As a sector we have started to see public sector cuts take effect and we have all had to make some difficult decisions. Speaking to organisations, their main concern is the impact on their beneficiaries; some of whom are the most vulnerable in our society. The cuts, added to other Government reforms, have been fast-paced and, at times, difficult to navigate. However, we need to look to the future and ensure we are in the best position to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
Wirral Council is on a journey to become a commissioning Council; this will open doors for more services to be delivered by the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) sector. This is something we need to be ready for to build on the sector’s reputation for innovative service delivery.
With this in mind, we have developed the “Looking to the Future” survey to give the VCF sector a voice in these turbulent times.
The survey aims to identify the level of service provision available in Wirral and will enable commissioners to better understand the market.
Wirral Council’s Perspective
“The recent economic downturn has had a significant impact on the voluntary sector, with less funding being available and the consequence of this being the voluntary sector having an increased demand for services but reduced resources to deliver those services.
As Wirral Council moves towards being a commissioning council we need to understand what capacity the sector has to deliver future services that may be commissioned.
The role of Community Action Wirral is to identify any gaps in capacity and work collaboratively with the voluntary and public sector to create a level playing field for the sector to compete for contracts by providing information and training to the voluntary sector.” – Nancy Kitch, Wirral Council
