Mark Richardson VCSE Specialist Adviser Views and roles of VCSE in devolution

What is devolution? For our purposes today, we are talking about passing services and assets from Cornwall Council to local communities, so that they may run and maintain them. The Council is also involved in efforts to secure more powers for Cornwall passed down from the national government – we call this the ‘Case for Cornwall’ and you can read more about it by clicking on this link news-room/media-releases/news-from-2015/news-from- january-2015/members-of-cornwall-council-back-draft-case- for-cornwall/ news-room/media-releases/news-from-2015/news-from- january-2015/members-of-cornwall-council-back-draft-case- for-cornwall/

Challenges / opportunities from VCSE perspective Complexity Visibility Saving £196 million Encouraging Council officers to ‘think VCSE’ VCSE working with Town & Parish Councils Timescales Encouraging people to think how things could be different – “In a beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in a expert’s mind there are few” County-wide VCSE organisations versus local place shaping Next EU programme and Transformation Challenge

Why you or your group might want to get involved We think there are a variety of reasons why you may want to be involved in running a devolved service or maintaining a devolved asset or service. The benefits include: Services better meeting neighbourhood need. This could be through enhanced or more flexible opening times, or the development or improvement of special services tailored to meet local need. There may also be improved local accountability for the services. Service continuation. By using Town and Parish Council or other community premises and sharing costs and staffing, it may be possible to help protect services that otherwise may cease, due to Cornwall Council’s need to make significant budget savings (see this link for details: democracy/public-participation-and-consultation/cornwall-council- budget-engagement-2014/ ). democracy/public-participation-and-consultation/cornwall-council- budget-engagement-2014/

Why get involved? Local participation. Participation in the running of services would benefit local communities. For example, the creation of social and volunteering opportunities which increase peoples’ employment chances or reduce isolation. Services could also be tailored to include additional activities e.g. café facilities, or social clubs, which can help improve their long-term sustainability. Neighbourhood Pride. If assets are locally owned, people may take greater pride in their upkeep and maintenance. Issues may be reported and resolved more quickly. Improved independence for vulnerable people. Some local owned services could help people become less dependent on social services through new volunteering opportunities. This could help reduce the demand on local hospitals and health and social care services.

Why get involved? Social return on investment and wider benefits to Cornwall. The new locally run service may contribute to the wider well-being of Cornwall in a variety of ways. For example it could increase local employability, literacy, or access to information technology. Improved neighbourhood co-operation. A locally run service or asset may establish new local ways of working, and learning for other local initiatives. Increased skills. In most devolved services, both staff and volunteers end up increasing or expand their skills which increases their future employability and may lead to new career opportunities.

What is in scope? We believe the Council is currently willing to discuss the devolution of buildings and the built environment, open and green space, and other amenities. In the future, there may be opportunities to discuss the devolution of some services. For example, the Council is preparing a consultation on the future of library services for Cornwall (see services/ ). services/

The process The process of taking on a devolved service or asset can be quite involved. There are a number of checks and balances that need to be carried out by both parties to ensure a successful outcome and a sustainable situation. The major steps are: Have an initial talk with Council staff and your local councillor If appropriate, fill in a proposal form and submit it to the Council Receive feedback on your proposals from the Council’s internal devolution group of officers Submit a detailed business plan Take part in a process of negotiation over some of the details of your proposal If everything is satisfactory to both parties, your proposals are submitted for agreement by a Council Director or the Council’s Cabinet Legal agreements are developed and signed off Legal completion You receive post-agreement support to help with the transition.

If you do apply… In advance of making a proposal, you need to think about: Your organisational capacity and resilience The legal entity involved (there can be no transfer if there is no legal entity to hold the new asset or host the service) Support of local stakeholders, for example your Town or Parish Council Budget setting cycles of Local Councils, especially if you are asking for support from your Town or Parish Viability and sustainability of the service or asset Time and perseverance Access to funds and income sources Benefit(s) to the local community and added value Risk, liabilities and insurance Skills and training.

What to do next? If you are thinking about making a devolution proposal, then the next step is for you to contact some of the people listed below and take a look at the Council’s checklist for devolution on our website. You can speak to some or all of the following people to get started: Contacts for the Community Link Officers see: networks/localism-managers/ networks/localism-managers/ Your local Councillor, see IC=1&FN=WARD IC=1&FN=WARD Town and Parish Council, see and-living/parish-and-town-councils/names-of-town-and-parish- councils/?page=22301http:// and-living/parish-and-town-councils/names-of-town-and-parish- councils/?page=22301

VCSE expectations of devolution Find out what it is about, want to learn Listening Important to future of sector Critical friend to the Council, not ‘volunteers for free’ Find out how to optimise delivery, minimise impact of cuts on people Issue about power shift for citizens Volunteers – supporting social inclusion through libraries etc. Move council towards greater emphasis on prevention What is going on – can we help? Interested in devolution – matters a lot in places away from Truro Community buildings, neighbourhood plans, see the opportunity Understand the Council’s plans Feedback from recent group of about 20 interested VCSE organisations…

Feedback from VCSE group How should the Council involve VCSE organisations in devolution? Define what we mean by devolution – cost saving, other people doing stuff better, power and money? Statutory / not statutory, what is the relationship with commissioning? Managing conflicts of interest, measuring community impact, VCSE views pro- actively sought, interaction with members, Care Act and prevention, benefits and liabilities understood.

Feedback from VCSE group How should Council work with you and the wider sector? Regular engagement Briefing in advance for comments Focus the time Use blog and other forms of communications Look at particular issues / problems / challenges Whose priorities, the Council’s or local communities? MORE Case studies and good practice Insights on delivery to raise prevention agenda List of risks e.g. youth services, solutions focus

Questions for the group How do you think we can encourage the necessary ‘culture change’ for all parties? (Council / VCSE / Towns & Parishes) Job swaps and work shadowing, senior manager volunteering, get rid of them and us, increase the dialogue face to face, words and language – don’t exclude people, small groups, competition sometimes gets in the way, planning sets the culture, volunteers on towns and parishes, examples: share good practice and develop peer support.