The results of the CCVS survey into the local compact and how it is viewed by the sector as well as by those in the City Council

1. CAMBRIDGESHIRE
COMPACT
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Sponsored by
November2014

2. INTRODUCTION
The Cambridgeshire Compact was published in its current form in
February 2007 and was signed by all the district councils, the
County Council, the old PCT, Jobcentre Plus and the
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils.
It was also signed by all the Cambridgeshire, and the regional VCS
infrastructure bodies.
It was designed to improve relationships between the statutory
and voluntary sectors, and to provide a framework within which
expectations from both sides could be understood.
The county wide Compact was developed to bring together any
local agreements into a unifying framework that it was hoped
would develop effective joint working.
Find out more and read the Compact on the CCVS website

3. METHODOLOGY
The survey was sent out to all CCVS contacts giving them a
unique response code, it was also circulated to all Cambridge City
Councillors and shared with Cambridge City Council staff through
their internal email system.
A reminder was sent to all parties after the initial email to
encourage them to complete the survey. The response from
members was poor but the responses from staff and VCS
organisations were better than average for this type of survey.
The survey was conducted in August and September 2014

4. 3%
67%
30%
Types of respondent
A Councillor
A statutory sector employee
A worker or volunteer from
the VCS
All councillor and statutory
sector respondents were
Cambridge City based.
The respondents from the
VCS came from a wider
area.
The response rate from the
councillors was poor, in
itself this is telling as
councillors did not feel
engaged enough to even
complete the survey.
WHO RESPONDED

5. Over half of respondents
had not heard about the
compact despite the fact
that it has been in existence
for over seven years.
When looking in more detail
• 73% of City Council staff
had not heard of the
Compact
• 19% of VCS respondents
had not heard of the
Compact
This shows a much higher
recognition of the Compact
within the VCS.
AWARENESS OF THE
COMPACT
Yes
44%
No
56%
Have you heard of the Cambridgeshire
Compact before receiving the email about
this survey?

6. Nearly twice as many
people feel that they would
never envision having a use
for the Compact as opposed
to those who use it on a
regular basis.
Of those who could never
envision having a use for
the Compact 67% were from
the VCS and 33% were City
Council workers.
Those people who use it
regularly or occasionally are
predominantly (57%)
council workers.
HOW THE COMPACT IS
USED
10%
58%
13%
19%
The compact is something....
I use on a regular basis
I am aware of and feel might
be useful in the future
I have occasionally used
I can never envision having a
use for

7. A much higher proportion of
council workers (17%) felt
that the compact was likely
to be massively important
compared to those rom the
VCS (5%)
However a slightly higher
proportion of VCS workers
(67%) felt that they could
see a future use for the
compact compared to those
from the council (62%)
29% of VCS respondents
and 21% of Council
respondents felt that the
Compact would only be of
minority interest.
USEFULNESS OF THE
COMPACT
13%
64%
23%
Now that you have been made aware of the
compact does it make you feel that
It is massively important and
that you are not sure why
you did not know about it
before
It is good to know about as
you could see a future use
for it
It will always be of minority
interest and will not impact
on your work

8. 68% of respondents said
that the Compact needed to
be re-launched, 11% said
scrap it, and the other 21%
had various suggestions
predominantly along the
lines that it needs a refresh
in light of changes to
statutory bodies roles and
funding criteria.
It is also clear that there
needs to be work to ensure
that it is used to develop
meaningful partnerships,
and that there needs to be
guidelines on how best to
use it.
WHAT NEXT?
27.4%
75.8%
46.8%
Have a concerted campaign to
promote the compact
Look at how it could be better
used to develop meaningful
partnerships
Develop guidelines about how
best we can embed compact
principles in daily working
Some people think that the Compact is only relevant in
conflict situations, but it is more than this. Should we (tick
all that apply)

9. WORDS
USED TO
DESCRIBE
THE
COMPACT

10. CONCLUSIONS
Although this survey was focused on Cambridge City Council it
gives a clear indication of the state of the compact. It is clear that
the Compact has not been engrained in the joint work of the
Voluntary and statutory sectors that have signed up to it.
It is also clear that there is support for this type of agreement to
exist. This is however tempered by a view that a voluntary
agreement will not have the teeth needed to ensure partnerships
are fair and equal.
It is also clear that to work the Compact has to be much more
widely understood and that it need to be promoted at the highest
levels in all organisations.
Finally it is clear that for the Compact to be effective it needs to be
much more widely recognised and understood, especially by
those working in the statutory sector.

11. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That the compact is refreshed in light of changes to
organisational and environmental realities that exist in 2014
2. That senior level bye in from all partners is obtained to ensure
that the compact is given the maximum weight possible
3. That the new document is launched and promoted to all those
in the voluntary and statutory sectors
4. That guidelines are drawn up and published on how best to
use the Compact
5. That training is developed for commissioners and funders
about how to enshrine the Compact in their work with the
sector