Organisations across Tameside have made a PACT to work together in delivering services to build a better future.
PACT is an agreement between Tameside’s Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Sector (VCFSE) and Tameside’s public-sector agencies that hold seats across Tameside Partnership.
It contains three main principles: involving community groups and charities in advising and delivering services; better communication to build genuine partnership working; and working together to secure investment.
Tameside Health and Wellbeing Board helped instigate PACT and it was signed by leaders of organisations from across the borough at an event at Dukinfield Town Hall. These included Tameside Council, NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG, Action Together, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Police, Active Tameside, Jigsaw Homes and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
The agreement states: “We are all committed to Tameside and improving the life chances of the people that live here. We care deeply about their future, especially focussing on those people that
face additional challenge, inequalities, and lack of opportunity.”
It describes giving local people a meaningful opportunity to be involved in decision making and setting priorities. And it sets out series of commitments, including demonstrating that engagement was carried out at the earliest possible point in planning services, evidencing that feedback is listened to and shapes policy and that there is VCFSE representation across all decision making and governance partnerships.
Action Together Chief Executive Liz Windsor-Welsh said: “VCFSE groups are good at listening to, gathering insight from, and working to strengthen the voices of local people, with a particular focus on social inclusion, and we are committed to working together to create the environment, support, and recognition for a range of diverse local voices in decision making.”
Tameside Council Executive Leader Councillor Brenda Warrington said: “PACT is a pledge to work together differently and involve community groups and charities in decision making and setting priorities. Tameside is a place to be proud of and we are all committed to building on our strong foundations and taking bold steps forward in the way we work together to achieve even better outcomes.”
Alan Dow, Chair of NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG, said: “Tameside embraces creativity and we want this to be reflected across our ways of working and partnership structures. VCFSE organisations and Public-Sector Partners bring different strengths and we must harness all our assets to fully realise our shared potential. Relationships built on openness, honesty and integrity will be the key to our success.”
