What the Civil Society Covenant means for local infrastructure

At NAVCA, we understand the importance of the relationship between the voluntary sector and statutory authorities. Local infrastructure organisations in particular play a vital role in connecting people and communities to local government, health systems, and other statutory services. With the launch of the Civil Society Covenant, the government has taken a step toward resetting that relationship. Here’s what it means for NAVCA members.

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The Civil Society Covenant aims to create ‘an enduring covenant between government and all those who invest their time and money in the service of others’, but we believe the Civil Society Covenant should be more than a formal agreement. It needs to be the starting point for meaningful, lasting change in how civil society and government work together. None of the government’s ambitions – from tackling inequality to strengthening services – can succeed without a strong, independent voluntary sector.

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We know that most of the voluntary sector’s interactions with statutory authorities happen at the local level. During the Covenant’s consultation process, we made the case for local application of the Covenant with councils and health systems, and we are pleased that DCMS listened to the evidence and acted on our recommendations. For example, the Covenant explicitly states that its principles will apply to existing and forming Strategic Authorities, English local authorities and wider public sector bodies including health systems, and the criminal justice system. NAVCA members contributed directly to the consultations, and we’ve continued to work with DCMS as part of an invited group of VCSE organisations shaping the concept and text.

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The Covenant acknowledges that there are good quality existing relationships and agreements in place at a local level, and examples from Greater Manchester and Calderdale are included as case studies. The Covenant should complement, learn from and enhance these, not replace them. The intention is that where effective arrangements are not in place, the Covenant will provide the basis for how consultation and working relationships should be set up, ensuring that civil society is respected, supported and listened to by local government. The Covenant principles are recognition and value; partnership and collaboration; participation and inclusion; and transparency and data. What really matters now is how this lands in practice – especially across local government and health systems.

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We are also pleased that DCMS has announced a Local Covenant Partnerships Programme to support and incentivise partnerships at the local level. It will provide training and capacity building for VCS and local commissioners in public sector organisations; grant funding support to build partnerships and capacity at the local level; and other support for collaboration at the local level. This is a really positive step – we’re still waiting on the detail and will share more as soon as we know it.

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As part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and shared understanding, government is also launching a mutual exchange and learning programme between civil society and central departments. Over the next year, this will support culture change by building knowledge of each other’s roles, responsibilities, and expertise. Local infrastructure organisations have so much experience and expertise to share with the statutory sector, so we look forward to seeing how this programme develops.

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A Joint Civil Society Covenant Council will be established, with membership drawn from both government and civil society, although it is unclear how local government and health systems will be involved. The Joint Council will set the direction for the Covenant and will be the place to bring issues of accountability. This is a welcome step – accountability between civil society and government is essential if the Covenant is going to lead to real change, especially when things go wrong. NAVCA expects to be involved in the Joint Council, and membership will be announced soon.

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The Covenant is a promising step toward a better relationship between government and the voluntary sector. But real change depends on how it’s applied. We want to see it build on what works, strengthen local partnerships, and put local infrastructure at the heart of change. NAVCA will keep working with members, government and partners to help make that happen.