Blackpool SURF at the BSP Executive
Posted by blackpoolcommunitynews on September 26, 2008
One of the advantages of Blackpool Community News Interactive is the ability to give timely and prompt feedback from community representatives. (Click links for relevant documents).
At this morning’s meeting of the Blackpool Strategic Partnership Executive Committee SURF finally presented its response to the David Burnby Report on the Third Sector Review of Blackpool’s LAA (Local Area Agreement) that took place last year. SURF also formally presented the Findings of the consultation, carried out in March and May this year, into Blackpool Council’s proposals to establish a Third Sector Strategic Forum for the town.
In presenting the documents to the meeting, Blackpool SURF Chair and BSP Executive member Gary Pretty gave the following statement:
These Documents are submitted to ‘conclude’ a piece of work initiated in December 2006 – the LAA independent Third Sector Review.
The Review took place prompted by claims within Blackpool’s first 6-month LAA review document that the town lacked a thriving third sector unlike other areas in the country – and the sector suffered from a lack of capacity to deliver services.
The Review took place from January – June 2007 with a key one-day conference taking place in May 2007 managed by a Task Group involving SURF, Council for Voluntary Services and Blackpool Council for Voluntary Youth Services.
As a result of the Review, SURF published and circulated the ‘Burnby Report’ which consisted of the observations, comments and recommendations of David Burnby, the Neighbourhood Renewal Adviser appointed by the Task Group and Government Office North West.
SURF formally responded to the document and invited other partners to do the same. Blackpool Council did so by proposing the establishment of a Third Sector Strategic Forum for the town.
The SURF Response contains issues that are still to be resolved, including:
Section 3 – ensuring effective feedback takes place from thematic partnerships to the third sector (and other interested parties); and ensuring that mechanisms are established to ensure that third sector input can take place.
Section 6 – Strengthening the role of Compact (an LAA that is ‘Compact Proof’).
Section 8 – Ensuring Accountable Representation takes place and is supported and underwritten by an agreed protocol.
(We have noted that the Government’s Principles of Representation reinforces SURF’s long-held position that Accountable Representation is different from volunteering, or from co-opting people for specific skills and/or knowledge, and needs specific support being put in place for representatives).
Third Sector Assembly - Finally, there are concerns demonstrated by the SURF consultation findings that the successful establishment of a Council Third Sector Assembly or Strategic Forum needs to take place sensitively. It should seek to enhance and not displace what already exists in the town.
I would add that any Assembly needs the independence to be able to act as a critical friend to the Council when necessary, particularly in debates regarding setting priorities, policies and finances. We recommend that documents are sent to the LSP Team for inclusion in the current review processes taking place.
