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| Towards
a Defra Third Sector Strategy – Draft Foodaware response to
the Consultation |
04/08
final
Towards a Defra
Third Sector Strategy – Foodaware response to the Consultation
Introduction
Involvement
Language
Communication
Developing strategic partnerships
Defra’s mission and objectives
Partnership working
Future grant funding
Common goals
1. Introduction
– Defra’s mission and approach
Foodaware: the Consumers’ Food Group coordinates the broad
UK consumer movement’s work on food safety, nutrition and
standards. Our mission is to give UK consumers a strong voice on
food policy by bringing together the organisations that represent
them. We also consult and support the UK consumer representatives
on food related committees, and further the public understanding
of science. Our members are consumer, women’s, family, ethnic
minority and enforcement organisations, who also contribute time
and expertise to our representations.
Jonathon Shaw, MP Minister of the Third Sector briefly met consumer
representatives at the end of a meeting chaired by the Chief Veterinary
Officer on 31 January. In his introduction to the consultation he
says,
‘I am keen to explore ways in which Defra and third sector
stakeholders can work better together. For example, by having a
more strategic dialogue on a range of policy issues. This could
help … by providing the advice and insight we need from a
community perspective. It would also enable us to share and disseminate
information to third sector stakeholders and the communities they
serve so that we can all take a more co-ordinated approach to promoting
environmental sustainability and strong rural communities.’
1.1 Involvement
Foodaware members are keen to be involved with the development and
implementation of Defra’s strategy by contributing views,
co-ordinating ideas, and disseminating information. Some already
publicise farmers' markets and include relevant articles in their
magazines, albeit on a small scale because of the voluntary sector’s
limited resources. Others have particular interests in healthy eating,
farm assurance and standards, and sustainable rural communities.
There is also interest in the development of organic production,
reduction in the use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers and
sustainable agriculture.
We strongly support Defra’s vision ‘of creating a framework
in which the third sector can flourish, be strong and independent
... and maximise the contribution that third sector organisations
can make to our mission of living within our environmental means’.
There are may good examples of such collaboration within our organisation
including the National Federation of Women’s Institutes' (NFWI)
initiatives with the Food Standards Agency and climate change campaign,
and the IFEES' (Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental
Sciences) collaboration with the London Islamic Network for the
Environment (LINE). Foodaware’s own collaboration with industry
and enforcement stakeholders to campaign against change to the European
hygiene regulations to exempt small suppliers from HACCP requirements
is another case in point.
However, to achieve sustainable collaborations and involve smaller
organisations, some financial resources need to be put behind them
in order to pump prime initiatives, facilitate and enable the human
resources, particularly of small voluntary bodies, to be mobilised.
Such resources are very small compared with the levels of investment
in high profile PR campaigns. Even large voluntary organisations
may not have a large staff or paid officials to engage in or support
public policy and representational work. Defra’s strategy
should also encompass the delivery agencies as they have a presence
in the regions and may be closer to local activity and community
needs.
Having a regular involvement in public policy-making, and with departments
and agencies across government and regulatory bodies, nationally
and locally, our members are able to provide informed lay input
to the decision-making process and feedback views from their grass
roots members reflecting public opinion, or a diversity of opinion
on different issues. The women’s organisations and those such
as Girlguiding UK also have international affiliations which link
them to United Nations' representations and organisations so they
have a voice on the world stage. Trading Standards and enforcement
bodies, many voluntary organisations and consumer groups have links
with the European Community institutions and representative bodies.
They play their part in the consultation process and in strategic
dialogue which forms part of public policy-making in a modern democracy.
1.2 Language
There is a significant issue with the language used in the communication
of this Strategy. Among the voluntary and independent organisations
within our membership, there is unanimous opposition to the term
‘Third Sector’ despite its increasing use across government
and internationally. The use of 'third' to describe the sector tells
the recipient nothing about the sector itself, only the status it
has in the eyes of those who use it. That interpretation may not
have been intended but it is the outcome of using such a term. One
of our member organisations which is involved with Muslim communities
said, ‘Voluntary organisations, they are the first response
organisations to grass roots' needs. Private enterprise is not geared
up to social needs, only market demand and profit. Government ...
needs people on the ground to tell them what’s going on and
how to spend their money effectively. … The voluntary sector,
as its name suggests, is motivated mainly by goodwill. Everyone
else is just doing their job.’
The phrase ‘third sector’ has no meaning for the general
public or those who work at the grass roots in the voluntary sector.
It appears to be best known to those in the health sector. Some
view the term ‘Third Sector’ as implying ‘third
rate’ and certainly not particularly important in government
plans despite the language of collaboration. Since such organisations
contribute significantly to local communities and involve a large
proportion of the population across all age groups, the term is
viewed as patronising and unhelpful. Government and the business
sector should not be put first especially in Defra’s work
which is of such importance to national and local community and
voluntary sector organisations. It is felt that new terminology
should be developed which reflects the importance of and value added
by the voluntary sector.
1.3 Communication
Despite the success of the CVO’s consumer dialogue, few of
our members were aware of the proposed strategy or the initiatives
to which it refers. There is a desperate need for two-way communication
mechanisms to be established and strengthened. Independent organisations
do not want to be told what to do by Government departments. There
is an increasing reliance by Defra, and indeed all organisations,
on dissemination of policy information and consultations via the
website, and those in the voluntary sector do not visit this information
on a regular basis. The sheer volume of information is an issue
for everyone. Many members and the smaller independent organisations
still do not have broadband connections and so accessing long reports
and scanning for documents is difficult and time consuming. They
often rely on third parties such as Foodaware to monitor relevant
information on their behalf, but resources are inadequate to do
this systematically and regularly. The CVO meetings have been extremely
valuable in cutting through this vast amount of information and
keeping us up to date with relevant activities and consulting on
policy issues. High profile campaigns such as the activities of
WRAP are a valuable, if expensive, means of communicating with citizens
in general, and it will be interesting to see the evaluation of
whether it is successful in changing citizen’s attitudes in
the medium term. Foodaware members may individually and within local
groups be interested in participating in such initiatives. Our particular
strength, however, is in providing informed consumer comment on
strategic issues and developing policy, doing a job that is providing
a public service for which members are not paid.
2. Developing strategic
partnerships
We asked members if their organisations were involved in developing
regional strategies or developing Local Area Agreements e.g. in
relation to rural development or climate change. A few of our members
are involved in this activity but they tend to be the large national
organisations and professional bodies. Smaller consumer-focussed
organisations seem unaware of these developments. The Chartered
Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has encouraged its members
to contribute to local area agreements. It has produced guidance
to its members for getting environmental health included in such
agreements, and is sharing examples of good practice in this regard[1}.
It may be helpful for national indicators relating to sustainable
development to be included in such agreements and Defra should push
for this through government offices in the regions.
There is undoubtedly scope for stronger local partnerships with
local government agencies, suppliers, water companies, food producers,
food retailers or manufacturers, farming bodies or other stakeholders
to discuss these issues with consumer organisations and build local
relationships. Many already supply speakers for meetings and some
organisations like the NFWI and Townswomen’s Guilds (TG) have
substantial programmes across the country but this could be substantially
improved and extended. However, organisations strongly defend their
independence and so any joint activity must respect that and be
built on common interest. One example of this is the involvement
of a Muslim women’s collective in water conservation activities
with Thames Water, and in recycling initiatives within London.
In the consultation document Defra refers to the Compact Action
Plan and Social Enterprise Position Statement as well as the Office
of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office. Members were generally
not aware of these documents and the Cabinet Office' initiatives.
There is clearly a need to assess the relevance of these for consumer
bodies and share information if appropriate with voluntary groups.
3. Defra’s mission
and objectives
Defra’s mission is to help enable everyone to live within
our environmental means. It is strongly committed to creating a
framework in which the third sector can flourish, be strong and
independent. It wants to maximise the contribution such organisations
can contribute to the mission. Defra’s objectives are :
- To use the skills and expertise of the Third sector to maximise
our collective contribution to the Departmental objectives and Public
Service Agreements
- To help foster new and stronger Social Enterprises
- To enhance the relationship with the third sector and create a
level playing field for this sector in its day to day business
- To encourage good practice through the work of its delivery bodies
Members generally agree with this approach which incorporates many
of their own objectives and activities, although there is doubt
about the achievability of ‘a level playing field’ in
this context. We strongly encourage Defra to work with consumers
through the existing networks of organisations rather than reinvent
the wheel. In our view, the value of voluntary effort in policy
making by consumer representatives is not given sufficient recognition.
One organisation expressed concern that the description does not
include anything which is new or excitingly different. The third
sector is already strong and independent in our democracy and has
been seeking to work interactively with Government for years. The
situation as described in the consultation was felt to reflect more
appropriately the current situation in Europe where some of the
newer countries do not have a history of independent participation.
The mission remains somewhat vague and we would like to see specific
plans including targets and timetables with some deliverable outcomes.
There is general agreement that there needs to be full discussion
and clarification of the support available to support the sector
in the UK and concern about how the resources are currently distributed.
4. Partnership
working
a) With delivery bodies
Defra sponsors a large number of bodies which are diverse in their
activities and constitutions. Many of these are independent and
Defra says third sector bodies will need to work directly with these.
Defra needs to clarify what these are, explain some of the limits
to partnership working and facilitate new dialogues with these bodies,
as has been done between consumer organisations and the VMD through
the consumer meetings with the CVO. Defra says it will clarify accountability
for third sector issues and will seek to publish contact details
for officials responsible for liaison. It will also explore the
need for a mechanism such as an annual forum to bring together interested
parties.
Greater openness about the bodies Defra sponsors, and the extent
of its financial support, is necessary so there can be an open debate
about priorities and different types of support. Foodaware does
not think an annual forum to bring together such a diverse constituency
is adequate, and implies tokenism. Effective relationships need
to be reinforced and underpinned by effective communications on
as regular a basis as necessary to achieve the objectives. In order
for Defra and its delivery bodies to work more effectively with
third sector stakeholders they need to understand the third sector
stakeholders' interests, how they work and what their constitutions
allow them to do. It needs to target collaboration in areas where
there is potential for mutual benefit. There is also scepticism
in some quarters at the failure of Government to address the conflict
between objectives in relation to climate change, food and farming
and its approach to planning and development.
b) With strategic partnerships
Defra is considering bringing together a small number of national
organisations where there is alignment of common objectives e.g.
on sustainable development. Strategic partners could contribute
to advocacy work, policy development or delivery. Current arrangements
are felt to be patchy and poorly developed. Such arrangements must
add value and be clear about what outcomes are expected. There will
be a challenge to ensure small organisations are not excluded, but
the roles identified include informing policy development, building
understanding, disseminating information, championing Defra’s
agenda and leading by example. Among the areas cited as examples
are protecting priority environments by advocacy and empowerment;
enhancing environmental services in waste/recycling; conservation
and land management; supporting rural communities and championing
local needs.
Foodaware is astonished that there is no specific mention of food
or agriculture in this section, particularly in view of the importance
of agriculture in conservation of the countryside and development
of sustainable communities. Foodaware’s interest as a consumer
organisation is specifically focussed on food, agriculture, sustainability
and climate change, the role of the publicly funded and government
bodies in relation to those issues, and ensuring that the public
are able to have their say through representatives of their local
organisations. Defra needs to be clearer about who the strategic
partners are, and how they would work with organisations such as
ours and the funding available to support it. There is a risk that
official bodies will continue to forge links with like-minded professional
groups which understand their language and have full time offices
to respond more or less on demand. Those who give their time voluntarily
need to be nurtured, supported and valued if effective partnerships
are to be created. In our experience, trust builds up from close
working relationships and the respect which develops from mutual
understanding. Such respect also allows for dissent and disagreement
where that is appropriate or where there are genuine differences
of view. In this regard, the third sector could be useful as the
personal link between Defra and local communities.
5. Future grant
funding
To date Defra’s main grant funded programmes have included
the Environmental Action Fund (£7m) and the Climate Challenge
Fund (£38.5m). A further £25m supports the Rural and
Social Community Programme. Defra is looking to streamline arrangements
in the context of its tight financial settlement and ensure there
is no duplication. On the environment, it hopes to move to a single
grant fund with funding for ‘greener living’ and ‘behaviour
which favours the environment.
Decisions over grant funding are always difficult and there are
always more demands than resources. However, it is important that
the resources do not all go to the large national bodies which are
effectively arms of government, but also allow the development of
under-represented interests, such as the consumer perspective demonstrated
by Foodaware. Such small organisations with a very specific focus
can target their involvement and provide good value for money with
few of the overheads of the larger bodies. Some seed funding is
necessary to enable them to cover the costs of their involvement.
6. Common goals
From April 2008, Defra will have a role in championing sustainable
development across Government and nationally. It has identified
5 goals :
- Creating a supportive environment for a healthy and sustainable
third sector
- Enabling voice and campaigning
- Strengthening communities
- Transforming public services
- Encouraging social enterprise and environmental entrepreneurship
These will include reviewing the Compact Group and consideration
of what a third sector stakeholder group should do, and how it should
operate.
Defra would like views on:
- How can Defra work better with umbrella organisations?
This has to start with an shared understanding of needs and
benefits and clarification of areas where there can be mutual
benefits from working together. A seminar to discuss these issues
would be a good starting point. Defra could fund a newsletter
for circulation within the consumer movement, highlighting areas
of interest across the food, farming and climate change agenda.
It could also be used to disseminate examples of good practice
in partnership working. Organisations such as Foodaware would
be happy to produce the newsletter if resources are available.
- What structures and innovative consultation measures could
Defra put in place to reach out to smaller and more ‘hard
to reach groups’?
Although resource intensive, addressing small groups on a regional
or area basis provides a starting point from which messages
can be cascaded out. In rural areas, it could build on the places
people already link with e.g. parish councils, local shops,
Post Offices, and parent/teacher groups in rural schools. TV
needs to be part of the strategy – perhaps new franchises
should require a certain amount of public service broadcasting.
One of our member organisations is keen to help Defra communicate
with hard to reach groups in the Muslim community.
- What are the key ways in which it could help support organisations?
Through small amounts of pump-priming funding and ongoing relationships
providing up to date information, speakers and targeted information.
Also requested are financial and networking support, and expert
support in business planning and problem solving. Capacity building
should not be restricted to the Cabinet Office but part of developing
these relationships too.
- What are the most important practical changes which Defra
could make to improve its working relationship with organisations
such as Foodaware?
Members suggest that the relationship should be put on a more
regular footing rather than continue on an ad hoc basis. Help
can be in the form of presentations at meetings, dissemination
of information and research on topics of particular concern
supported by briefings. None of this will be effective if we
are unable to secure some core funding to sustain our network.
- What role should the stakeholder group perform?
It could share examples of good practice at an individual and
group level, share initiatives that are of proven success, and
offer advice on developing partnerships and forging links between
different stakeholders. This could be of particular value in
the consumer area.
- How can Defra help us encourage members and communities
to choose greener living?
One way is through providing information and education which
allows individuals to make the right choices and using all possible
organisations to get these messages across. Defra can also make
choosing the green option as easy as possible and disseminate
the advice on this through as many routes as possible. Enthusiasm
is an important motivator and the individual who inspired the
campaign to stop the use of plastic bags in South Devon and
sparked a national movement is a good example of this. Organisations
have many individuals with the necessary attributes, the challenge
is to identify such individuals and provide them with the evidence
from which a campaign can be mounted. The issue highlights the
need to inspire individuals to think beyond their traditional
boundaries. Involving all sectors of society with appropriately
targeted campaigns is also necessary – one size will not
fit all. Visits to successful projects are also inspirational.
Issues which could be worked on jointly by consumer groups,
local authorities and retailers include recycling and waste
management in and around the home; efficient use of transport;
food shopping and deliveries; storage and efficient use of food;
local sourcing; fresh and long life milk; and recyclable containers
for food products.
- How best can Defra help organisations to champion climate
change in local and regional strategies?
Championing measures against climate change must start with
winning hearts and minds and that requires information and funding.
Other thoughts on this are included in the ‘think piece’
that Foodaware is submitting separately.
1 Ideas and examples
for getting environmental health included into Local Area Agreements
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