Refresh time for the Compact

It’s refresh time for the Compact and last week I received a letter asking the Commission for the Compact to lead a process to redraft the Compact documents for public consultation later in 2009. The letter was sent by Kevin Brennan MP, Minister for the Third Sector, and Simon Blake, Chair of Compact Voice, the independent body which represents the voluntary and community sector on taking forward the Compact. 

The letter asks the Commission to take “what is best from the existing documents rather than start from scratch, and ensure that the new version takes into account recent developments in law, policy and practice. In addition, it asks that the new Compact “takes account of the implications for Local Compacts, and the new local performance framework, Local Strategic Partnerships, Local Area Agreements and the Comprehensive Area Assessment.”

Activity is now underway on producing a refreshed and revised national Compact to be launched later this year during Compact Week in November 2009. Meetings of an advisory panel to discuss the refresh of the Compact will take place in April, May and September 2009, with a formal three-month consultation during June, July and August 2009.

During the refresh process, it’s important that the current Compact does not take second place. The Compact still has a lot to commend it and we need to ensure that the refreshed product retains all the key points which have contributed to its success over the last 10 years.

The formal request by the Minister for the Third Sector and Compact Voice follows on from last year’s extensive discussion on the future of the Compact and agreement at the Compact Annual Meeting in December.

A Joint Compact Action Plan for 2009-10, due to be published on the Compact website in April 2009, will include consultation activity concerning the refresh process as well as specific task indicators and measures, outlining the work to be undertaken over the next 12 months.

I hope that government departments, local authorities and organisations within the voluntary and community sector will help shape the new national Compact, and for more information or for details on how to contribute to the refresh process, please visit the Compact website at: www.thecompact.org.uk