VCS Assembly, November 2013

1. Commissioning the Council’s funding for Voluntary and Community Sector Support Services 2014 - 2017 VCS Assembly, November 2013

2. Current single block commission with Connect4Change comes to an end in March 2014 Opportunity to review and learn from this experience Council has a new political administration which is committed to maintain frontline services Aim is to still to support the continued development of a vibrant, independent and sustainable voluntary and community sector But Council faces challenging budget scenario for next three years so need to maximise leaner, smarter ways of working and attraction of external funding Context

3. Options There are several options the Council could pursue in taking this work forward: • Retain the status quo of a single countywide Commission • Commission on the basis of an equal urban and rural split • Commission on the basis of four or five functional blocks • Deliver the commission in-house with the support of a facilitating fund • Withdraw the commission

4. Preferred Option At this stage, the preferred option is to commission on the basis of five individual support packages. This option builds on: • positive outcomes from the current single VCS Support Commission • evidence in the State of the Sector Report • recognition of the various specialist activities that need to be delivered • the scope to maximise funding opportunities from the Lottery and European Structural funds

5. Functional Blocks • Support to grass roots organisations – traditional CVS-type support aimed at providing fund-raising and governance advice at small, community-based organisations • Enterprising VCS – expanding the existing social enterprise approaches and support to all medium-sized VCS organisations with a view to diversifying their income base and making them more financially sustainable • Volunteering– developing and embedding a comprehensive volunteering strategy for the county as a means of stimulating aspiration and improving job readiness • Community Led Local Development – facilitating the development of a “bottom-up” programme of community-based activity within key 20% most deprived wards in Northumberland • VCS Voice and Influence – continued sponsoring of consortia activity and development of the VCS Assembly and Single Equality Network as mechanisms to ensure that the sector’s voice and influence is maximised

6. Funding Packages

7. Basis of Commission • Commission will be contracted for three years with budget allocation (£262,500 per annum) guaranteed for two years • 25% budget cut from current allocation for first two years but hope to recoup this (and more) from external funding • Third year funding will be reviewed to reflect: • Council’s overall budget situation • Success in securing external funds • Balance between packages remains appropriate

8. Process • Consultation from 25 October until 5 December 2013 • Final approach to reflect feedback from consultation approved by Policy Board on 7 January 2014 • Tender process • Aim is to have new contracts awarded by end of March but depending on tendering outcome, transitional arrangements may need to be put in place for first quarter • Ongoing evaluation by the Council

9. Ongoing Liaison • Quarterly meetings between the Council’s portfolio holders and a delegation from the VCS Assembly to be put in place from 2014 • Supported by a cross-authority officer working group that will also meet quarterly, together with those VCS organisations that have contractual arrangements with the Council as appropriate