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Another Year Facing the Challenge Parts 1 and 2

On the 16th April 2015 we held the first of two voluntary sector assemblies (VSA) designed to prepare the voluntary sector for the coming year, a year in which we know there will be further cuts in public sector spending that will hurt most severely the people we support.

In the first VSA we reviewed how the voluntary sector had responded to the previous years cuts and then we discussed a draft voluntary sector strategy put together by a joint body of Manchester City Council, Health Service Representatives and the Voluntary and Community Sector in preparation for the second meeting which was to be held jointly with Manchester City Councillors.

At the second VSA 25 June, the VCS met together with councillors to discuss the way forward over the next year based on a statement prepared from the discussions in the VSA held in April. The assembly was captured in a series of drawings.

 

 

The Assembly started with a range of presentations from Macc Chief Exec Mike Wild, Councillor Sue Murphy, CEO of 42nd Street Simone Spray and Nigel Rose, Lead on Strategic Commissioning for Macc.

Background
Voluntary Sector Strategy/Third Sector Strategy
Over the last few months, Macc, together with other Third Sector representatives and Manchester City Council and Manchester Clinical Commissioning Groups have been working together to produce a draft Voluntary Sector Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to develop a practical and realistic approach to improving partnership working for the benefit of the people of Manchester.

Cuts
Manchester City Council, due to a severe reduction in Central Government financing, was required to make cuts of almost £60 million. A set of options were produced including cuts in the funding to many VCS organisations. Many VCS organisations were involved in campaigning, lobbying and consultation to influence these options.

Devolution
Central government has announced recently that it intends to devolve a range of functions to Greater Manchester including £6 billion health and social care budget.