Members

Member organisations have a generic brief (rather than specific to a single sector / user) to provide second tier infrastructure services as defined in the Active Community Unit report ‘Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure: A Consultation Document.’

They are active in the following fields:

• capacity building support to voluntary and community organisations (VCOs)
• representing VCO interests
• providing a voice for VCOs in policy making
• facilitating joint working between VCOs and across sectors

They work in the Derbyshire Dales, the High Peak and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Current Membership

Comprises:

• Rural Action Derbyshire
• Derbyshire Dales CVS
• Volunteer Centre Derbyshire Dales
• Volunteer Centre Buxton
• Volunteer Centre Glossop
• New Mills Volunteer Centre
• High Peak CVS
• Staffordshire Moorlands CVS 

This membership will remain as present until the end of the development workshops, at which time it will be reviewed in light of the learning from this process and the requirements of this action plan.

Member Representation

• A named representative will be provided by each organisation. This person will be in a position to make decisions and agree to actions on behalf of their organisation.
• This representative will contribute to building the day to day working relationships between member organisations, as well as the partnership itself.
• Where paid workers exist, representation by a trustee would not normally be appropriate.

Reviewing Membership

The membership statement will be reviewed at the end of the development planning process.

Membership can be reviewed at any time in order to reflect the partnership’s needs and its intentions as set out in the action plan.

In addition, it must be formally reviewed at intervals established by the action plan.

Approving New Members

All new members must agree to the values, principles and purpose of the partnership.

New members must meet the partnership’s membership criteria.

Any organisation meeting the above two requirements, as agreed by the existing partners, will automatically be eligible for membership.

Leaving the Partnership

Any existing member that no longer meets the membership requirements, or is not attending regularly, will lose their eligibility for membership of the partnership.

Any partner can choose to leave the partnership at any time.

Membership Contributions

Partners are expected to attend partnership and sub group meetings regularly, and apologies must be sent to cover any absences.

A partnership meeting will be quorate when more than half the members attend.

When partners miss meetings they must abide by the decisions made in their absence. All decisions must be made with due regard to those not present.

It is not straightforward to quantify how much time partners will need to spend on partnership work outside of the meetings. However it is an expectation that each partner will agree to lead on one aspect of the partnership’s work – either by taking a key role, or by leading on an area of work, and by participating in sub groups.

There are currently 8 partners and the tasks are:

• leading on each of the 5 areas of work (this does not mean taking on all the actions associated with this area of work, simply being a ‘caretaker’ for it and ensuring it does not get ‘lost’)
• partnership chair
• partnership administration
• one organisation to pick up any unexpected pieces of work

Expectations of Partners

Each partner needs to feel that everyone is doing his or her ‘fair share’.

Over any given period of time there needs to be a balanced and equal contribution of time / resources committed to the partnership.