The Compact is the result of detailed discussions with officers from across all public sector departments, local organisations, elected members, voluntary organisations and smaller, grass roots community groups.  The document provides a framework to guide joint working and will be put into practice through a number of agreed actions.

The Compact supports the four visionary goals and with connecting themes of the Community Strategy.  These include making the Borough an area where prosperity is created and shared, a location for learning, achievement and leisure, a place for living safely and well and an area with a high quality environment with excellent communications links.

In its wording, the Compact recognises the importance of each type of organisation and the different environments in which they operate.  It seeks to open the channels of communication between the different groups so that each can achieve their own aims and objectives more effectively and help each other to work towards common goals.

The Compact helps to encourage greater openness and consultation between the public sector and local voluntary and community groups.  Key working practices include policy development and consultation, funding support and sharing resources, supporting volunteering and working towards clearer routes of communications between all groups.

The current Darlington Compact 'Changing Places' is under review and the new version will be published in December, taking into account the increase in partnership working across different sectors of the Darlington Partnership. A number of workshops have been held and these are informing the work of drafting a Compact for consultation in the next couple of months.
 
For further details please contact Karen Grundy, Executive Director of EVOLution formerly the CVS on 01325 266888 or Mary Hall, Voluntary and Community Sector Liaison Manager, Darlington Borough Council on 01325 388676.