VCS Support Review

Overview

Leicester City Council values its good working relationship with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). The VCS makes significant contributions to many important areas: policy development; service design, delivery and monitoring; community engagement and cohesion. The VCS understands the communities it serves and gives a lot to the economic and social life of the city. The current challenges, demands and expectations facing both the VCS and the public sector make it even more important that Leicester City Council helps the VCS develop and grow in a sustainable way. We want the Voluntary and Community Sector to be well placed to help us achieve positive results together for the people of Leicester.

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Why your views matter

The national and local policy context has dramatically changed, not least the challenging national and local economic climate and some of the most significant welfare system changes for decades. These changes are putting significant pressure on individuals and families across the city and consequently increasing demand for VCS and Council services from individuals and communities.

Having reduced the Council’s annual spending by £75million, following the most recent government spending review, we now need to make additional cuts of over £70million by 2016. As such we have to consider all savings options.

Currently we spend £582,000 per annum on contracts for support to the VCS and for engagement with certain communities. In the current economic and social context, the City Council must review virtually all the services which we currently provide, even those to which we are genuinely committed, such as support and engagement with the city’s VCS.

Our future approach needs to deliver a model of support and engagement which meets the challenges that have arisen locally, and which enables the VCS to carry on its role as a significant partner to the City Council.

What are we consulting on?

This consultation is asking for your views on our proposals for supporting the VCS and how we can work with communities through the VCS to support a cohesive Leicester. Our proposals can be found at the bottom of this page. After you have read our proposals, we would like you to complete this survey.

Community Briefing Sessions, as part of this review process and in addition to the consultation and survey, we will be holding nine briefing sessions in different parts of the city, where you can come along and discuss these proposals in person. Places are limited to 30 individuals (one per VCS organisation, carers are not included in place allocation and can attend above and beyond in their function as a carer to an individual attending).  Places are on a first come, first served basis. Book your place by emailing VCS@leicester.gov.uk or calling 01164544146. In the event that any of the sessions are oversubscribed, we will consider the need for additional briefings.

Community Briefing venues, dates and times are;

• 6 Nov 2013,  6pm – 8pm, City Town Hall
• 14 Nov 213,  4pm – 6pm, African Caribbean Centre
• 20 Nov 2013, 11am – 1pm, Highfield Community Association
• 27 Nov 2013, 2pm – 4pm, Stocking Farm Neighbourhood Centre
• 6 Dec 2013, 2pm-4pm, Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
• 12 Dec 2013, 6pm-8pm, Knighton Library, Clarendon Park Road
• 19 Dec 2013, 10am-12pm, Brite Centre
• 8 Jan 2014, 6pm – 8pm, Linwood Community Centre
• 13 Jan 2014, 10am -12pm,  Thurnby Lodge

What happens next

May 2014 =>

The results of the consultation have now been analysed in detail and the original proposals have been revised. Full consideration has been given to these by the City Mayor and executive team and it is now also being considered by the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission.  The Commission’s views will be considered before a final decision is taken on these proposals by the City Mayor and executive team towards the end of May. You can find a summary of the revised proposals below which includes a link to the more detailed report.