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PM3: The prospects for local infrastructure: straws in the wind?

Chair:

Terry Perkins, Development Officer, NAVCA

Speakers:

Neil Cleeveley, Deputy Chief Executive, NAVCA

Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, Hackney CVS

Sally Polanski, Chief Executive Officer, Community and Voluntary Sector Forum

Changing environment

• Infrastructure specific funding gone

• Frontline first• Shifting geographical

boundaries (CCG, PCC..)• Marketisation – demand

led funding• Tailored support

Unsettled outlook

Independent Commission on the Future of Infrastructure

Key tasks:• Gather evidence • Invite views• How infrastructure responds to

challenges • Propose practical action

Transforming voluntary action support

It all started with the luncheon clubs…

Jake FergusonChief Executive Officer

Hackney CVS

About Hackney• 2,000+ VCS groups, very diverse - 80% under £50k turnover• Respectful and productive

relationships between VCS and public sector

• Lots of provider networks• Formal mechanisms for VCS to participate in strategic

decision making structures, grant panels etc.• Lots of co-production of local strategies

About Hackney CVS• £1.5m turnover – mix of income from public sector

(Council/NHS/MOPAC), BIG Lottery Fund • 19 staff with 24 sessional young people • Juggling 20-30 projects at any one time - Lead lots of consortia

and partnerships• Have had BASIS, TLI and other funds but not as a main source

of income• Provide two hubs in Hackney – income from hot desks and

conference room c£35k• Major income from leading partnerships and proactive

business cases to public sector

Some of our partnership workWe are not a typical CVS in that we do direct delivery with local partners e.g.: • Families First Family Intervention programme - BIG• Mayor’s Mentoring Programme - GLA• Stop and Search work - MOPAC• Social Prescribing & Innovation grants - CCG• Healthwatch – LB Hackney • Take Care of the Pennies – Lloyds TSB• Luncheon Club contracts – LB Hackney

So what’s this about luncheon clubs?

Heard in 2011 that Council were cutting luncheon clubsWorked with Council to look at alternativesAgreed to model SPV in ManchesterSecured £50k development money from Council to develop SPVThen used TLI to continue its developmentSo what are the key lessons?• Work with the commissioners with the problem/offer solutions• Ensure you have sector buy in – any SPV needs members!• Mirror best practice and be confident about your approach

So where are we now?• Hackney CVS now managing £120k luncheon club contracts and

supporting 20 clubs to develop and work in partnership• SPV has secured £270k three year Carers Contract for Hackney

with 15 partners• SPV is leading £5.75m bid around older people and social

isolation with 50 VCS and public sector partners• SPV is leading bid to reduce hospital admissions and improve

discharge rates

The lack of grants & resources for local VCS support

Solutions:• Hackney Giving• Joint bid writing and development – has secured over £3m this

way• Pro-bono help from business sector staff • Supporting cohorts of sector more, fewer one to ones• Apprentices and volunteers – we would be lost without them!

Bringing the voice of local people to the decision making table

• We still use elected VCS reps but public sector want more from users/residents

• Community Insight approach has provided very valuable• Started using approach after riots• Mayor’s partnership event in July will feature video, audio and

written evidence from 14 local community groups about how Hackney is changing.

What’s next?• Making sure we have the capacity to continue to expand and

diversify• Continue to be proactive in taking business cases to the public

sector• Retain experienced and committed staff team• Work with sector to tackle big issues for Hackney through

partnerships – domestic violence and childhood neglect, young black men

Over to you…Either on your own or in groups with the people around you, use the “twitter “ cards on your chairs to answer the questions on the next slide, comment, raise new questions or generally entertain the audience (in an infrastructure related way!). In the spirit of

twitter, keep your comments short and succinct.

Over to you…• How can we, as infrastructure bodies working in more complex

and challenging times, ensure the smaller and BMER VCS don’t lose out?

• How can we keep grants on the agenda and available locally?• How can we survive as infrastructure bodies financially?

Case study:Brighton and Hove Community Works

Sally PolanskiCEO

Brighton and Hove Community Works

Sharing our learning• How our recent history helped secure our future• What we offer the public sector• Developing our services for others

Our recent history• TLI merger• New and unprecedented City Council Policy on Third Sector

and Communities• Joint Commission on infrastructure, community development

and community engagement

We want voluntary and community action to have the greatest possible impact on people in Brighton and Hove. We put in place the support and networks that make it happen.

Who was involved in our TLI project?• CVSF• Business Community Partnership / Skills Exchange• Volunteer Centre• Performance Development Service• Working Together Project• Southeast Wellbeing Consortium• Trust for Developing Communities• Plus Strategic Working Group, independent Chair and the

wider VCS

Our immediate future• Community Works Third Sector and Communities

Partnership: £1.6mn contract 2014-17 and complex delivery chain

• Taking Account 3: Economic and Social Audit of the Voluntary and Community Sector

• Political uncertainty in the context of greatest cuts yet

Our offer to the public sectorPartnership

- Prospectus model for commissioning- Social Value Policy Panel- Consultation and engagement … but not as we knew it

Value - Consultancy- Special Purpose Vehicle for umbrella contracts- Networks

Flexibility- Shifting policy/priorities- Crisis support

Developing our servicesTo our members

- Target groups aligned with city priorities- Consultancy, training and paid for services

To others- Specialist consultancy and community engagement- Business partnership- Focal point for volunteering services

Over to you…It’s “twitter” time again. Just to remind you of the rules…

Either on your own or in groups with the people around you, use the “twitter “ cards on your chairs to answer the questions on the next slide, comment, raise new questions or generally

entertain the audience (in an infrastructure related way!). In the spirit of twitter, keep your comments short and succinct.

Over to you…• In the context of cuts, how can infrastructure offer

representation AND partnership to the public sector?• How do we, as infrastructure organisations, balance

achieving diverse membership and inclusion with facilitating delivery partnerships that may exclude and divide?

• Our remit is vast. We do a lot of things – some fairly well, others potentially less so. What do we want to do brilliantly and how do we make that our key to success in the future?

Questions and discussion

Thank You

Neil CleeveleyDeputy Chief ExecutiveNAVCA

Tel: 0114 289 3954 Email: neil.cleeveley@navca.org.ukWeb: www.navca.org.uk

Jake FergusonChief Executive OfficerHackney CVS

Tel: 020 7923 8357Email: jake@hcvs.org.ukWeb: www.hcvs.org.uk

Sally PolanskiCEOBrighton and Hove Community Works Tel: 01273 234023Email: sally@bhcommunityworks.org.ukWeb: www.bhcommunityworks.org.uk

Evolve 2014