The Gloucestershire Compact: Better VCS Commissioning Project
About the Project | Commissioning Standards | Consultation
Consultation on the Compact Commissioning Standards
Compact commissioning standards have been agreed in draft form with the Project Steering Group. The standards are for both Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations and commissioners to aspire to achieve. They represent Gloucestershire’s understanding of what good practice in VCS commissioning looks like and are clear statements of action and intent.
The full set of Standards (in draft) are available here. You may also be interested in the Background information for the Standards, and the consultation covering letter.
The Better VCS Commissioning Project and the Gloucestershire Assembly Team are co-ordinating a consultation about the draft Standards.
Please let us have your comments and opinions via the online survey.
The Standards will be discussed at a range of meetings in the County:
A timetable of events will be posted here shortly.
There will be a multi sector consultation event on 8 March from 2 – 4 pm, at GAVCA.
Please let us know if you would like to attend by emailing
or phoning 01452 522600.
We look forward to hearing your views about this innovative approach to commissioning.
The Better VCS Commissioning Project
The Better VCS Commissioning Project is a one year project to support the development of good practice in commissioning across Gloucestershire.
The Better VCS Commissioning Project draws on the views of commissioners and the VCS to develop:
- New Compact commissioning standards: This will be a set of minimum standards for VCS Commissioning, that will become a new Compact Commissioning Code and will lead the way in being the first stage of a Gloucestershire Compact refresh
- A Guide to Commissioning in Gloucestershire: This will give information about what commissioning is, and the stages of the commissioning process. The Guide will seek to develop a common language for commissioning in Gloucestershire, and aims to help both the public sector and the VCS to reach a shared understanding of what it involves.
The decision to produce the Commissioning standards and Guide came out of a process of stakeholder engagement:
- Interviews with a range of strategic stakeholders from the statutory and voluntary sectors, to find out about the key issues facing, and challenging, those involved with commissioning.
- Workshops for VCS organisations, that outlined the commissioning cycle, and looked at the jargon, processes and procedures, and discuss the implications of commissioning and procurement for VCS organisations
- Workshops for statutory sector commissioners, to clarify the processes and issues facing commissioners, and discuss good practice in commissioning.
- Interviews and a focus group with key informants from equalities organisations in the county.
The Better VCS Commissioning Project is being managed by the VCS Assembly Team and carried out by Resolve Consultancy. A small steering group involving members of the Compact Group and commissioners has been established to guide the work of the project, which will run from June 2009 – June 2010.
