The Commission for the Compact, the independent body responsible for overseeing the Compact, has published its second Annual Report for the period ending 31 March 2010.

The Annual Report and Accounts details the Commission’s developments during 2009/10 which embeds the Compact’s partnership working principles further into the policies and practices of public bodies and voluntary and community organisations.

In the last year the Commission for the Compact organised extensive debate and consultation in the process of refreshing the Compact, which was published in late 2009.

Sir Bert Massie CBE, Commissioner for the Compact said: “During the last year we’ve made considerable gains at the Commission, in particular with the refresh of the Compact, which has been warmly welcomed.

"We have brought it up-to date to reflect its relevance today while building on the lessons of the last 10 years to set out a clear agenda for future partnership. It also reaffirms the independence of voluntary and community organisations and their right to campaign and comment on government policy.

“The report shows the range of work the Commission has undertaken during the last year to promote effective partnerships through the Compact that lead to benefits for individuals and communities.”

The report contains a review of the year highlighting key events and milestones.

These include:

• A letter from Kevin Brennan MP, then minister for the Third Sector, and Simon Blake, chair of Compact Voice, asks the Commission to lead a process to redraft the Compact documents for public consultation later in 2009.

• The Commission and Compact Voice held a series of six regional Compact Champions workshops to explore the role of Compact Champions.


• The Commission publishes a research report entitled Mapping third sector quality standards and the Compact, which examines eight quality standards and how they relate to the Compact.

• The Commission publishes its’ implementation guidance on the issue of independence, entitled Independence Matters. This includes five common dilemmas that face both the public sector and third sector and how these can be addressed by applying Compact principles.

• A consultation paper entitled Refreshing the Compact: a framework for partnership working is published by the Commission on behalf of the Compact partnership. This set in motion the start of the official 12-week consultation on the refresh of the national Compact.

• The Commission publishes interim findings for a forthcoming research report entitled The costs, barriers and benefits involving volunteers from under-represented groups. The report provides an initial analysis as well as observations and recommendations.

• Compact Week, a national awareness week to promote the Compact and engage people across both Government and the voluntary and community sector, takes place from 2 to 8 November 2009. Nearly 50 events take place across the country and Sir Bert and members of the Commission’s Non-Executive Board as well as staff members from the Commission visit and support activities.

• The winners of Compact Awards 2009, the annual awards recognising excellence in partnership working, are announced at a ceremony held at the Dali Universe in London.

• On behalf of the Compact partnership, the Commission publishes the refreshed national Compact as well as accompanying publication entitled An introduction to the Compact.

• The Commission publishes a research report entitled Compact application and the administration of European structural funding. This looks specifically at cases where there have been issues in Compact implementation.

• The Annual Meeting chaired by Dawn Butler MP, Cabinet Office Minister at the time, and Simon Blake, Chair of Compact Voice, to review the Compact took place on 1 February 2010 at London Zoo.

• The Commission launches the Compact Knowledge Bank, a new online resource containing a range of research papers and documents associated with the Compact.

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