Labour MP Tom Levitt writes for ePolitix.com about his Commission for the Compact Bill which intends to put the Compact agreement on a statutory footing.
The Compact is an understanding between government and the third sector about the way they work together. Ten years ago, I helped to launch it, along with its author Sir Ken Stowe and the then Home Office minister Paul Boateng. It seeks to preserve the independence of the voluntary sector whilst recognising the importance of volunteers in service delivery. Its approach, of 'where we have common interests we will work together', was revolutionary.
The Compact was needed back then because public sector employees, especially in local government, tended to see volunteers as a threat to their jobs. Third sector workers believed they were not there to provide services 'on the cheap' but to supply qualities that the statutory sector found difficult to provide, such as giving individualised care, making time to listen to the socially excluded or expressing the views of service users.
It is not legally binding but is built on trust and mutual goodwill.
In 2007, the government established the Compact Commission to promote effective partnership working between the sectors. It is not a regulatory body and has no legal powers or obligations.
Over 10 years much has changed. Successful co-working between the third sector and its service partners, especially in local government, has been widely established. Partnership has become mainstream. Contractual arrangements have replaced 'understandings'. Many voluntary organisations have become as professional as their public sector partners.
Two changes are now needed. One is a review of the Compact, an organic process which cannot be imposed from outside. The other is to professionalise the Commission itself. Today, the Commission's chair is appointed by a minister but his fellow commissioners are not. The Commission has no legal obligation to report on its work. And whilst it can advise on good practice, it cannot hold partners to account where the Compact is not working.
My short Bill addresses these issues by putting the Commission on a statutory footing. The Bill has the support of key ministers, the NCVO, the Commission itself and a cross-party group of MPs.
Not to put too fine a point on it, it is a Bill whose time has come.
