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Agenda Item No.10(c)

 

THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL

 

COUNCIL MEETING: 1 MARCH 2017

 

REFERENCE FROM CABINET:  20 FEBRUARY 2017

 

 

C3466         VOLUNTARY SECTOR COMPACT (REF) -

 

The Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee on 8 February, 2017 considered the above report of the Managing Director.

 

The Head of Performance and Development presented the report, advising that it had been good practice for a number of years for Councils and other partners to have established mechanisms for working with the Voluntary Sector in their areas. Since 2008 the Council had had in place a formal Compact with the Voluntary Sector in the Vale of Glamorgan which set out the shared vision and values for joint working together with the expectations of the partners and the various activities that would be pursued to further these expectations. This Compact had been between the Voluntary Sector (Vale Centre for Voluntary Services), Vale of Glamorgan Council, Vale of Glamorgan Local Health Board and Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust. Since that time, however, changes to the structure of the Voluntary Sector (with the creation of the Glamorgan Voluntary Services organisation) and health organisations (with the creation of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board [UHB]) had taken place. Joint working between all partners had increased and had also been increasingly formalised in recent years.

 

The Compact had therefore been revised, maintaining much of the original version in relation to the aim, objectives and themes of joint working, but updates had been made to reflect the Council’s new corporate vision, values and Well-being Outcomes as well as the changes that had been made in the creation of Glamorgan Voluntary Services (GVS). References were also made to other areas of joint working, notably on the Council’s transformational change programme, Reshaping Services. The revised Compact was proposed to cover the period 2017-2021 and could be updated sooner should it be felt appropriate. An annual work plan for 2017/18, attached at Appendix B to the report, was proposed to enable the Committee to set actions to be progressed each year with updates against each of the work plan actions being provided to each meeting of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee.

 

Due to the emergence of alternative governance arrangements with the Health Service (and the Public Services Board's increasing role), it was proposed that in order to maintain a link between the Committee and the work of the Compact, the Terms of Reference regarding membership should also be amended. The current composition of the Committee was ten Vale Elected Members, eight representatives (one currently vacant) from the Voluntary Sector and two from the Health Service. It was proposed that the future membership of the Committee would be formed of eight Elected Members of the Vale of Glamorgan Council and eight representatives of the Voluntary Sector (including one representative as nominated by the Community Liaison Committee from Town and Community Councils to provide a link between the work of the two Committees).

 

The Head of Performance and Development advised that following discussions with colleagues in the UHB, he could confirm that they were supportive of the proposals suggested, advising that they had withdrawn due to the fact they considered that there were a number of other avenues, with formal arrangements that they were involved in. Ms. Connor, the Chief Executive of GVS, also advised Committee that similar arrangements to the Compact were in place between GVS and the UHB in the form of a strategic framework document.

 

The Head of Service further stated that should the Compact, membership and Terms of Reference be approved by the Committee, the recommendations would be reported to Cabinet for approval, with the proposals regarding the amendments to the Terms of Reference and membership of the Committee being requested to be referred for consideration at the Council’s Annual Meeting. A copy of the current Terms of Reference for the Committee was attached at Appendix C to the report and the revised Terms of Reference included in the Compact at Appendix A (section v, page 12).

 

All present stated that they welcomed the review of the Compact and the annual work plan, which was proposed to enable the Committee to set actions, and agreed that it strengthened the relationship with the Voluntary Sector and the Vale of Glamorgan Council. However, a Member relayed their disappointment at the decision of the UHB to withdraw from the Compact and in particular from the membership of the Committee as they considered that this offered accountability for Members.

 

The Leader of the Council advised that he had felt that the Council had needed to concentrate on the Voluntary Sector and that the revised Compact and the suggested changes to the membership and Terms of Reference was an appropriate way to do so. This view was shared by Ms. Connor, who further stated that she was pleased to see the Compact refreshed, advising that the Vale of Glamorgan had been one of the first Local Authorities in Wales to develop a Compact with the Third Sector.

 

The Chairman, in conclusion, stated that both the Voluntary Sector and the Council had undergone considerable change over recent years and that he was pleased with the progress that had been made to date.

 

In acknowledging that updates against each of the work plan actions would be provided to each meeting of the Committee, it was subsequently

 

AGREED –

 

(1)       T H A T Cabinet be requested to approve the report, the Compact and work plan attached as Appendices A and B to the report.

 

(2)       T H AT notwithstanding Recommendation (1) above, Cabinet be requested to endorse the changes to the Terms of Reference and Membership of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee (as outlined below) and refer to Full Council for approval:

 

            (i)     Membership of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee to consist of eight Elected Members of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, seven representatives of the Voluntary Sector and one representative, as nominated by the Community Liaison Committee from Town and Community Councils within the Vale, to provide a link between the work of the two Committees;

 

            (ii)     Terms of Reference -

  1. To refer, as appropriate, reports and recommendations to the Council’s Cabinet and the Executives of Voluntary Sector organisations.
  2. To appoint a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from amongst the eight Members of the Council and an Honorary Vice-Chairman from amongst the seven representatives from the Voluntary Sector.
  3. To advise the Council of the needs, views and concerns of the Voluntary Sector.
  4. To report on the work of those organisations grant funded by the Council, either in full or in part.
  5. To act as a consultative forum where the Voluntary Sector and the Council may, in partnership, put forward policy proposals for discussion and decision.
  6. To facilitate and promote joint working between the Council and the Voluntary Sector.
  7. In accordance with the statutory provisions, only Members of the Council will have voting rights. However, where there is no consensus, this will be reported in the minutes and placed before the Cabinet prior to a decision being taken.
  8. To review the Compact and associated Annual Work Plan and to monitor and report on progress made towards      achieving the actions contained within the Compact and the Plan.
  9. To consider reports of the Cabinet and other Committees of the Council which have a bearing and impact on the      Voluntary Sector.

Reasons for decisions

 

(1)       To seek Cabinet approval of the Compact and the work plan

 

(2)       To seek endorsement by Cabinet and approval by Full Council of the Membership and Terms of Reference of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee as required under the Council’s Constitution.

 

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Cabinet, having considered the recommendations of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee

 

RESOLVED –

 

(1)       …………….

 

(2)       T H A T the changes to the Terms of Reference and Membership of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee (as outlined below) be referred to Full Council for approval:

 

(ii)          Membership of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee to consist of eight Elected Members of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, seven representatives of the Voluntary Sector and one representative, as nominated by the Community Liaison Committee from Town and Community Councils within the Vale, to provide a link between the work of the two Committees;

 

            (ii)        Terms of Reference -

 

1     To refer, as appropriate, reports and recommendations to the Council’s Cabinet and the Executives of Voluntary Sector organisations.

 

2     To appoint a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from amongst the eight Members of the Council and an Honorary Vice-Chairman from amongst the seven representatives from the Voluntary Sector.

 

3     To advise the Council of the needs, views and concerns of the Voluntary Sector.

 

4     To report on the work of those organisations grant funded by the Council, either in full or in part.

 

5     To act as a consultative forum where the Voluntary Sector and the Council may, in partnership, put forward policy proposals for discussion and decision.

 

6     To facilitate and promote joint working between the Council and the Voluntary Sector.

 

7     In accordance with the statutory provisions, only Members of the Council will have voting rights. However, where there is no consensus, this will be reported in the minutes and placed before the Cabinet prior to a decision being taken.

 

8     To review the Compact and associated Annual Work Plan and to monitor and report on progress made towards achieving the actions contained within the Compact and the Plan.

 

9     To consider reports of the Cabinet and other Committees of the Council which have a bearing and impact on the Voluntary Sector.

 

Reasons for decisions

 

(1)       …………….

 

(2)       To seek approval by Full Council of the Membership and Terms of Reference of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee as required under the Council’s Constitution.