Compact Voice respond to Third Sector editorial on Merlin Standard

Compact Voice has written to Third Sector magazine in response to a recent editorial about the Merlin Standard and partnership working between the voluntary and community and private sectors.
 
A short version of the letter was published in the 6 December print edition of the magazine, and the full version is published below.

Response to Stephen Cook's editorial on the Merlin Standard
 
Stephen Cook writes in his editorial that a “set of Compact-style principles for relations between the voluntary and private sectors … already exists – it’s called the Merlin Standard.”
 
This is partly correct, in that there is an existing mechanism of Compact-style principles – and it is the Compact itself, at least so far as when public money is being distributed by the private sector. Undertaking 3.11 in the most recent version of the national Compact states:
 
“Ensure all bodies distributing funds on the Government’s behalf adhere to the commitments in this Compact. This includes the relationship between prime contractors and their supply chains. Demonstrate how funding arrangements and financial support can allow smaller and specialist providers to play a greater part.”
 
The Department for Work and Pension’s Merlin Standard should be seen to complement and support this – and other – principles of the Compact, and indeed the Commission for the Compact were one of the partners involved in its development (though their participation is only credited in the draft version of the document).
 
Many aspects of the Merlin Standard can be delivered or strengthened through adherence to the principles of the national Compact, which further benefits from having all government departments committed to it.
 
However, as Mr. Cook’s editorial points out, commitment to these principles is not as widespread as it should be, with the Work Programme being one example of where partnership working between government and the voluntary and community sector is reported not to have progressed as successfully as we would have hoped. In particular, we are concerned that principle 3.11 of the Compact is not being integrated through the supply chain of those organisations involved in delivery of the Work Programme.
 
We eagerly await the report from the National Audit Office’s research into how government departments are currently implementing the Compact, as well as any recommendations they might make for improvement.
 
As ever, we are keen to work with government departments to help strengthen their relationship with the voluntary and community sector. We extend an open offer to them in assisting with ensuring their business plans make specific reference to the Compact, as they are required to do from 2012 onwards.
 
The Modernising Commissioning green paper issued by the Office for Civil Society referred to the Merlin Standard as a mechanism which may be extended across government, although no mention of it was made in the subsequent Open Public Services White Paper.
 
We are concerned that such a move would be premature, believing first that swift and effective progress should be made to both properly embed the Compact in departmental activities, as well as fully understand the issues arising from the Merlin Standard and the Work Programme.
 
Tom Elkins
Manager
Compact Voice