Open Government Action Plan commitment 4: be more accountable for public services

Progress reports on our commitment to improve accountability of public services as part of our open government action plan.


Final Progress Report

February 2021

Commitment milestones have been altered slightly due to delivery pressures caused by Covid-19

Milestones Update Progress
1

Engage with Commitment Signatories

Met with each Signatory individually, and held collaborative workshop to build shared understandings and purpose of work moving forwards, Spring 2019

✔ Complete
2

Form civil society partnerships working group

Held first meeting April 2019; workshop on co-design of citizens engagement June 2019

✔ Complete
3

Commission baseline research into accountability landscape

Contracted EKOS Consultants Ltd. to conduct desk-based research to assess existing accountability bodies operating in Scotland for public services, and to assess some examples of citizens engagement in scrutiny activities to help inform best practice (if taken forward), published September 2019

✔ Complete
4 Public and practitioner engagement work procured

Contractor appointed September 2019

✔ Complete
5

Peoples survey design – Collaborative Working Group workshop w/contractors

Meeting held 20 September 2019, initial research methodology review and survey design

Meeting held 14 October 2019, survey questions approved

✔ Complete
6

Holyrood Events Ltd. public service practitioners event

Commitment 4 workshop delivered, 16 October.  Discussion on gaps / improvements in access to accountability, as part of early stage research data gathering to inform final solutions development

✔ Complete
7

Survey dissemination

CAS delivered through YouGov

✔ Complete
8

 Snook: Interviews

Series of one-to-one interviews and/or small focus groups conducted to inform design and content of national workshop discussions, and engage diversity of participant types ; CWG Partners supported

✔ Complete
9

Snook: Peoples workshops x 9 (Scotland wide)

Snook held a series of engagement workshops with people living in Scotland, originally via on-site events then delivered virtually following onset of the pandemic, as appropriate

✔ Complete
10

Snook: Service delivery, scrutiny & regulatory bodies consultation event x 1

Snook hosted event 6 May, virtual – to sense check / cross-reference public engagement findings with practitioners for feasibility and buy in

✔ Complete
11

Snook: Solutions development workshop

Snook hosted event 19 May, virtual – to enable partners to input to recommendations in light of engagement outputs

✔ Complete
12

Snook: Research analysis & recommendations report debrief session

Snook hosted event 24 June, virtual – to provide overview of final report, including recommendations, and provide any clarifications to partners on key points

✔ Complete
13

Chair’s Discussion Paper – Delivery Stocktake & Options Stage 3

Commissioned August 2020; delayed due to illness, submitted to partners 3 December.  Core partners team update meetings held: 27 October, 9 November, 18 November.  ✔ Complete
14

Commitment Leads & Signatories meeting to decide next steps

Held 10 December.  Agreed to focus on production of CAS led information and signposting booklet supported by SG grant funding; and to collate insights from wider programme of work for submission to central Steering Group to help inform development of any further work on accountability under a third action plan. ✔ Complete
15 Citizens Advice Scotland Booklet - development Due to complete end March 2021; draft to be circulated to partners for review February. 🙂 On Track
16 Commitment 4 Programme Insights Report Short summary paper capturing key insights from work to date on accountability, for submission to central Steering Group to help inform considerations as how best to build on this them under a third action plan, as appropriate.  Aim for end February 2021, but due to resource constraints and competing priorities this may slip to March 2021. 🙂 On Track
17

Tests of Change – delivery, led by agreed Signatories w/Partners’ support

These milestones have been superseded by Chair’s Discussion Paper due to limited capacity across partners, including SG, in light of impacts of Covid.

18 Project Insights Reports
19 Commitment 4: Final Programme Report – business case for next steps under Action Plan 3, proposed improvements to access
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