Compact for Leeds

Compact Front Cover A new Compact for Leeds was launched in June 2010.The Compact is an agreement between the public and third sectors in Leeds about how we choose to work together. It articulates some of the shared values and principles we have when working together for the people of Leeds.

The first Compact for Leeds was adopted in 2003, and was the starting point for transforming the relationships between the statutory and voluntary sectors. It is encouraging that many of the aspirations of that document are now everyday practice. For example, the voluntary or third sector is now a key partner in the drafting and delivery of the Leeds Strategic Plan, which sets the priorities for the city. Compact for Leeds 2010 takes account of the current economic climate and acknowledges the pressures on public sector budgets and third sector funding. The principles laid out in it will help to build on the commitment made by partners of the Leeds Strategic Plan to create a thriving third sector in Leeds.

The new Compact sets out seven principles as key to a robust relationship between the statutory and third sectors, these are:

Working together: creating a Leeds where public and third sector partners work together to more effectively meet the needs and aspirations of the people of the city.
Involving communities: creating a Leeds where partners work together to ensure that people can make a difference and have a voice that shapes decisions.
Sharing information: creating a Leeds where partners are open and share information and intelligence appropriately, so that everyone can make informed decisions in the interests of the people of the city.
Allocating resources: creating a Leeds where partners work together within legislative and economic constraints, to ensure that the available funding, the in-kind support and other resources are used in the most effective way and are directed to the agreed priorities and needs of the people of Leeds.
Building communities’ and third sector capacity: creating a Leeds where partners work together to ensure that support is in place to help build communities so that they can take action together and contribute to the development of the city.
Promoting volunteering: creating a Leeds where partners work together to ensure that formal and informal volunteering is encouraged, promoted, valued and recognised.
Promoting equality, fairness and good community relations: creating a Leeds where partners work together to ensure that equality and fairness are at the heart of all decision making and where conditions are created for good community relations in all parts of the city, and across all communities.