A new partnership strategy, setting out a shared commitment to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector is being reviewed by Calderdale Council’s Cabinet.
Calderdale Council has a proud record of supporting and working in partnership with a thriving and resilient VCSE sector.
In recent years, the importance of the sector has been particularly evident with the strong support of local organisations responding during times of crisis, such as flooding, the COVID pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis. These events have underlined the importance of a strong and vibrant VCSE to the overall resilience and wellbeing of Calderdale.
The Council and other local partners recognise the need to continue to support the sector on a more sustained, long-term basis to ensure that it can keep playing a key role in delivering shared priorities.
Development of a VCSE strategy was one of the six key recommendations from the Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review of Calderdale Council that took place in 2023. This reflected the Council’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership with the sector.
A new VCSE strategy has been co-produced with partners from across the VCSE sector, Calderdale Council and the Calderdale Cares Board. It sets out the shared vision for the sector and how the partnership will work together in the future, providing a focus for partnership work.
The strategy covers five years with long-term aims, priorities and actions which have been informed following a long process of listening, engagement and review. The overall aim of the strategy is to support partnership working to ensure that there is a flourishing, sustainable local VCSE sector that enables people to live larger life.
The Council’s Cabinet will be asked to endorse the strategy and commit to working with partners to support its implementation and delivery.
Calderdale Council’s Director for Regeneration and Strategy, Shelagh O’Neill, said:
“There are over fifteen hundred VCSE organisations in Calderdale. They differ in size, but they all provide important services which make a real difference to people in the borough.
“We want to firm up our commitment to these amazing organisations, recognising their important contributions and also the many challenges they can face.
“The VCSE strategy has been developed in partnership with the sector and aims to build upon our existing strong partnership. It also commits to changing the way we work together, supporting the development of shared principles, values and behaviours, and identifying key priority areas for action.”
The VCSE sector is a vital partner for the successful delivery of the Vision 2024 for the borough and ambitions for the future. The VCSE strategy also has clear links to other strategic documents, including the Health and Wellbeing strategy and the Inclusive Economy strategy. Calderdale’s VCSE strategy 2024-2029 is being discussed at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 8 July 2024 at Halifax Town Hall from 4pm. The meeting can also be viewed online at https://calderdale.public-i.tv/core/portal/home(external link)