The Compact is about ensuring that strong, effective partnerships are at the heart of all relationships between the voluntary sector and public sector, locally and nationally. It is the agreement between sectors that describes best practice in relationships and our mutual commitments to effective partnership working.

Bristol Compact and Voscur
Voscur works to support the Bristol Compact – the local version of the national agreement. Our work focusses on commissioning and relationships with Bristol City Council. The work programme for 2015/16 includes:

• Commissioning and procurement – continuing to represent the VCS in engaging with commissioning processes.
• Social Value Policy – working with Bristol City Council and the VCS on the development and implementation of the new policy.
• VCS Grants Prospectus – working with Bristol City Council on this new prospectus of grants to the VCS.
• Compact case work – supporting those whose relationships have faltered and helping to resolve matters.
• Compact Awards and Compact Week – promoting awards and holding an event during the week.
• Advising commissioners on Compact principles and best practice in engaging the VCS in commissioning.

Progress reports

• 2015/16 April-September.
• 2015/16 October 2015-March 2016.

West of England and Voscur
Voscur, in partnership with Compact Voice/NCVO, worked across the West of England to support Compact developments and partnerships during 2015/15. This work was in collaboration with the West of England Civil Society Partnership (CVS South Gloucestershire, Quartet Community Foundation, Social Enterprise Works, Knightstone Housing, The Care Forum, Voscur, Voluntary Action North Somerset, West of England Rural Network, West of England Sport Trust). 

Working across the West of England and the scope of the work, which started August 2015 and ran until the end of March 2016. The work focused on the following:

• Compacts in the West of England – working with Compact partner groups in South Gloucestershire and North Somerset to support the implementation and refreshing their Compacts.
• Briefings for VCS engaging with new commissioners – four events will focus on working with new commissioners – the Police Crime Commissioner, Local Enterprise Partnership, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Health/Wellbeing Boards.
• Commissioning Network – an event in February 2015 to launch this network of public sector commissioners and VCS managers with responsibility for contracts/commissioning. The aims of the network are: to build shared understanding; facilitate networking and collaboration; focus on solutions and solving problems; influencing commissioning practice.
• Exploring opportunities for partnership working – a report after the briefing events on what is coming up and how to engage with new commissioners.
• Enquiries and dispute resolution – responding to queries from the West of England and, where needed, support the resolution of disputes.
• Promotion of Compact Awards and regional working.

Mark Hubbard, Voscur’s Compact Liaison Officer leads Voscur’s Compact work. For more information, please contact Mark at the Voscur office or mark@voscur.org