[Campaignforrealdemocracy] Compact statement

Fri Dec 18 16:54:43 GMT 2009

Seasonal Greetings to Friends and Supporters

We need a compact that is relevant to the community sector and safeguards equalities - the new compact does neither

If you agree please email the organizations responsible: Compact Voice and Office for the Third Sector and let them know - and it would be great if you could let me know when you've done so and if you have any response back.

Do it either now or when you return from your holidays

 *   Minister for the Third Sector (Angela Smith MP) Email:  flack at parliament.uk

 *   Compact Voice:  Head of the Compact Team: Email:  oliver.reichardt at compactvoice.org.uk

The refreshed Compact
Statement
December 2009
A step backwards for equalities and community sector organizations; in the long term society is the poorer

Now is the time when we need a boost to the most excluded and locally based parts of society in order to build resilience to ease pressure on public services.  The tragedy of this document is that may well serve to weaken recognition for associative action and proactive equalities community work.

The focus on a minority of voluntary sector organizations that have a sub contractor role is especially short sighted in the present climate.  Most of the third sector is a community group[1], taking associative action.  The compact disenfranchises them by not talking about them or applying norms of operation that might be relevant to them.  This is not accidental but instead a deliberately intended omission that privileges a relatively few parts of the sector[2] engaged in public sector reform at the expense of those engaged in direct service to the local community by the local community
The recent withdrawing of the campaigning fund has dramatically underlined the core contradiction of having a document than can be ripped up at will.  The invalidating of concerns has been a feature of the consultation process itself.  Significant and wide ranging concerns were expressed in the consultation, the most common of which fixed on the relevance of the document for the community sector.  These were aired not only by Third Sector respondees on the basis of previous experiences of the document being not fit for use, but had resonance in the comments made by statutory bodies[3].  It now follows that the compact is at risk of losing its status in judicial review, since a party can argue that there has been substantial disagreement among the wider Third Sector and that no convincing mandate exists.
The failure to retain equalities commitments is a particularly damaging omission - in particular the loss of the BME[4] code.  The new terminology which describes BME and equalities groupings as 'organisations that provide services for protected characteristics' can mean literally anything and undercuts the most vulnerable and marginalised communities of interest and identity

The Coalition supports the principle of having a compact and recognises the hard work of many in government and the sector to embed better relationships and fairness.  We have been asked to be open, involved and speak up throughout the process.  The hope is that the document can be reconsidered in the light of these comments, which have fundamental implications for all partners

Matthew Scott
CSC Director
33 Corsham Street
London N1 6DR

T: 020 7336 9461
E: matt at communitysectorcoalition.org.uk<mailto:matt at communitysectorcoalition.org.uk>
W: www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk<http://www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk/>

About CSC

The Community Sector Coalition (CSC) was established in 1994 by a group of Chief Executives of national umbrella organisations whose work focused on the community sector.  They met to establish a coalition of organisations that wanted to champion the unique contribution that the community sector makes to society.  The added value that is generated through CSC members working together ensures that resources are used more effectively across organisational boundaries and that a stronger, unified voice campaigns on issues vital to the sector.

Most members of CSC have their own membership base which means that the extended reach of CSC runs into many thousands of organisations.  Collectively CSC members also ensure reach to a wide variety of community sector organisations, for example tenant associations, self-help groups, social enterprises, village hall committees, faith groups, development trusts, arts and sports groups and community foundations.  These groups are often operating at a very local level and are embedded within their communities.  As such they provide an essential touchstone for CSC members and this relationship enables CSC members and collectively the CSC, to genuinely reflect the views, experiences and needs of the sector at a national level.

CSC vision statement:
For the community sector to be empowered, valued and active in local democracy

CSC mission statement:
To be a credible and authoritative independent voice for the community sector

Matthew Scott

CSC Director

020 7336 9461

Work mobile: 07827 258411

Website: www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk

This message is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete this e-mail and all attachments from your system.

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[1] The 2009 NCVO Civil Society Almanac conservatively estimates that of 870,000 civil society organisations, 600,000 are informal community associations.  Likewise the majority of charities exist on little or no government funding.

[2] 'Not every organisation has grown.  NCVO 2007 UK Voluntary Sector Almanac highlights the rapid growth of many large charities and the decline in income of many small or medium sized charities'

*          Future Role of 3rd Sector in Economic and Social Regeneration (Treasury & Cabinet Office) 2007 - paragraph 1.1

[3] Including consultation feedback from CDF (the Community Development Foundation), the Big Lottery, Capacity Builders and Local Authorities

[4] Black & Minority Ethnic
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