Consultation

Compact Debate - Having Your Say

This questionnaire is a unique opportunity to shape your future relationship with government and ensure the Compact is as relevant and powerful as possible. With the national Compact entering its tenth year, now is the right time to explore the future of the Compact; to build on its successes and tackle its failings.

We urge everyone in the sector to respond. The questionnaire should be filled in with reference to our information pack, Framing the Debate, which can be downloaded at http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/

The deadline for responses is 10th November 2008

First name:
Surname:
Email:
Organisation name:
Local Compact Area (if local):

SECTION 1 - ABOUT YOUR ORGANISATION

Which of the following best describes your organisation?

Local group
Regional organisation
National organisation - with local funding and affiliated groups
National organisation - with local funding
National organisation - with local affiliated groups
National organisation

Which one of these categories best matches your organisation?

[Note: Other social society organisations include social enterprises, co-ops, etc]

Black and Minority Ethnic organisation
Faith organisation
Community organisation
Sector infratstructure or co-ordinating organisation
Voluntary organisation
Other civil society organisation

SECTION 2 - STATUTORY POWERS

Do you think that the Commission for the Compact should be given powers of investigation and arbitration?

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know

Do you think that the Commission for the Compact should have powers to impose a duty on others to co-operate with it and penalise those who fail to do so?

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know

Are there other powers you would like the Commission for the Compact to have?

If so, use the box below to say what you would like these to be.

If the Commission for the Compact is given legal powers do you think that there is also a need for the Compact to be placed on a statutory basis?

No
Probably not
Probably
Yes
Don't know

Giving the Commissioner for the Compact enforcement powers should bolster Compact compliance, but will not necessarily improve partnership working, understanding, awareness or implementation. Changes to the legal status of the Compact must be made in conjunction with commitment to strengthen the effectiveness of the Compact at local and national levels.

What additional support would you want provided to help the sector challenge Compact breaches?

Use the box below for your answer.
You can also use this box for anything else you want to say about stautory powers

SECTION 3 - REVISING THE COMPACT

If you have had experience in using the Compact and its Codes, have you found them relevant and easy to use?

No experience of using the Compact and Codes
Not at all easy to use
OK to use
Easy to use

Do you feel the Compact should be revised?

The Compact should be revised
The Compact should be left as it is
Don't know

10.

If you feel that the Compact should be revised what revisions do you feel are needed?

(Tick as many boxes as you feel relevant)

The Compact should shortened
The Compact should be made clearer
The Compact should be updated to reflect changes in the policy environment
The Compact should contain key commitments
The Compact and its Codes should form one document
Additional Codes should be added

Please use the box above for any suggestions for additional Codes or key commitments (as outlined on p.16 of the information pack).

11.

Which of the following expectations should a revised national Compact set for Local Compacts?

(Tick as many as you feel are relevant)

Adopting the Compact’s key commitments and all detail on funding and commissioning, consultation and volunteering
Providing effective local disputes procedures with national mediation or arbitration as the subsequent stage
Developing strong links with policy processes
Expectation on councils to consider what resources they need to allocate to implementation, including training

Please use the space above to suggest any other expectations that you want set.

SECTION 4 - IMPACT ON LOCAL COMPACTS

12.

Do you support legal powers for the Commission for the Compact as a way of bolstering Local Compact compliance and dispute resolution?

Strongly support
Support
Oppose
Strongly oppose
Don't know

Please use the space above to give details of how this could be best achieved.

SECTION 5 - WHO SHOULD THE COMPACT APPLY TO?

13.

Do you agree that the Compact should extend to the wider sector, so that it covers all civil society organisations? (i.e. voluntary organisations, community, faith and small groups, social enterprises, etc.)

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know

Please use the space above for any comments.

SECTION 6 - WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE?

14.

What do we need to do to improve the relationship between the government and the sector and how can the Compact help us do this?

Use the box below for your ideas

15.

What else is needed to empower the sector at local and national level to make the best use of the Compact?

Use the box below for your ideas

16.

Do you support the Compact being revised generally along the lines suggested in the tables on pages 15 and 16 of the Information Pack?

Strongly support
Support
Not sure or don't know
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Use the box above if there anything in particular you want to add in or delete from the suggestions in the tables.

You can also use the box above for any final thoughts on the future of the Compact, or the next stage of the review - what specific proposal or issue you most want to be covered in the formal consultation document?

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Thank you for competing this questionnaire, which will be used in representing the sector's views to government.

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