An Open Letter to Statutory Partners

Across Norfolk, voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are delivering vital services, supporting communities, and tackling some of our county’s toughest challenges.

However, for years our sector has been asking for change in how we work with statutory partners and stakeholders to achieve these aims. That’s why FUSE Network has come together with fellow Empowering Communities Partners to publish the Open Letter: A Shared Commitment to Partnership with the VCSE Sector.

What does the letter call for?

The letter sets out a clear set of asks shaped by organisations of all sizes across Norfolk. These include:

• valuing the contribution of VCSEs,
• ensuring fair procurement and prompt payments,
• investing in our infrastructure,
• improving transparency,
• and embedding consistent VCSE representation in decision-making.

This isn’t just a wish list (and it isn’t an exhaustive list either!). Instead, it is a practical framework for creating the right conditions for partnership built on trust, fairness, and shared responsibility.

Our asks are grounded in the Civil Society Covenant, a national framework designed to strengthen collaboration between statutory partners and civil society. By rooting our approach in the Covenant, we hope to embed its principles in Norfolk and use them as a foundation for partnership working moving forward.

The timing matters. Our sector is under a lot of pressure: rising demand, stretched resources, and shrinking reserves. Meanwhile, Norfolk is entering a period of change with Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution on the horizon. If we want stronger systems and better outcomes for communities, the VCSE voice must be at the heart of these changes.

Next steps and how can you help?

From Monday 1st September, the letter will be sent directly to Norfolk’s statutory partners, funders, and stakeholders. We will be asking for a formal response from each. These responses will be published openly on the letter platform. This is about transparency and accountability as much as partnership.

Now we need your support to strengthen this call:

• Sign the letter to show your support
• Share the letter with your networks
• Tell us who to send it to so the right stakeholders and statutory partners see it
• Be a case study and share your experience of the impacts on your organisation and communities

Together, we can make sure the VCSE sector is not just included, but truly valued, resourced, and empowered as an equal partner in shaping Norfolk’s future.
— Willow Farrell, CEO, FUSE Network