Agenda item
Third Sector Strategy
(Time allocated – 15 minutes)
Minutes:
Councillor D. Jones declared a personal interest in Agenda item 9.1 “Third Sector Strategy” on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to the approach to funding of Third Sector service provision and Councillor Jones was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of the following Third Sector organisations:
· Cultural Industries Development Agency
· St Katharine’s and Shadwell Trust.
Councillor A. A. Sardar declared a personal interest in Agenda item 9.1 “Third Sector Strategy” on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to the approach to funding of Third Sector service provision and Councillor Sardar was a member of the governing body of the following Third Sector organisation: Council of Mosques.
Councillor Rania Khan, Lead Member Regeneration, Localisation and Community Partnerships, at the request of the Chair, in introducing the report, summarised the salient points contained therein highlighting in particular:
· The objectives of the Third Sector Strategy to create a thriving Third Sector and open and transparent delivery of Third Sector service provision.
· The rigorous and lengthy development process and widespread consultation and engagement, across a range of organisations and geographical areas, which had informed the proposed Third Sector Strategy:
o Development of the Strategy overseen by a Third Sector Delivery Group, with Officers across the Council and National Health Service Tower Hamlets.
o A Third Sector Advisory Board with representatives from 17 Third Sector partners had been established
· The key proposals contained in the Strategy relating to: Infrastructure, (including establishment of a Council for Voluntary Services (CVS))
Volunteering, Commissioning and Funding.
· The ambitious action plan attached to the Strategy focused on enhancing the ability of the Third Sector to participate in delivering the Community Plan 2020 and in particular the objective of One Tower Hamlets.
· That it had not been an easy process given the number of stakeholders, but the journey had brought the Council and the Third Sector to a more positive place. The development of the Strategy was ongoing as it moved towards delivery.
A lengthy and wide-ranging discussion followed which was centred on the following points:
· Clarification was sought and given as to how the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) would learn from the problems/ challenges/ mistakes of similar bodies in the past, such as COF (Community Organisations Forum) and SEN ( x Empowerment Network), including the transparency and accountability needed in any allocation of funds to local groups. Consideration that the Strategy could be strengthened by exploring the issue of Member interests and setting clear protocols for demarcation. Consideration also that it would be helpful to compile a report of historic problems/ challenges/ mistakes to signpost what needed to be avoided in the future.
· Consideration by Members that the existing Tower Hamlets Partnership (THP) could, with a little enhancement, undertake the governing body role envisaged for the CVS, and in many ways was already undertaking similar functions, so to create a separate body would be a duplication. The Lead Member and Officers, in response emphasised the need for the CVS to be autonomous from the Council for it to be credible to the Third Sector, however there would be a role for the THP in identifying the services needed from the CVS and developing an associated Service Level Agreement.
· Concern was expressed, and clarification sought and given regarding monitoring arrangements relating to the CVS to ensure effective delivery of Third Sector service provision, particularly in the context of the significant levels of funding proposed for this (approximate budget £55 million pa). It was noted that there was no funding map and consequently it could not be identified if diversity targets were being met, nor could the service requirements in different geographical areas be determined. Consideration that scrutiny arrangements were required to prevent duplication/ double funding of organisations. Consideration also that robust monitoring was needed to ensure Third Sector organisations met/ delivered the required targets/ outcomes. The Committee subsequently requested that the Assistant Chief Executive provide all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a written brief detailing proposed monitoring arrangements.
· Clarification was sought as to whether the SLA with the CVS would be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and endorsement. The role of the Third Sector Delivery Group and Third Sector Advisory Board in the development of and monitoring of the SLA was noted. However the Chair both considered and requested that this should be brought to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny and comment and subsequently submitted to Cabinet for consideration and endorsement, with a view to embedding the issues raised in the CVS and ensuring equitable service delivery.
· Consideration that the Council appeared to be rushing the establishment of a CVS and it would lack credibility as a result. Also that it was inappropriate for the Strategy to be a Council document and an alternative to the top down approach, which had not been successful in the past, was needed. Consideration also that further work was needed to identify how Third Sector working with the Council could be strengthened.
· Concern was expressed that the Strategy did not contain a list of all voluntary organisations in Tower Hamlets, and one Member, considering this be a severe failing, sought and was given clarification regarding the background to this. The Committee considered that further efforts were needed to secure this information, much of which it considered to be available within the Council.
· Clarification was sought as to how the Strategy would ensure geographical equity of service provision and Officers undertook to consider this aspect further outside the meeting. The Committee noted what appeared to be an imbalance in representation of East and West of the Borough amongst the 17 Third Sector Organisations represented on the Third Sector Advisory Board.
· Consideration that the Strategy and Action Plan could be strengthened as follows:
o Clarity regarding quality control/ improvement mechanisms with a view to improvement of the activities of the projects/ organisations funded.
o Some organisations better than others and this needed challenged.
o Community Cohesion was a legitimate objective of the Strategy and this needed further articulation in the documents.
o In the context of a significant and growing African Community in Tower Hamlets, further outreach was needed to ensure this community was represented and its service needs advocated.
· Concern was expressed regarding provision for “grass roots” funding (amounts of approximately £5,000) within the Strategy and the avenues available to small voluntary organisations in other Boroughs with a CVS were noted. The Lead Member in response referred to the Community Chest proposal within the Strategy.
· Clarification was sought and given regarding the relationship between the current Community Industries Development Agency/ Change Up Consortium bid for £600,000 and the establishment of a CVS. The Committee subsequently requested that the Assistant Chief Executive provide all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a written brief regarding the relationship of the Change Up Consortium to the CVS, how this had come about and including details of the organisations leading the Consortium.
· Clarification was sought and given regarding how the CVS was to be constituted and the process by which the governing body of trustees would be determined.
· Clarification was sought and given regarding the identity of the 17 Third Sector Organisations represented on the Third Sector Advisory Board and the mechanism by which they had been selected. The Committee subsequently requested that the brief to be provided to all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the Change Up Consortium detail the 17 Third Sector Organisations referred to above and associated selection mechanism.
· Clarification was sought regarding the linkage of the CVS to the Council and who would determine grant allocations.
Ms Alice Wallace, Third Sector Development Manager, in response to a question from the Chair undertook to take account of the Committee’s comments in the developing action plan and the work of the Third Sector Delivery Group and Advisory Board.
The Chair summarised that although there was a Lead Member and Lead Officers for the Strategy, the Council was collectively responsible for ensuring the Strategy and in particular the CVS was a success, and would be held accountable for this. The Chair then Moved the recommendations, as contained in the report, and it was:-
Resolved
1. That the Third Sector Strategy and Action Plan be noted and the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to this be provided to the Cabinet.
Supporting documents:
-
Third Sector Strategy, item 9.1
PDF 60 KB
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Third Sector Strategy Appx 1, item 9.1
PDF 2 MB
- Third Sector Strategy Appx 2, item 9.1 HTM 233 KB