Compact guide

The Compact is a government initiative to develop relationships between the public and voluntary and community sectors. This is to make sure that services are delivered in the best way possible and meet the needs of local people.

Hull’s Compact includes five codes of good practice which all partners agree to work within. The five codes of good practice in Hull are -

• funding and procurement
• community groups
• black and minority ethnic communities
• volunteering
• policy and consultation

Hull’s Compact has been developed by the ONE HULL Compact Steering Group made up of public sector and voluntary and community sector partners. For further information or to discuss any concerns about Hull's Compact, please contact ONE HULL on 01482 613700 or email onehull@hullcc.gov.uk

Visit the Compact website for more information (link opens in new window)

National Compact revisions

The national Compact was reviewed by government in 2009. The national Compact now includes the following -

• a broader equalities focus rather than concentrating on BME communities
• recommending a three month notice period for the ending of contracts with the voluntary and community sector, rather than the six months in the original agreement
• the Compact principles should apply to any sub contracting arrangements
• payments to the voluntary and community sector should be made in advance and within 10 days of receiving an invoice
• fairness of access to all funding so that the voluntary and community sector are not disadvantaged in comparison to private sector partners
• commissioning and procurement timescales should allow time for the voluntary and community sector to establish consortia and other partnership arrangements

The ONE HULL Compact and its five codes of good practice are currently under review to incorporate these key national changes. 

Funding and procurement

Commitment by the public sector to -

• make payment in advance wherever possible
• accept full cost recovery as a basic principle
• to be proportionate in monitoring service level agreements and other matters and to give six months notice in writing of the ending of any grant or contract, except in serious cases where the outcomes of the agreement are not being met

Commitment by the voluntary and community sector to

• respect confidentiality
• have clear lines of accountability
• have good financial systems in place

View the funding and procurement code of practice -

Consultation and policy appraisal

Commitment by the public sector to –

• produce clear and concise consultation documents and to give enough time for the sector to respond (generally a minimum of 12 weeks)
• implement recommended good practice in respect of consultation outlined in the community engagement toolkit

Commitment by the voluntary and community sector to –

• ensure the information they present to public agencies is as accurate as possible, and any research is conducted in an objective and unbiased manner
• respect the confidentiality of any information received

View the consultation and policy appraisal code of practice -

Black and minority ethnic voluntary and community organisations 

Commitment by public sector to –

• provide information of all kinds in language and format to meet BME community needs and consult appropriately
•  to oppose racism, discrimination, inequality and exclusion in any form

Commitment by the black and minority ethnic community to -

• to play a full and active part within the wider voluntary and community sector and to work in partnership with the sector and local government to promote race equality and to tackle social exclusion
• to present BME communities’ concerns to planning boards in a coordinated, responsible and accountable way

View the black and minority ethnic voluntary and community organisations code of practice -

Community groups

Commitment by the public sector to -

• simplify the delivery of small-grant funding programmes for community groups
• to encourage community ownership of assets

Commitment by the voluntary and public sector to –

•  monitor and evaluate its own spending
• encourage the local community to get involved wherever possible
• to be open about the interests of the community they speak for

View the community group code of practice -

Volunteering

Commitment by the public sector to –

• consider the impact of policy decisions on volunteering
• seek to work with existing volunteering infrastructure organisations locally rather than setting up new structures

The voluntary and community sector to -

•  recognise the importance of high standards and effective management of volunteers
• make a commitment to actively promote individual volunteering

View the volunteering code of practice -

Contact us

Hull’s Compact has been developed by the ONE HULL Compact Steering Group. Please contact ONE HULL for further information about Hull's Compact - 

Tel: 01482 613 700
Email: onehull@hullcc.gov.uk