What is Happening in Cornwall? Donna Peverley Strategy Team Chief Executives’ Department

“….the focus should be firmly on the future and what the possibilities are. It's easy to get bogged down by the past and what has gone before. People can end up stuck in arguments about who did what and why - everyone's version of events will be the absolute truth to them, but will almost certainly vary from person to person and knowing that stuff won't necessarily help you to find a new way.”

The Past Close down of the Local Area Agreement and the dissolution of the Cornwall Strategic Partnership left a large gap in ways of funding and engagement with partners especially the VCS Three Voluntary Sector Summits in the autumn of 2010 attempted define next steps in terms of meaningful engagement between the VCS and the Public Sector Summits attempted to define a way forward

Recap of VCS Summit 30/09/11 Eden Project Fifty attendees, drawn equally from Public Sector (including Council, Police, Health) and key VCS organisations (initial list of 28) Agreement on development of VCS Commissioning Board proposed by Paul Masters, Cornwall Council Chief Executive Notes of Summit available at

Evolving Remit of VCS Commissioning Board Scoping of need Performance and value for money A common understanding of spend Shaping procurement exercises New ways of delivery and challenging traditional approaches by both public and voluntary sector

Benefits for Sector High level strategic input into scoping of Council priorities and needs Potential to develop longer term delivery contracts (three years +) Opportunity to bid for alternatives to in- house delivery Route forward for local VCS sector to enable competition on a level with private sector and large national VCS providers

Benefits for public sector A ‘one stop shop’ for local voluntary sector delivery Reduced costs and duplication of interacting with VCS Easier to build a consensus with VCS for action Value for Money and savings through innovation on delivery Breaking down delivery silos Strengthening of networks Building capacity Deepen and Broaden the relationship with the VCS

Who are the board? Public sector Commissioners from all CC directorates CC Chief Executive’s strategy team Voluntary sector thematic leads NHS Strategic Commissioners as observers at the moment Public health Devon and Cornwall Police Fire Service (from Jan 2012) Probation (from Jan 2012)

VCS Themes Volunteering Health and social care Public health Community Support Advice to individuals Equalities and Diversity Children & young people Environment VCS skills for workforce Social enterprise Community Safety new theme to join January 2012

Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Board- Current Work To pull together VCS and CC localism team- through collaboration workshops to create more joint working between Localism and VCS and a better understanding of the roles of localism Ownership of the Cornwall Compact Prevention Commissioning strategy Social Impact Bonds In kind benefits to VCS and Community Organisations

Council Activity aligned to the Board Community Budgeting Development of Health Watch Local Integrated Services Trust (LIST) Development of commissioning strategies Co – design of services with Partners European Convergence

Hard Decisions - Money Cornwall Council (CC) announced 30% budget cut in response to the Comprehensive Spending Review CC decided to go for an upfront cut of 30% in the first year. Funding was cut to a variety of VCS organisations including Children’s services and Supporting People Services were ended and some organisations went to the wall

Better news - finance No additional cuts to funding anticipated in the sector this year Multi year deal for VCS infrastructure organisations for the first time with secure funding CC has a continuing commitment to be a large scale investor in the sector

On the Horizon Competitive funding Transforming Local Infrastructure Social Action Fund Social Impact bonds Community Budgets Did I mention the Big Society? Closer collaboration and Partnership working

For further information VCSCB – Cornwall Voluntary Sector forum Future Cornwall Donna Peverley

Cornwall Council County Hall Truro TR1 3AY Tel: