Tower Hamlets Council Third Sector Strategy - Action Plan 2009/10
Objective	No.	Activity	Cost (2009/10)	Funding Source	Milestones	Outputs and Outcomes (2009/10)	Lead Officer (Service Head)
1. Appropriate Infrastructure to support the Third Sector	1.1	Develop a new Council for Voluntary Services for the borough	£105,000	Accelerated Delivery Fund  (allocation to be confirmed)	• CVS interim Board in place by Dec 2009 • CVS incorporated by Jan 2010 • CVS Director in post by March 2010 • CVS funding strategy agreed by March 2010	• CVS Director and Board recruited • CVS Incorporated • Draft CVS Funding Strategy	Louise Russell
	1.2	Co-ordinate resources to improve the support the Council offers to the Third Sector	Within existing resources	N/A	• Produce a directory of support available and publicise in East End Life by end January 2010 • Ensure the delivery of courses on Project Management and Funding Strategies and Bid Writing aimed specifically at the Third Sector by March 2010	• 1,000 Support Directories distributed • 2 x courses on Project Management delivered • 2 x courses on Funding Strategies and Bid Writing delivered • 50 people working or volunteering in the local Third Sector benefit from courses	Louise Russell
2. The highest standards when working with Volunteers	2.1	Review and improve the implementation of the TH Volunteering Compact Code of Best Practice	Within existing resources	N/A	• Scope and commission review by November 2009. To include appropriate consultation with key stakeholders from all sectors especially organisations using volunteers • Agree report and action plan with Advisory and Delivery Groups by March 2010	Volunteering Code Action Plan	Shazia Hussain
3. Effective processes that enable Third Sector Voice and Representation	3.1	Work closely with the Third Sector Advisory Group to develop practical proposals to improve Third Sector involvement in key decision making processes	Within proposed CVS budget	Accelerated Delivery Fund  (allocation to be confirmed)	• Approach agreed, following discussions with the Advisory Group, by November 2009 • Voice and Representation policy and action plan agreed by December 2009. This to include process for selecting, supporting and remunerating representatives as well as methods for ensuring that the views of small groups are heard.	• Agreed protocols for representation agreed by Advisory Group • Representative Third Sector attendance at Partnership Board, Partnership Executive and all Community Plan Delivery Group meetings	Shazia Hussain
4. Improved Third Sector Commissioning and Funding processes	4.1	Further improve the Mainstream Grants process	Within existing resources	N/A	• Review allocations process (using lessons learned during 2009/10) and agree proposals for improvement with the Grants Panel by October 2009 • Complete full Equalities Impact Assessment by December 2009	• Revised Mainstream Grant Allocation process • Completed Equalities Impact Assessment	Louise Russell
	4.2	Establish a Community Chest	£300,000	Accelerated Delivery Bid (allocation to be confirmed)	• Agree scope in terms of size of Community Chest, allocation process, responsibilities and communications plan by November 2009 • Officer to manage Community Chest in post by December 2009 • Community Chest advertised by December 2009 • First Community Chest allocations made by March 2010	• Community Chest scope • Community Chest allocation	Louise Russell
4. Improved Third Sector Commissioning and Funding processes	4.3	Improve internal Third Sector Commissioning and Procurement procedures	Within existing resources	N/A	• Refresh Procurement Toolkit to ensure that it is appropriate for the Third Sector, and Third Sector Commissioning Code of Practice by January 2010 • Scope, launch and begin delivery of a new mandatory 1-day course for Third Sector Commissioners by April 2010	• Procurement Toolkit includes minimum standards for monitoring as well as revised templates for PQQs, tender documents, contracts and monitoring forms, and clear guidance on decommissioning, all in accordance with best practice • 25 officers complete 1 day course by end 2010/11	Richard Parsons
4. Improved Third Sector Commissioning and Funding processes	4.4	Increase co-ordination and cost-effectiveness of Third Sector commissioning and procurement	Within existing resources	N/A	• Scope and establish a Third Sector commissioners group involving commissioners across the Partnership by December 2009 • Complete in-depth analysis of Third Sector contracts larger than £50k per year to identify links, overlaps and opportunities for efficiency by January 2010	• Commissioning Group holds initial meeting • Analysis of contracts complete	Richard Parsons
	4.5	Strengthen partnerships with the Third Sector around Commissioning and Procurement	Within existing resources	N/A	• Improved processes for communicating opportunities to bid for LBTH contracts to the Third Sector to be scoped and in-place by January 2010 • Hold first Third Sector provider day by March 2010	• 35 Third Sector organisations attend initial Third Sector provider day • 7 organisations who want to tender for contracts supported	Richard Parsons
4. Improved Third Sector Commissioning and Funding processes	4.6	Promote Third Sector resilience in the light of likely changes in funding	Within existing resources	N/A	• Complete appraisal of options for sustainable funding of Third Sector infrastructure, including the 'levy' option, and agree preferred option with members by November 2009 • Undertake an initial analysis of anticipated changes in funding and likely impact on the Third Sector by December 2009 • Hold risk analysis session to develop options for risk mitigation with the Third Sector Commissioners Network by March 2010	• Sustainable funding option agreed • Analysis complete • Risk assessment session complete	Louise Russell alongside Corporate Finance
5. Develop our strategic approach to Third Sector Asset Management	5.1	Develop a Third Sector Asset Plan	£25,000 for research	Accelerated Delivery Bid (included in CVS budget)	• Scope and commission research to bring together details of current Third Sector asset usage, Third Sector asset needs and service delivery priorities by October 2009 • Research complete by March 2010	Third Sector Asset Research	Louise Russell / Andy Algar
6. Effective Governance arrangements to oversee the implementation of the Strategy in place	6.1	Establish Third Sector Strategy Delivery Group to oversee implementation	Within existing resources	N/A	• Group membership agreed by August 2009 • 2009/10 Council Action Plan agreed by Nov 2009 • 2009/10 Partnership Action Plan agreed by Dec 2009 • 2010/11 Partnership Action Plan agreed by February 2010	• 2009/10 Council Action Plan • 2009/10 Partnership Action Plan • 2010/11 Partnership Action Plan	Louise Russell
6. Effective Governance arrangements to oversee the implementation of the Strategy in place	6.2	Establish Third Sector Advisory Group to support policy development and strategy implementation	Within existing resources	N/A	• Membership and Terms of Reference agreed by September 2009 • CVS Development Process agreed by October 2009 • Voice and Representation proposals agreed by January 2010 • 2010/11 workplan developed and agreed by March 2010	Agreed: • Terms of Reference • CVS Development Process • Voice and Representation proposals • 2010/11 workplan	Louise Russell
7. Excellent Understanding of and Communication with the Third Sector	7.1	Complete the production of a comprehensive Third Sector database	Within existing resources	N/A	• Database development completed by TBC • Promoted across the Partnership by TBC [Further scoping required before reliable timescales can be given]	• Shared Third Sector database across Partnership • Improved communication with the Third Sector	Louise Russell
	7.2	Improve communications with the Third Sector	Within existing resources	N/A	• Third Sector web content updated by November 2009 • Regular section in East End Life on Third Sector issues by December 2009 • Revised Third Sector communications protocols agreed by January 2010	• Quarterly issues of East End Life with Third Sector section • Communications Protocol	Alex Louis