The Gloucestershire Compact

 

What is the Gloucestershire Compact?

The Gloucestershire Compact is an agreement between key local public sector agencies (including county and district authorities) and the voluntary and community sector, to support and improve partnership working between the sectors. 

The Gloucestershire Compact sets out values, principles and commitments on how best the sectors can work together to achieve more for the local community.  It is underpinned by six Codes of Practice which contain specific undertakings for the public sector and the voluntary and community sector, as well as a series of joint undertakings, to improve partnership working. 

Gloucestershire launched a revised county-wide Compact in November 2006. The document forms an agreement to support better partnership working between the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and public sector agencies.

The Gloucestershire Compact was first launched in May 2004. Since then the Compact has been developed and updated to include 6 Codes of Practice on Black and Minority Ethnic Organisations, Community Groups, Consultation, Funding and Procurement, Multi–sector Partnerships and Volunteering. 

A multi-sector steering group, involving key public sector agencies and voluntary and community groups was responsible for its development, and over 300 people including voluntary and community and public sector staff and councillors were consulted in the process.

In 2005, Gloucestershire received a national commendation for the partnership approach to Compact development and in 2006 won a gold commendation from the National Compact Group for its contribution to supporting VCS engagement in Gloucestershire’s Local Area Agreement.

The Gloucestershire Compact and its Codes - available to download in pdf format

How was the Gloucestershire Compact developed?

The Gloucestershire Compact was developed by a multi-sector Compact Steering Group (which has now become the Gloucestershire Compact Group), formed after a conference to launch the process in March 2003 and supported by the Assembly Team.

The main Gloucestershire Compact and the Funding and Finance Code were initially launched in May 2004, and since then multi-sector working groups have developed the remaining Codes through meetings, events and email discussions. The Funding and Finance Code and Conflict Resolution Procedure have also been recently revised to take account of local experience and national developments.

Why have a Compact?

Having an effective local Compact can lead to better relations between the sectors, and so to better decisions and better services.  For public sector partners commitment to partnership working is necessary for many external audits and inspections.  For voluntary and community groups it can mean having local public bodies that are supportive and enabling, as well as consultation and involvement that works.

Sign-up to the Gloucestershire Compact

Organisations must sign a form in order to formally “sign-up” to the Compact.
Only organisations that have signed-up to the Compact can use it to challenge another organisation who they feel may be in breach of it. Only organisations who have signed up to the Compact will receive the support of the Compact Group, both in implementing it,  but also in resolving any conflicts that may arise due to breaches of the undertakings. In order to be effective, the Compact Group is encouraging as many organisations as possible to sign up

The following organisations have signed up to the Gloucestershire Compact so far.

 

Gloucestershire Compact Sign Up 2008

Organisation/Agency

 Contact person

Gloucestershire Infrastructure Group

Cheltenham & District Volunteer Centre

Hazel Lonsdale

Cheltenham VCA

Angela Gilbert

Cotswold CVS

Jane Winstanley

Forest Voluntary Action Forum

Tim Fretter

Gloucester VCA

Sally Pickering

Gloucestershire Neighbourhood Project Network

Michelle Preston

Gloucestershire Rural Community Council

Lesley Archer

Tewkesbury District Council for Voluntary Service

-

Tewkesbury Volunteer and Help Centre

-

VCA (Stroud District)

Doreen Frusher

 

Other Voluntary and Community Organisations

Age Concern Gloucestershire

Christina Snell

Barton & Tredworth Community Trust

Mahmoud Patel

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers

Ian Ross

Cheltenham & District Carers and Families

Julie Wales

Cheltenham Disability Forum

Hilary James

Citizens Advocacy Trust Gloucestershire

Gill Glover

Coney Hill Neighbourhood Project

Val O’Connor

Co-operative Futures

Jo White

County Community Projects

Cordell Ray

Cruse Bereavement Care

Ken Edwards

Fair Shares Gloucestershire

Lawrence Hughes

Forest of Dean Crossroads

Pamela Graham

Furniture Recycling Project

Ian Ellis

GARAS

Adele Owen

GAY-GLOS

Robin Agascar

Gloucestershire Chinese Womens Guild

Mew Ning Chan

Gloucester Law Centre

Anne Whitworth

Gloucestershire Malayalee Association

Dr Theodore Gabriel

Gloucestershire MS Info and Therapy Centre

Marion Hirlehey

Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association

Julie Tegg

Gloucestershire Rape Crisis Centre

Mandy Ollero

Gloucestershire Resource Centre

Lin Mathews

Gloucestershire Young Carers

Helen Predgen-Lay

Gloucestershire Youth Housing Association

Jane Shackleton

Hesters Way Neighbourhood Project

Kevin Devaney

Hesters Way Partnership

Andrew Hayes

Info Buzz

David Pearce

Listening Post

Sheila Appleton

Living Independently in Gloucestershire

Pam Ayers

Mitcheldean Juniors Football Club

Rob Coopey

Mothers Union

Jean Searle

Oxbode Housing Association

Jim Dickson

PATA

Sue Barker

People and Places in Gloucestershire

Miranda Steele

Play Gloucestershire

Pippa Levett

Rethink

Anne Kendall

Severn Athletic Club

T.L. Haines

Share Young People’s Counselling Services

David Furminger

St Georges Association

Celia Kay

Stroud Beresford Group

Chris Westhead

St Vincents

Becky Evans

Teens-in-Crisis

Julie Vale

The Cheltenham Federation

Kevin Daws

The Family Haven

Lorraine Barrett

The Prince’s Trust

Samantha Morris

Young Anglers Project

Keith Urch

 

Public Sector

Cheltenham Borough Council

Geoff Sloman

Cotswold District Council

Cllr Sir Edward Hasfall

Forest of Dean District Council

TBA

Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust

Di Billingham

Gloucestershire County Council

 Margaret Sheather

Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust

Jennifer Berry

Gloucester City Council

Sue Oppenheimer

Gloucestershire Royal Hospital NHS

Alison Griffin

Gloucestershire Constabulary

Neil Mantle

Probation Gloucestershire

Garry Holden

Stroud District Council

Karen Toole

A printable version of this list can be downloaded here.

If your organisation wishes to sign-up please complete the forms below.

For more information on the Gloucestershire Compact please contact the Assembly Team.