The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has consulted with
voluntary and community (third) sector representatives to produce
recommendations for its report on the Total Place pilots to the
Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).
The recommendations emerged from a day-seminar on 15 January 2010,
attended by voluntary and community (third) sector partners. These
included NAVCA's Director of Policy and Communications
Neil Cleeveley and
Improving Local Partnerships Policy Adviser
Robert
Beard, together with chief officers from several NAVCA member
organisations.
The recommendations identify four over-arching themes:
- the sector's work as voice and advocate for marginalised
groups
- the wide disparity in sector engagement with Total Place from
area to area
- the danger of Total Place becoming only 'Total Budget'
- 'people-centred' as contrasted with 'organisation-centred'
change
IDeA concludes that 'It is vital that the learning about the
experience and contribution of the third sector in the pilots is
not lost if a similar process is to be rolled out nationally. Third
sector colleagues must be at the table at the beginning, recognised
for the full range of their role and knowledge locally.'
21 January 2010