What Compact Voice Thinks
Prospective Parliamentary Candidates should pledge their support for the voluntary and community sector
Apr 13th 2010, 16:34
Since the announcement of the general election last week, prospective parliamentary candidates around the country have announced that they are seeking our votes. Between now and May 6th, newspapers, televisions, radios, and websites will be saturated with persuasive arguments about why you should vote for one party over another. While it is impossible to predict the outcome of the election, it's safe to say that there will be positive and negative campaigns, personal attacks and policy announcements, scandals and sanctimony.
During this time, it's important to remember that your local candidates aren't just representing their party, they represent all of us in Westminster. Your vote should not only reflect your confidence in their party manifesto, but also your confidence that they are the best person to support and tackle local issues. Some might even argue that the latter is more important.
The voluntary sector plays a vital role in the community. From the work of large national organisations to small community groups, the sector can make communities better. With the threat of cuts to services, the continuing impact of the current economic climate, and an ever-increasing shift to decisions being made at local level, elected candidates must be able to tackle these - and other - issues. Recognising and engaging with the work of the sector is a fundamental way for candidates to ensure they are better serving the interests of their
constituents.
Compact Voice has contacted every prospective parliamentary candidate in England, seeking their responses to the following three questions:
1. How important is the charity and voluntary sector to your constituency?
2. What efforts will you make - if elected - to work with local charities and voluntary sector organisations in your constituency?
3. Will you champion the Compact in your constituency, to encourage better partnership working between the local public sector and the voluntary and community sector?
Many PPCs have already sent through answers to these questions, which will serve not only as a way of gauging their views on the sector, but also provide the opportunity for candidates to be held to account on any pledges of support they may make. We have developed a new website, at http://election.compactvoice.org.uk. You can search for your constituency and see the views of the candidates seeking your vote.
This website also contains information about how different groups and organisations in the sector are addressing the election, and you may be interested to see some of the work happening across the country during this important time.
Given how busy the candidates will be during this time, we all need to work together to make them realise how important their answers are. And for that, we need your help. Compact Voice is calling on its members and networks to help us gather as much information as possible. You can help us in the following ways:
1) Visit http://election.compactvoice.org.uk, and search for the responses from candidates in your (or your organisation's) constituency. You can search by postcode to find your constituency.
2) If your candidate hasn't responded, please contact them and encourage them to do so. Your voice as a constituent is amazingly powerful. Without your votes, they will not be elected. Website addresses should be included for many of the candidates - if there is no contact information, email us at compact@compactvoice.org.uk and we will try and help you reach them.
3) If you receive responses, please email them to compact@compactvoice.org.uk - we will upload them onto the website.
4) If candidates or representatives knock on your door, or visit your organisation, remind them of the importance of the Compact and answering the letters we have sent. Let us know about any conversations you might have.
5) If you are aware of any election-specific activities being undertaken by groups or organisations in your area, contact us (again at compact@compactvoice.org.uk) and we will upload them to the website.
With your help, we can meaningfully gather the opinions of those who may represent you and your interests in Westminster for the next five years. With your help we can share and promote the work of the sector in your area. With your help we can promote the principles and importance of good partnership working and the Compact, and emphasise the vital role of the sector. Opportunities such as these are too important to ignore, so please help us as much as you can.
Tom Elkins
Compact Voice Manager
During this time, it's important to remember that your local candidates aren't just representing their party, they represent all of us in Westminster. Your vote should not only reflect your confidence in their party manifesto, but also your confidence that they are the best person to support and tackle local issues. Some might even argue that the latter is more important.
The voluntary sector plays a vital role in the community. From the work of large national organisations to small community groups, the sector can make communities better. With the threat of cuts to services, the continuing impact of the current economic climate, and an ever-increasing shift to decisions being made at local level, elected candidates must be able to tackle these - and other - issues. Recognising and engaging with the work of the sector is a fundamental way for candidates to ensure they are better serving the interests of their
constituents.
Compact Voice has contacted every prospective parliamentary candidate in England, seeking their responses to the following three questions:
1. How important is the charity and voluntary sector to your constituency?
2. What efforts will you make - if elected - to work with local charities and voluntary sector organisations in your constituency?
3. Will you champion the Compact in your constituency, to encourage better partnership working between the local public sector and the voluntary and community sector?
Many PPCs have already sent through answers to these questions, which will serve not only as a way of gauging their views on the sector, but also provide the opportunity for candidates to be held to account on any pledges of support they may make. We have developed a new website, at http://election.compactvoice.org.uk. You can search for your constituency and see the views of the candidates seeking your vote.
This website also contains information about how different groups and organisations in the sector are addressing the election, and you may be interested to see some of the work happening across the country during this important time.
Given how busy the candidates will be during this time, we all need to work together to make them realise how important their answers are. And for that, we need your help. Compact Voice is calling on its members and networks to help us gather as much information as possible. You can help us in the following ways:
1) Visit http://election.compactvoice.org.uk, and search for the responses from candidates in your (or your organisation's) constituency. You can search by postcode to find your constituency.
2) If your candidate hasn't responded, please contact them and encourage them to do so. Your voice as a constituent is amazingly powerful. Without your votes, they will not be elected. Website addresses should be included for many of the candidates - if there is no contact information, email us at compact@compactvoice.org.uk and we will try and help you reach them.
3) If you receive responses, please email them to compact@compactvoice.org.uk - we will upload them onto the website.
4) If candidates or representatives knock on your door, or visit your organisation, remind them of the importance of the Compact and answering the letters we have sent. Let us know about any conversations you might have.
5) If you are aware of any election-specific activities being undertaken by groups or organisations in your area, contact us (again at compact@compactvoice.org.uk) and we will upload them to the website.
With your help, we can meaningfully gather the opinions of those who may represent you and your interests in Westminster for the next five years. With your help we can share and promote the work of the sector in your area. With your help we can promote the principles and importance of good partnership working and the Compact, and emphasise the vital role of the sector. Opportunities such as these are too important to ignore, so please help us as much as you can.
Tom Elkins
Compact Voice Manager
Welcome to our General Election website!
Mar 29th 2010, 10:29
Thanks for visiting the Compact Voice General Election website - "On the Record". We'll keep you up to date with developments in relation to the voluntary sector in England, in the lead-up to the 2010 UK General Election. Here we'll profile the opinions of prospective parliamentary candidates on the importance of the voluntary sector, and what they intend to do when in office to ensure a better working relationship with voluntary groups - to the benefit of the communities they serve.
We'll discuss the latest policy announcements from the major parties as they arise, and give you our take on developments. We'll also be twittering during the run-up to the election - find our posts at @compactvoice or follow us: www.twitter.com/compactvoice
We'll discuss the latest policy announcements from the major parties as they arise, and give you our take on developments. We'll also be twittering during the run-up to the election - find our posts at @compactvoice or follow us: www.twitter.com/compactvoice