What is the Compact?

The Compact is an agreement designed to support strong partnerships and improve the relationship between the Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector for mutual advantage. A refreshed national Compact was launched in December 2009. You can download it here.

The Lambeth Compact

The Lambeth agreement is entitled “Working Towards a Common Agenda – the Lambeth Compact”, a copy of which has been sent to every LVAC member. The document consists of an introduction setting out why and how the Compact has been produced. Five sections follow, each with complementary undertakings and action points from the statutory sector and the voluntary and community sector:
1. Key Principles for Joint Work –key agreements and joint undertakings which influence the following undertakings.
2. Consultation and Involvement – the approaches to be taken both in the statutory sector conducting and the voluntary sector responding to consultation. Recognising dual roles for voluntary groups both as providers and campaigners.
3. Partnership Working – building practical partnerships to deliver services.
4. Resources – chiefly funding, but covers all resource issues including premises.
5. Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Issues – adopts the Stephen Lawrence enquiry definition of institutional racism and sets a definition for BME groups.

Compact Progress

2010 sees a new dedicated Compact/ Policy Development officer in post to support both the Voluntary Sector and Lambeth's statutory sector in committing to the principles laid out in the compact for the benefit of al Lambeth citizens.