Dear Colleagues,
Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget announcement today, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what these national policy shifts mean for the VCSEF sector and how WVCA will continue to support the sector as and where we can, through the changes ahead.
There is no doubt that our sector faces a complex landscape moving into 2027. The welcome increases to the National Living and Minimum Wages are vital for supporting low-income staff across our city, yet we know they simultaneously place immediate operational and payroll pressures on our local charities and community groups. Practical measures, like the reduction of the bus fare cap back down to £2, will offer some immediate, everyday relief to our staff, volunteers, and communities.
The Budget’s focus on regional devolution and giving regional mayors greater control over business rates and income tax could present an opportunity in reinforcing the importance of our collective local voice. As funding decision-making shifts closer to home, WVCA will be working harder than ever to ensure that the VCSEF sector is a central partner in shaping local priorities and commissioning.
Importantly, our active engagement in cross-sector partnerships is one of our strongest assets in navigating these shifting times.
Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Board
At the recent Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Board, the main headlines centred on our shared commitment to a data-led, multi-agency response to public place violence, anti-social behaviour, and neighbourhood crime. It highlighted how our sector’s grassroots intelligence and community presence are indispensable to the city’s broader statutory safety strategies.
Better Homes Board
Looking forward, we are also bringing our sector’s voice to the table at the refreshed Better Homes Board which is looking to reduce duplication, identify how different departments and voluntary partners can actively support one another, align our priorities, and contribute meaningfully to a unified ‘One Council’ approach. Safe, stable housing is inextricably linked to wellbeing, and ensuring the voluntary sector is knitted into health and care referral pathways in that regard, is a positive step forward.
Wolverhampton Place-Based Leadership – Active Black Country
Active Black Country’s recent Wolverhampton Place-Based Leadership event focused on driving systemic change, reducing inequalities, and establishing a unified framework for local governance. The sessions aimed to break down traditional agency silos to enhance how local resources, community assets, and public services are co-ordinated.
The focus was on moving from hierarchical management to a whole-systems leadership approach including:
- Mapping physical and social infrastructure across the city (including community hubs, parks, and local venues) to better address public health and social isolation
- Analysing how local systems (health, transport, and education) collectively influence resident behaviour and standard of living
- Evaluating frameworks for distributing decision-making power down to grassroots levels
- Cultivating “everyone a leader” cultures within partner organisations to empower front-line staff.
- Reinforcing the “Wolverhampton Pound” procurement strategies to guarantee that public money stays within the local economy
It’s been a busy couple of weeks and it’s going to get busier.
WVCA Celebration: 20 Years of SUIT and 10 years of Social Prescribing
10.30 – 3 on Friday 20th November 2026 at the Arena Theatre
Here is the link to your free place
Please remember that we have a milestone celebration coming up: our Service User Involvement Team (SUIT) drug and alcohol recovery project was established in 2006 and our Social Prescribing service was established in 2016. We are going to be celebrating our fantastic projects, SUIT and Social Prescribing and their incredible work.
If there are any issues that you would like to raise or anything that you would like to hear more about, please contact me.
If you would like more information, please remember to check out our website and newsletter regularly – there is always new information, and opportunities are always presenting themselves.
Thank you
Sharon Nanan-Sen
Chief Executive Officer