Community Transport AssociationTuesday 3rd November 2015

Plugging into priorities and spending:

More power to your elbow?Calum Irving, Voluntary Action Scotland

Introduction

•VAS and Third Sector Interfaces•Context•Public service reform•Legislation•The opportunity for community transport

VAS…and the TSIs

Voluntary Action Scotland

“Voluntary Action Scotland is the national network organisation that champions, connects and develops

Scotland’s Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) to support the third sector locally.”

Ambition (in part)“…………we advocate for the best possible environment in which the third sector locally can thrive and contribute to better and fairer outcomes for the people we serve.”

The TSIs

- From 2009: integrated funding-They come from mergers or partnerships of: CVS’s, VCs and SENs to support;

-Volunteering-Volunteer involving organisations-Social enterprise-Build the third sector relationship with community planning

-Of the third sector and for third sector with SG support-One in each LA area

Context: inequality

Context: Finance

Government Finance and Demand 2009/10 – 2017/18 (% real terms)

Context: Christie

• 2011: Christie Commission on Future Delivery of Public Services

• Achieve ‘more with less’• Empower individuals and communities• Integrate service provision• Prevent negative outcomes• More efficient: public, third and private sector

working together

Public service reform

• Christie called for public services that;“are delivered in partnership, involving local communities, their democratic representatives, and the third sector”

• Recognition of third sector: voice and assets• TSI on Community Planning Partnership Board;

“Build third sector relationship with community planning”

• A bridge to help third sector influence and be involved

Legislation

• Trend: opening up decision making• Third sector in legislation• Health and Social Care Integration• Community Empowerment

Legislation: Health and Social Care

• Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act• Act requires engagement of third sector• Local arrangements: unclear as of yet• Guidance: Third sector involvement in

planning, design and delivery of public services

• TSI is there to support, promote, develop and advocate for role of third sector

• But! Not to try and ‘represent’ every concern – a conduit

• Making sure you are connected in

Legislation: Health and Social Care

So, in plain English (!) TSI can;

•Let you know what’s going on•Get your views to help with planning•Telling decision makers about your concerns – and intelligence•Find who’s interested (mapping) – put you in the ‘hot seat’ (policy development)•Make it happen: supporting you to partner up to do more with public services

But!.....depends how well TSI is resourced to do that

Legislation: Community Empowerment Act

• Similar ambitions but not limited in scope• VAS will work with SG on guidance• Expected into effect by summer 2016• Community planning

– ‘Community bodies’ to be more involved– CPPs have to seek your views

• Participation requests– Right to be involved in improving how things are done– Possibly, make a case for your organisation running a public

service• Asset transfer / Community Right to Buy Land

– Purchase neglected or abandoned land– Purchase, lease, manage or use land belonging to Council or

other public bodies

Challenges and opportunities

• Good policy context now, but• Things to clarify in Community Empowerment Act• Unclear across ambitions where enforcement lies

– E.g. refusal of participation request– E.g. poor engagement in health and social care planning

• Inequality: how do we ensure those with least get most support to shape decisions or run services?

• Capacity: for you, the TSI and public bodies

Challenges and opportunities

• BIG opportunity in policy terms;– Services built around people– Stronger community and third sector voice– More genuine partnership: third sector an ally not a

threat – Better outcomes: for those who need them most

• Takes courage– For public services: open, supportive and see the

potential– For third sector and TSI too: strategic, co-ordinated

• to achieve more power to your elbow.

It is possible!...................

• ACVO Social Transport Project