Meetings between Councils for Voluntary Service and between Volunteer Centres to coordinate services were regularly held in the late 1990s through to 2001 when a more formal approach of theLocal Development Agency Forum was set up. By 2003 the regular attenders were the then 6 CVS and 6 Volunteer Bureau within Coventry and Warwickshire, WRCC and the 2 Councils for Voluntary Youth Services in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Funding from the Home Office and DEFRA enabled the forum to develop protocols, identify potential collaborative services and facilitate information exchange. Many of the current activities have their basis in the forums early discussions.