Hackney to get a new Compact

Voluntary, community and statutory sector organisations are working together to develop a refreshed Hackney Compact, including a clear action plan to ensure Compact principles are put into practice in the borough.

A local Compact is a written agreement between statutory organisations (such as the Council, health service and police) and community and voluntary organisations.  A Compact will set out clear principles for effective partnership working between the sectors and commit the signatories to implement specific policies, for example giving three months notice of funding decisions and allowing twelve weeks for consultations.

Hackney has an existing Compact but it needs to be refreshed to reflect the progress that has been made in partnership working through Team Hackney and to create a clearer and more focussed document.  By developing and relaunching the new Compact through the Team Hackney partnership it is also hoped to raise the profile of the Compact and ensure it makes a real difference to relationships between the sectors at every level.

A Compact Working Group has been established to lead the process, bringing together representatives appointed by the Community Empowerment Network, Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS), Link UP,  Hackney Council, Metropolitan Police, the Learning Trust and City and Hackney Primary Care Trust.

The Working Group intends to develop an initial draft document which will be circulated to all local organisations for consultation in the spring and hopefully adopted by the summer.

Look out for your opportunity to input to the process.  We will be challenging every statutory, voluntary or community sector organisation in Hackney to sign up to the Compact, so you need to make sure you agree with it.  To get an idea of what you are likely to be signing up to, take a look at the National Compact at www.thecompact.org.uk

If you have any queries about the process, please contact Francis Kaikumba, Partnership Adviser, on 0208 356 3148 or francis.kaikumba@hackney.gov.uk

13.12.2007