Professional Documents
Culture Documents
If Development Plan
If Development Plan
If Development Plan
Infrastructure Forum
Development Plan
(June 2006 – May 2007)
Wingspan Consulting
Client CACVS
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Infrastructure Forum
Development Plan
(May 2006 – May 2007)
Contents
1 Introduction........................................................................................................2
2 Background........................................................................................................2
3 Purpose and Aims of Forum..............................................................................3
4 Priorities for Forum in Year 1.............................................................................4
Appendix A – Definitions of Infrastructure and Infrastructure Organisation........5
Appendix B – Terms of Reference for the Infrastructure Forum.........................6
Appendix C – Members of the Executive Group.................................................8
Appendix D – Action Plan for Forum in Year 1....................................................9
Appendix E – Actions identified by Forum meeting in May 2006 .....................11
1 Introduction
This is a Development Plan for the Cumbria Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)
Infrastructure Forum. It gives a brief account of the Forum (in terms of its background
and aims), and sets out priorities for action in its first year.
2 Background
1
See Appendix A for definitions of ‘infrastructure’ and ‘infrastructure organisation’.
2
For information about the programme, see: http://www.cacvs.org.uk/changeup/index.htm
3
See Appendix B for the Terms of Reference.
4
See Appendix C for a list of members of the Executive Group.
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This plan represents the final stage of the ChangeUp project to develop an
infrastructure Forum for Cumbria. A report on the project will be prepared and
presented to CACVS as managers of the ChangeUp programme, in July 2006.
It will seek to develop a VCS which is equipped to improve the quality of life
of and capable of meeting the needs of the people of Cumbria.
To achieve this purpose, the Forum has set itself the following aims:
An important point to note here is that the Forum will focus on thematic rather than
geographical issues. To this end, the Executive Group has been established with
representatives from the following thematic areas5:
• Adults
• Advice
• Children and Young People
• Disability
• Economic development
• Environment
• Faith organisations
• Social enterprise
• Sport
• Volunteering
5
This list is not intended to be exhaustive. As the forum and Executive Group develop,
representatives of reference groups from other thematic areas are likely to be added.
Following the first Forum meeting in Kendal in May, the Executive Group has sought to
refine the priorities for the Forum, given current issues facing the VCS, and the limited
resources (financial6 and human) available, and has sought to establish how to deliver
some of the priorities identified by the wider Forum (Appendix E). During the course of
the year the Executive Group will review these against resources available. Where
actions identified are for others to deliver, the Executive Group will enter into
discussions with these other organisations. The summary list of actions is:
See Appendix D for an Action Plan for year 1, indicating what needs to be done to
achieve these objectives, the resources required, and the deadlines for completion of
each one.
These objectives reflect the need to build the capacity of the Forum. This is based on a
recognition that robust structures (eg thematic reference groups) and processes need
to be established before the Forum (and its constituent parts) can further develop the
support available to voluntary sector organisations in Cumbria. Whilst much progress
has already been made in some areas (notably Children and Young People, and
Sport), progress in other areas is at best patchy.
The Executive Group, acting on behalf of the Forum, will have overall responsibility for
ensuring that these objectives are achieved on time and within budget – as well as
responding to other issues as the need arises.
6
The Forum has an operating budget of £25,000 for year 1.
For the purposes of the ChangeUp programme, the Government has defined
‘infrastructure’ and ‘infrastructure organisations’ as follows:
Thus, Barrow and District Council for Voluntary Service is an example of a generic
infrastructure organisation, whilst Cumbria Youth Alliance is an example of a specialist
infrastructure organisation.
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Appendix B – Terms of Reference for the Infrastructure Forum
Each year, the Forum will have a business plan which will set out its
activities for the year.
Resources Costs of time and expenses involved in Forum members attending
Forum meetings will not be met by the Forum.
Meeting cycle Meetings of the Forum will take place at least annually.
and quorum
Meetings will be inquorate where less than one sixth of the total
membership is present. A decision to change the Terms of
Reference and/or membership criteria will require the agreement of a
majority of the membership.
Governance The Forum will not be a legally incorporated body.
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They can be changed at any time with the agreement of the majority
of the Forum.
These actions are reproduced verbatim. Where no prioritisation is shown, the group had run out of time.
Needs to clarify (internally and externally) how it is different from CACVS and why it is needed 3 3
Implement communications plan
Negotiate or discover the role descriptions of VCS infrastructure personal/LSP reps etc
LAA is required by regulation to engage with VCS - so forum must take this up
Champion partnership working
Structure itself as soon as possible to get the VCS engaged with the LAA 3 2
7
3 = within 3 months, 2 = within 6 months, 1 = within 24 months
8
3 = vital, 2 = important, 1 = desirable
Expectation by CCC and PCT that this is the VCS forum - rise to the challenge 3 3
Engage internal and external (to the VCS) infrastructure bodies to add resources and richness
Get infrastructure Executive Group working
Develop an operating plan for admin, communication , funding and future work
Get current people involved in LAA together (support, communication, check representation, find mechanism for new
communications) 3 3
Draw together existing plans so we can be pro-active
Accurate view of the infrastructure needs of the sector
Build capacity in sector for the sector to use to meet research needs 3 1