John Stoker

1

• John Stoker
• Commissioner for the Compact

2
The Compact

• What Status does it have centrally and locally?
• What does it actually say?
• Where are the pressure points?
• What can practitioners do about them?

3
The Commission

• Takes the Compact and codes at their face value
• Compact a means to better outcomes not an end
  in itself
• Considers they have binding force (as policy) for
  Government Depts and agents
• Tasked with improving performance
• Government acknowledges that present performance
  is not good enough

4
CVS Commitments

• Promote the Compact across the sector
• Operate through open and accountable
  organisations
• Involve all stakeholders and embrace diversity
• Contribute constructively to public policy
• Respect confidentiality

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CVS Commitments 2

• Be clear who they represent and how they came to
  views when consulted on programme design
• Have clear lines of accountability, especially in
  joint bids
• Agree terms of delivery at the outset and be
  aware of risks they are responsible for

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CVS Commitments 3

• Make sure they are eligible when applying
• Have good systems to manage finances and projects
  and account for them
• Be honest and transparent in reporting
• Plan in good time to reduce negative impacts on
  beneficiaries and the organisation if funding
  ends

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The Compact Central Government

• Not a legal document but not voluntary
• Authority derives from endorsement by Government
  (C2)
• Now applies to Government departments, Offices
  for the, next steps agencies, NDPBs (C Action
  Plan)
• Funding and procurement code always explicitly
  covered NDPBs, National Lottery distributors (FP
  8.2)

8
The Compact Local Government

• Primary Compacts are local ones
• 99 coverage
• National Compact and codes broadly reflected
• National Compact and codes remain relevant
  locally (as good practice)

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Consultation and Policy Appraisal

• As important in sector as funding issues.
• Government to consult sector on issues likely to
  affect it (CPA 3.1)
• Impact statement on effect of policy proposals at
  national, regional, local level (CPA 3.1)
• Opportunity wherever possible for VCS to
  contribute to programme design (FP summ)
• Government will consult early (CPA 3.1)
• Will take positive account of representations for
  women, minorities, socially excluded (CPA 3.1)

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Consultation and Policy Appraisal 2

• Government to provide feedback on consultation
  (CPA 3.1)
• Depts websites to contain consultation calendars
  (actual/expected dates, contact points) (CPA 9.2)
• 8 weeks minimum for written consultation, 12
  weeks wherever possible (CPA 11.1/2)
• Allowance for holidays, other potential timing
  difficulties (CPA 11.4)

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Consultation and Policy Appraisal 3

• Respondents to consultation to be notified
  promptly of decisions (CPA 11.4)
• Where respondents ask why views rejected, prompt
  and full explanation (CPA 14.2)
• Commitments on other wider matters (BME,
  volunteering, community groups)
• These broader commitments not disconnected by
  contracts/contestability

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Grants and Contracts

• The (Finance and Procurement) Codeis consistent
  with the Governments duty to achieve value for
  money, principles in Government Accounting and
  European Union procurement law. Its principles
  and undertakings apply to both grants and
  contractsthe appropriate procedures should be
  understood and applied in each case. (FP 1.4)
• Compact thus applies equally to both contract and
  grant finance

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Funding and Procurement

• Code applies to Depts, NDPBs, NL distributors (FP
  8.2)
• Application forms to ask only for info relevant
  to deciding who will receive funding (FP Summ)
• Commitment to FCR (FP Summ, 2002 cross-cutter)
• In procurement, info not to be sought about
  management fees, overheads (FP Summ)

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Funding and Procurement 2

• Payments in advance of expenditure (where
  appropriate and necessary) (FP Summ)
• Longer-term arrangements (where VFM) (FP Summ)
• Departments to pass on 3-year funding as the norm
  (interim cross-cutter, Dec 06)
• Monitoring to be proportionate to size of funding
  provider to risk (FP 6.6)

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Funding and Procurement 3

• Minimum 3 months notice of end of
  grants/contracts (FP 7.6)
• Reasons and opportunity to respond to be given
• Funding decisions to be timely, give adequate
  notice in advance of date of service provision
  (FP 3.11)

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Funding and Procurement 4

• Funding decisions given at least 3 months in
  advance of provision for new programmes (FP 3.11)
• More for small organisations and those new to
  delivery (FP 3.11)

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Funding and Procurement 5

• Programmes to aim to strengthen VCS supplier base
  (FP 7.6)

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Top Issues

• Gap between commitment and delivery
• Officials need to know their obligations and
  observe them
• Systems need to help with this
• Leadership required at the top and within teams
• Training needs doing and evaluating

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Top Issues 2

• Contestability does not disconnect the broader
  relationship
• Contestability needs to be reconciled with
  voice on needs, programmes
• Public sector needs to consider impact on sector
  of different approaches to contracting
• Mitigating/enabling measures may be needed
  (consortia, subcontracting)

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Commissions Wider Concerns

• Risk to the nurturing relationship from the
  trend towards procurement
• Holding departments and their agents more
  accountable for delivery
• Top areas of underperformance FCR, payment in
  advance, timeliness of decisions, adequacy of
  notice, 3 year funding
• Incentives for good partnership practice locally

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Commission Plan

• Consultation on draft business plan at
  www.thecompact.org.uk