I spent the best part of the morning meeting with Kim, our WBC grants officer, discussing the final details of our three year Service Level Agreement. While we are 98% agreed on what we will do and how much funding we will receive, there are some interesting sticking points over how things are measured and over reporting and monitoring. I am sure an appropriate agreement will be reached at some early stage.
More interestingly, Kim is also interested in knowing more about the county-wide and regional picture of VCS development and we discussed how CVS could deliver a briefing session for Council staff sometime over the summer.
Sunny prospects for the Sunflower Centres?
In the afternoon, I attended a discussion about the future of the Sunflower Centres. This meeting of key board members followed WCVS's efforts in helping to organise three public meetings on the future of the project.
We had a very interesting and productive discussion and the board chair (Alan Gough of WBC) outlined his proposals for change. All his proposals are consistent with much previous discussion and all were very sensible.
The fundamental change is that there will now be just one Management Board, which will be serviced by the Centre Manager and which will determine the annual programme of work. Responsibility for implementation will be delegated back to the Centre Manager. What could be simpler?
Of course all Board members will need to support the Centre Manager, and working groups might be set up to do this, but they will be clearly defined and have clear terms of reference.
More interestingly, Kim is also interested in knowing more about the county-wide and regional picture of VCS development and we discussed how CVS could deliver a briefing session for Council staff sometime over the summer.
Sunny prospects for the Sunflower Centres?
In the afternoon, I attended a discussion about the future of the Sunflower Centres. This meeting of key board members followed WCVS's efforts in helping to organise three public meetings on the future of the project.
We had a very interesting and productive discussion and the board chair (Alan Gough of WBC) outlined his proposals for change. All his proposals are consistent with much previous discussion and all were very sensible.
The fundamental change is that there will now be just one Management Board, which will be serviced by the Centre Manager and which will determine the annual programme of work. Responsibility for implementation will be delegated back to the Centre Manager. What could be simpler?
Of course all Board members will need to support the Centre Manager, and working groups might be set up to do this, but they will be clearly defined and have clear terms of reference.
What a contrast to the existing arrangements where there is a Strategic Board and an Executive Committee (and occasionally an Operational Group). None are services by the Centre Manager. And I don’t think anyone understands this structure.
Another major proposal for change is that membership of the new single board will be expanded to include representatives from all major statutory partners and also four new members from the local voluntary sector.
Maybe this creates too big a board for some purposes, and maybe we will need to evolve different structures in the future. But for the time being there is a simple structure and all major partners will sit at the same table.
Another major proposal for change is that membership of the new single board will be expanded to include representatives from all major statutory partners and also four new members from the local voluntary sector.
Maybe this creates too big a board for some purposes, and maybe we will need to evolve different structures in the future. But for the time being there is a simple structure and all major partners will sit at the same table.
Hurrah!
