CAP, based at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, has been campaigning since January 2003 for full adherence to the Compact. The new funding, which came into affect on 1st August, has allowed CAP to start working with local organisations to resolve disputes with local authorities.

CAP said that breaches in local Compacts that were of interest included: a local authority unreasonably delaying a funding decision; a primary care trust threatening to withdraw grants because an organisation is critical of its policies; and a council’s failure to consult with an organisation on policy changes which will have a direct impact on it.

Stuart Etherington, NCVO Chief Executive, said: “This expansion of the CAP will ensure that it is able to help voluntary and community organisations at a local level, where most statutory relationships exist, to tackle breaches of the Compact and help them to ensure that it is working effectively”

Organisations looking to identify Compact breaches can visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/CompactToolkit