the consultation period. Initial screening shows that there is the potential for positive impact on different equality groups if a more flexible approach to capacity building and funding is agreed. The proposed procurement processes and grant agreements will also be used to promote equality

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

2.1 The plan to improve the relationship is highly likely to have a positive impact on crime & disorder as many projects are run through voluntary organisations, volunteers are involved in neighbourhood watch schemes

3. Climate Change:

3.1 By working more closely with the VCS and engaging with them at a strategic level the Council will have an impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption.

3.2 By working more closely with the VCS and engaging with them at a strategic level the Council will have an impact on the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts.