Carmarthenshire

Tripartite

Compact

Foreword

This new document, a tripartite Compact for Carmarthenshire, describes the arrangements for joint working between the local voluntary sector, the county council and the local health board. Building on the success of the Compact document published in 2002, our vision is for Carmarthenshire to be a great place to live, work and learn. We believe that the needs and hopes of people can be met if sectors are willing to build strong, healthy and vibrant partnerships to improve services.

‘A partnership means working together towards a common set of goals, based on equality in terms of ownership, decision making and recognition of each party’s distinctive contribution’.

(Compact between the Government and the Voluntary Sector 1998)

All partners are committed to supporting the Compact’s values and principles, and to being involved in the development of them and the associated Codes of Practice. However, this is not a document to be read once and then put on a shelf to gather dust. It is part of an ongoing process designed to help us achieve a co-ordinated, transparent and strategic approach, ultimately leading to a more efficient, effective and collaborative way of working.

Whilst we acknowledge that change will depend on the working spirit of the Compact, we are pleased to present this as the next step in building on relations and developing a way of working that will benefit thepeople of Carmarthenshire.

Introduction

A voluntary sector organisation is independent of state and for-profit organisations, is self governing, non-profit distributing, and benefits from a meaningful degree of philanthropy (i.e. gifts in kind or time including volunteers and non-paid trustees). It is run by people who come together of their own free time to respond to issues regarding the quality of life of themselves and/or their fellow citizens.

(Based on guidance from Wales Council for Voluntary Action)

Within this Compact the ‘voluntary’ sector will be referred to as the ‘third’ sector. However, this in no way indicates that they provide third rate services, or are in any way third class. The terminology merely relates numerically to the fact that sector is acknowledged alongside those of the public and private sectors.

Compacts are partnership agreements between the voluntary and public sectors which seek to improve their working relationships and provide a framework within which the sectors can understand what to expect from each other. With the aim of supporting the development of the voluntary sector in order that groups can do more to further enhance their contribution to the local community, Compacts set out the undertakings which each partner has agreed to commit to and outline the specific mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation, scrutiny and review. They are approved and signed policies that affect the conduct of all partners.

Examples of successful outcomes include:

CAVS and LHB:

  • Red Cross Home from Hospital Scheme.
  • Llandovery Carers Project.

CAVS and CCC:

  • Development of the ‘Mount’ as a centre of excellence for the voluntary sector.
  • Recruitment of a Community Networks Officer.

CCC and LHB:

  • Greater collaboration on voluntary sector commissioning as part of the Integrated Commissioning Team
  • Jointly commissioned Service Level Agreements and Contracts, for example Stroke Association.

In this instance the Compact is a tripartite agreement between three partners: Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) who sign this document on behalf of the voluntary sector as a whole, the County Council and the Local Health Board (LHB). It subscribes to the principles of the National Compact and demonstrates the commitment to nurture and develop existing relationships. It also seeks to build upon existing community strategies and will actively encourage effective consultation with, and participation of, all local residents.

It sets out the values and principles of the partnership and aims to achieve a Compact way of working by helping us:

  • Communicate better with each other.
  • Understand and respect each others views.
  • Work together more efficiently to support the people of Carmarthenshire.

Shared Values and Principles

Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services, Carmarthenshire County Council and Carmarthenshire Local Health Board have shared values and principles. As three organisations, we recognise that the statutory and third sectors have complimentary roles leading to added value through working in partnership. An independent, diverse and pro-active third sector in Carmarthenshire makes a substantial impact on the wellbeing of Carmarthenshire residents. To maximise this impact, the partnership approach is based on foundations such as integrity, trust and mutual respect, as well as recognition of differences and a similarity of purpose.

On the basis of our shared values and principles, together we will:

  • Develop mutual understanding of needs in Carmarthenshire in order to identify the level of resources required to address the needs.
  • Value both informal and organised volunteer activity in Carmarthenshire as well as respecting all organisations for what they do.
  • Develop policies and services taking into account the experience and views of both the statutory and third sectors.
  • Implement effective communication to share information and good practice as well as allowing problems to be identified quickly and resolved constructively.
  • Promote Compact principles in our joint working relationships as well as developing Codes of Practices and Annual Action Plans based on partnership.

Terms of Reference

Members of the Compact Liaison Panel (CLP) are committed to working together to develop and implement good practice, policies and procedures. It is recognised that panel members are accountable to their respective organisations, given the different legal and financial constraints within which each of the partners operate.

CLP membership:

Three panel members from Carmarthenshire Association Voluntary Services

Three panel members from Carmarthenshire County Council

Two panel members from Carmarthenshire Local Health Board

The CLP will meet quarterly and be supported by Senior Key Officers from each partner organisation, together with a Secretariat and further supporting officers from within their respective organisations.

Implementation Group membership:

3 Senior Key Officers (drawn from each partner organisation)

3 Partnership Officers (drawn from each partner organisation)

1 Community Planning Officer

1 Community Safety Officer

1 Environmental Officer

1 Education Officer

The implementation group will by necessity remain fluid as dictated by current priorities.However, it will meet monthly to support the work of the CLP, for example in the delivery of specific actions. An additional officer will be invited to offer support with Press releases and general media coverage.

Core actions of the CLP

  • To plan and develop a structure and process for meaningful partnership working between the third sector, Carmarthenshire Local Health Board and Carmarthenshire County Council.
  • To receive and take reports to / from the appropriate Strategic Partnerships, as well as developing communication procedures to ensure the exchange of relevant issues and information through partner agencies and networks thereby promoting a transparent way of working.
  • To provide feedback to the voluntary sector on their responses to relevant consultations.
  • To ensure that the Compact Annual Action Plan sets clear priorities defining outputs and outcomes.
  • To undertake reflective practice on the work of the CLP and prepare an annual evaluation of the Compact Annual Action Plan for wide circulation.
  • To hold an Annual Compact Conference to report on progress, re-establish priorities and agree the Compact Annual Action Plan for the following year.

Codes of Practice

The partners are committed to developing this Compact agreement with due regard to relevant national and local priorities. With respect to the national picture such documents include the Beecham Report and the WAG: ‘Preparing Community Strategies’. At a local level supporting initiatives relevant to the Compact would include:

  • Community Plan
  • Local Development Plan
  • Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Strategy
  • Children’s and Young People’s Strategy
  • A Fine Romance

The following codes of practice are not exhaustive, but are central to the success of the Compact and should be considered as works in progress, to be developed through the Compact Annual Action Plan to fit local need as and when required.

A local code of practice may consider the following principles:

Funding /
  • Fair funding levels including full cost recovery.
  • Joint use of resources including collaborative procurement and commissioning.
  • Responsible governance including annual reviews.
  • Transparent and timely decision making process regarding payments.

Partnership Working /
  • Promotion of the Compact within the context of local strategies.
  • Joint delivery of agreed agenda including a business plan.
  • Work in conjunction with Local Service Board (LSB) on policy development.
  • Sharing of skills, knowledge, information, training and development opportunities.

Consultation and Communication /
  • Agree communication protocol for effective communication between partners.
  • Agree mechanisms to ensure locally sensitive effective consultation within the community.
  • Promote inclusion of hard to reach groups in the consultation process.
  • Ensure that consultation does not become tokenistic.

Volunteering /
  • Build on existing code of practice to establish a comprehensive support framework.
  • Ensure organisations working with volunteers adhere to volunteering policy.
  • Partners to encourage volunteering amongst existing and retired staff.
  • Further promote positive attitudes towards volunteering.

Contacts

  • Marie Mitchell

Partnership Manager

Carmarthenshire Association Voluntary Services

Tel: 01267 245555

Email:

  • Peter Llewellyn

Head of Strategic Partnerships

Hywel Dda Health Board

Tel: 01437 834418

Email:

  • Amy Hawkins

Community Regeneration Manager - Valleys

Carmarthenshire County Council

Tel: 01269 590200

Email:

Carmarthenshire Tripartite Compact1