Agenda item
CVS Brent - Progress Report
CVS Brent as the umbrella infrastructure organisation for the voluntary, community and not for profit sector. In March 2012 members of the Partnership and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report on the development of a Council for Voluntary Service in Brent. At that time, CVS Brent was being developed by the sector and members asked for representatives to return to the committee with progress on delivering their business plans.
This progress report sets out the key successes so far against the strategic objectives set out in the organisations Strategic Plan, presented to members of the Partnership and Place Committee in March 2012.
Minutes:
Tessa Awe, Chief Executive of ‘CVS Brent’ presented a progress report that set out the context for infrastructure support for Brent’s voluntary sector, the role of a CVS and the background to the development of ‘CVS Brent’ to fulfil this role for Brent. Members learnt that the total infrastructure stream was £159,249 each year for three years between April 2012 and March 2015 to commission projects which would enhance infrastructure support for the voluntary sector. This included significant elements of the work and projects of CVS Brent to respond to identified gaps in support for the voluntary sector.
The Chief Executive informed members that in the first six months, CVS Brent had recruited staff to deliver key services, nearly finalised their governance arrangements for the medium term and supported a large number of voluntary organisations in planning their financial strategies and developing bids for funding. She added that CVS Brent would recruit to its Board of Trustees through the usual recruitment process based on skills and aptitude assessment. Through the funding secured from Brent Council, Transforming Local Infrastructures and Well London, CVS Brent currently employed a Chief Executive, a Development Manager and a Well London Coordinator.
Tessa Awe then gave an update on the objectives of CVS Brent. She stated that good progress had been in the first six months with structures in place to create the independent body sought by the voluntary, community and not for profit sector. Membership of CVS Brent was available to the whole sector and currently approximately 200 organisations had registered.
Members learnt that good progress had been made to improve the capacity of local civil society to deliver efficient, effective services and respond to needs and opportunities through advice, information and guidance. CVS Brent was working with external funders such as John Lyon’s Charity, Big Lottery Fund, City Bridge Trust, Trust for London, Jack Petchey Foundation, Wembley National Stadium Trust, Lloyds TSB and London Community Foundation to secure funding for organisations in the borough delivering services for Brent residents. Each week saw at least four interventions for organisations to support them in planning for fundraising as well as providing support in general organisational development.
In an effort to advance communication and partnership working within local civil society and with local and regional statutory and private sector partners CVS Brent was circulating regular newsletters to the sector and worked with the council to get regular updates from Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement on relevant upcoming events, review and consultation on policy. CVS Brent would feedback issues important to the sector for inclusion at the Voluntary Sector Liaison Forum.
The first 6 months had been used to establish linkages with existing structure, partnerships and groups. CVS Brent was now advising the council on engagement of organisations in the development of policy. CVS Brent had begun work on a Voluntary Sector Strategy and updated Compact in partnership with the council and facilitated a number of events with voluntary organisations looking at planned changes in council service provision. Recent sessions included Health and Wellbeing (focus on mental health) and consultation in partnership with Brent Council (Reviewing Young People’s services in the borough).
In response to the Councillor Van Kalwala’s enquiry about the main criteria for intervention, Joanna McCormick, Partnership Coordinator clarified that CVS Brent would make use of the community directory and build a picture of the organisation’s needs to identify any gaps to be met. This would be revised at the regular council officer and CVS Brent management meetings. She added that the feedback from organisation was positive as so far none had expressed dissatisfaction with the work of CVS Brent.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the role of CVS Brent and its importance in the present policy context to represent and support the development of the voluntary sector to the benefit of Brent residents be noted;
(ii) that the progress of CVS Brent as the umbrella representative organisation for the voluntary and community sector in Brent be noted.
Supporting documents: