Commissioning - Voluntary Action Camden

From Grants To Commissioning.

The move from grant aid to commissioning is a policy being driven by central government. It is closely connected to the increasing role expected of voluntary and community groups in the delivery of public services, and a government vision that sees the promotion of voluntary and community activity as a vital factor in enhancing the quality of community life.

In the last two editions of Voluntary Matters there have been articles on the move from grant aid to commissioning in Camden. This reflects the influence of the ‘delivery of public services’ agenda. VAC, along with a number of other infrastructure groups, is not opposed to change. However, concerns have been registered with councillors and council officers that this focus on the ‘service delivery’ agenda will be at the expense of the ‘community’ agenda. To just travel down the commissioning route will undermine the important contribution voluntary and community groups make to people’s daily lives. This applies particularly to smaller groups. Reports to the Council’s Executive on 5 July and to the Scrutiny Committee on 6 September point out; “small groups that provide a valuable service, albeit in isolation, could be disadvantaged by this process”.

Many voluntary and community groups, particularly smaller groups, deliver effective and efficient services in such a way that they play a key role in underpinning and improving the quality of community life. This way of working often requires a core grant aid funding relationship.

VAC’s position is that there has to be a range of funding arrangements, ‘horses for courses’, between statutory bodies and voluntary and community groups, and that it is only in this way that the contribution of the voluntary and community sector can be maintained and developed.

The latest Council report on the funding review was presented to the Scrutiny Committee on 6 September. This report states that, “officers recommend that it would be possible for the Council to achieve the aims of the review through a ‘mixed economy’ of funding using commissioning, grants with Service Level Agreements and small grants with only the standard conditions of grant aid. Officers recommend that the three areas most ‘ready’ for the commissioning process are Arts, Advice and Infrastructure. In these cases we would invite organisations providing services in these areas to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in being commissioned by the Council to deliver a specific service brief. This would be an open application process.”

The report goes on, “In some areas, there may be no need for competition if we are sure we know the market, eg. community centres. So in these cases, the Council would grant aid community centres and attach conditions through a Service Level Agreement.” The report also sets out Officers’ recommendations that a small projects pot is established and that where there is only one organisation capable of delivering that service it would not make sense to commission but to continue with grant aid.

A report setting out the priority themes will be going to the Executive meeting on 11 October, followed by a consultation period October – November, and a further report to the Executive on 13 December.

Update

The report going to the Executive on the 11th October will now no longer include commissioning briefs. The report will focus on determining priority areas for funding, budget allocation and the ‘mixed economy’ of funding methods. This will be informed by the new Administration’s priorities, input of voluntary and community groups over the past few months and discussions within the council. These proposals will then go out for consultation.

VAC is in the process of preparing a response to the Executive and we want to hear your views. To register your view and for further information contact:

Simone Hensby
T: 020 7284 6555.
F: 020 7284 6551
E: Simone Hensby

Last updated September 23, 2006