The Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) makes a major contribution to sustaining and improving the social, economic and environmental life of the City. The diversity and independence of the VCS is an asset to the City and reflects the diverse nature of the City’s communities.

This Compact will provide a framework for the relationship between the City Council, Partner Organisations and the VCS. Shared values and principles will be established, expectations will be clarified and support and commitment to partnership working, equal opportunities and anti discriminatory practices will be promoted through codes of good practice. All VCS organisations within the City are encouraged to support and work towards the Compact’s principles. All City Council Departments and Partner Organisations will abide by the Compact’s core values and principles.

The Compact sets out the framework within which partnership, joint working, communication, support and agreements are conducted, supplied and negotiated. The Compact is not intended to be a legally binding document.

The sub-title of this document is:

We shall focus on Community Groups here, as it should directly affect us. Please navigate by the buttons on the right of the page.

Has the Compact made the slightest bit of difference in the relationship between the City Council and the Community Sector? From our experiences over the last year or so, the answer has to be no.

What is the Stoke Compact?
The Compact is a voluntary agreement between the City Council, Partner Organisations and the Voluntary and Community Sector. It sets out the guidelines for working together in the City. The City Council, Partner Organisations and the VCS support the Compact because there are advantages that come from working together. It contains a set of shared values and principles, and codes of good practice that cover the following areas;

• Community Groups
• Black and Minority Groups
• Volunteering
• Funding and Non-financial Support
• Consultation and Policy Appraisal
• Monitoring and Review

Whose Idea Was It?
Central government has signed up to a National Compact with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and has said that each local authority area should have its own local Compact agreement.

Why Do We Need One?

• To increase co-operation between Public, Private and VCS organisations
• To create better services for our communities
• To ensure that these relationships are interactive, open and transparent.

How Will It Work?
The Compact is a ‘living’document. Its  effectiveness will be reviewed on a regular basis by the City Council, Partner Organisations, the VCS and wider community consultation.

When Will It Start?
The local Compact has already started to operate. The City Council, Partner Organisations and the VCS are working towards meeting the shared values and principles, and codes of good practice set out in the local Compact.