Camden Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector: engagement feedback

Overview

In December 2014, Camden Council started talking to local voluntary sector organisations about how to develop a more strategic relationship with the sector in the light of large reductions in the funding which the Council receives from central government. This conversation was also with a view to agreeing a new investment and support programme for the sector from 2016-2017.

We want to develop a strong and sustainable strategic relationship between the Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). This will help us to ensure that our future investment with the VCS achieves the best results for our residents and communities.

Stage 1: VCS Engagement – now ended

After several events with voluntary organisations, and in response to requests from the sector for options to consider, the ‘engagement paper’ Camden Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector: Investing in a Sustainable Strategic Relationship was presented for discussion from 18 May to 12 July 2015. The options in that paper were not mutually exclusive. Respondents were asked to think about which aspects of the options might combine well, and suggest alternatives.

One hundred and six people from eighty-four organisations responded to the engagement paper. After a launch event at Senate House on 19 May, Camden's Communities and Third Sector Team in partnership with Voluntary Action Camden (VAC) held five engagement events during the week of 8-12 June, plus a discussion at the Community Centres Forum and the Voluntary Sector Strategic Forum. Thank you to all who attended. 

VAC also organised further events for the sector with no council officers present. Eighteen detailed submissions were also received from Voluntary Action Camden, C4 (Camden Community Centres Forum), individual community centres and others. The Summary of responses to the Engagement Paper 'Camden Council and Camden's VCS' gives an overview of the responses. The spreadsheet Senate House and Drop-in Responses to the Engagement Paper lists all responses received at those events, and the document VCS Strategic Forum Discussion details comments received at that event.

Stage 2: VCS Consultation – starting this autumn

We will use the feedback from the VCS engagement to inform a single synthesised proposal which will be formally consulted on in autumn 2015. A consultation document clearly explaining the proposed option will support this process.
 

The consultation process will run for six weeks. Recommendations will then be sent to the Council’s December Cabinet for a decision.

Thank you very much to everyone who has given their thoughts and time so far.