Compact Week 2008

Voluntary and community groups have been invited to talk about regeneration in the district, hear what is happening and what the area will look like, and to have their say in how they and Dover District Council continue to work together for the future.

As part of the council's commitment to the Dover & District Compact, and as part of national Compact Week, a special meeting has been arranged on Wednesday 5 November at The Theatre, Dover Discovery Centre, Market Square, Dover, Kent from 2pm, (doors open at 1.30pm with light refreshments available).

Key representatives from Dover District Council (DDC) and Dover Pride will talk about regeneration and how the district is changing. The event will ask local voluntary and community groups how DDC continue to involve them in plans for the district and build community pride. The event has been organized by DDC, with the support of other Compact partners.

The Compact is an agreement to strengthen partnership working between public bodies and the voluntary and community sector. The Dover & District Compact recognises that better partnership working will increase the benefits to the whole community.

Malcolm Barry, Chair of the Compact Implementation Group, said: "The voluntary sector is vital for our communities, and in the current economic climate this is more important than ever. Compacts offer a wonderful opportunity for us to work together. This is especially true in Dover where both DDC and the Primary Care Trust have been very keen to work with the Third Sector. The Compact gives us an opportunity for learning together and getting it right. I really hope that as many voluntary and community sector organisations as possible will attend this meeting so we can all learn from each other."

Cllr Kit Smith, DDC Cabinet Member for Skills, Training and External Relations said: "We are very pleased to facilitate this event. We fully recognise the importance of voluntary and community groups, and the services they provide to the community at grass-roots level. These groups are ideally placed to understand the needs of the community, and we need to continue to exchange views and work together."

If you are interested in attending the event, you can e-mail your name, organisation and contact details to compact@dover.gov.uk or call Caroline Hargreaves at DDC on 01304 872314 or Karen Raeburn, Compact Support Officer, CASE Kent on 01304 240090.