(1) Compact Voice breaking news: New Chair and New Funding

The Compact Voice Board and staff are doubly delighted this week. The board has appointed Simon Blake (Chief Executive of Brook) as the new Compact Voice Chair, and Phil Hope (Minister for the Sector) has agreed 3-year funding for Compact Voice for the next term ending March 2011.  

In addition to Carl Allen (Local Compact Voice Chair), seats will now be taken at board meetings by LCV Vice-Chairs on a rotating basis. Congleton’s Fiona Cooper and Norfolk’s Dennis Mawson will attend the next meeting on 15 April and can represent any Local Compact related issues arising in the NW and E regions.

(2) Fast poll on local funding (Local Compact Voice members only)

Government says there will be local 3-year funding from April but what's really going on with this, or cuts, or grants turning into contracts?  We want to be able to support specific areas where funding reform isn’t going well and make general representations to Government and the Local Government Association.  The poll should take less than one minute to do. 

      Click onwww.ncvo-consult.org.uk/LCVF1  

(3) How Compact-compliant is Your LINks?

There are concerns in some areas about setting up arrangements for local information networks. You are welcome to share experience of this new process – both good and bad, through the on-line Forum – so that everyone knows what’s happening in other areas.

(4) The on-line Local Compact Voice Forum

You can also be part of discussions already taking place on the Forum, including on:

·      Dispute resolution

·      Local Compact Research

·      Sharing Local Compact Newsletters

·      New idea for local codes

·      Local Sector Independence – draft scorecard 

The Forum archives contain briefings back to 2006 plus a list of electronic materials available from me – including a BME code advice note on why this specific code is needed. 

 Do e-mail me if you want to join this new Forum (for Local Compact Voice members only)  

    (It is intended to also develop an on-line Compact for All network for members and people from public bodies, Government and Compact Commission)

Bookings have now opened for the free Local Compacts Annual Conference (7 April) – access via the Forum 

(5) Funding and Performance

Good funding practice can cover grant givers and purchasers of services supporting organisations in many ways.  Examples include: planning ahead, improving quality, streamlining monitoring and reporting requirements or helping them to evaluate and share their learning. The Performance Improvement Hub are keen to find examples of Local Compacts facilitating this and, if so, how. What do they say and what happens in practice?  

Tell me if you would like to offer an example for a publication

Paul Barasi                       
Local Compact Voice Officer 
COMPACT VOICE: The independent voice of the Compact

C/o NCVO                                           020 7520 2453 (Direct)`
Regent's Wharf                                  020 7713 6161 (NCVO)
8 All Saints St
London N1 9RL  

website: www.compactvoice.org.uk