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CHAPTER 9: OUTPUTS - EXTERNAL REFERENCE GROUP
The final key output of the consultation is the external reference group. As described in earlier Chapters, the Best Value and Performance Team invited delegates from the stakeholder seminars to participate in an external reference group to take forward the more practical aspects of advising Ministers on the shape of revised guidance on Best Value and assessment materials.
Thus, members were self-nominated, with each of the previously designated policy portfolios represented. The core membership comprised 12 external public body representatives along with the Best Value and Performance Team. A member of this Team chaired the group. The external reference group met regularly from November 2005, and at the time of writing, had met 5 times in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, with future meetings planned.
The stated aim of external reference group was to advise the Scottish Executive on the production of guidance, toolkits and training materials.
Previous research (Nicholson, 2005b) had indicated that working groups were rated lower by Scottish Executive staff relative to other participation activities in fulfilling their aims. However, where discussion papers had been produced prior to the meeting to enable people to come prepared, and where group members had been given discrete topics on which to concentrate, more success was reported.
At the time of writing, the external reference group is still on-going with outputs from the group timetabled over the next 5 months. Final views on its overall effectiveness cannot yet be established.
In terms of process, earlier Chapters described how there had been no difficulty in recruiting public body representatives to take part in the group. In addition, attendance rates calculated at 72% were relatively high. The response rate to the evaluation questionnaire issued to participants in this group was also relatively high at 58%. Such indicators suggest a high degree of commitment and engagement amongst the external reference group members.
9.1 FINDINGS BASED ON OBSERVATION AND MEETING MINUTES
From observation of the external reference group at work and from an examination of the minutes of meetings not attended by the external evaluator, it is evident that the group made good progress towards delivering tangible outputs of High Level Best Value Guidance, Secondary Guidance, practical Toolkits and a Self-Assessment Questionnaire, all of which are being released between May and September 2006.
Minutes of the meetings reveal many examples of the group members challenging and debating the form and content of the various proposed materials. The Scottish Executive approach has been to facilitate such discussion, following rather than leading, and responding to the steer provided by public body members.
Debate has been at the level of detail with many instances of precise wording of some phrases being considered and discussed at length. Much use has been made of IT within the group meetings, as Scottish Executive officials amended and updated text on screen according to the group's wishes.
One aspect of the group's working which appeared to develop over its meetings was its taking on its own sense of identity and representativeness - a responsibility for delivering tools of benefit to wider public body colleagues and organisations. Indeed, at the March meeting members talked of the need to be " credible" and they discussed issues of branding and packaging of their outputs to the wider community.
Such discussion suggests a high sense of ownership by external reference group members of the process of shaping and delivering Best Value material to public sector bodies, and in essence, indicates that the external reference group approach has been successful in inputting a strong bottom-up dimension to the consultation aim of refreshing and renewing the spirit of Best Value across the public sector. (It also suggests that the consultation process has promoted the empowerment of this group of public service representatives - the final stage of impact identified in the IAP2 model of consultation in Figure 3, Section 4.3.)
9.2 FINDINGS TO EMERGE FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE
External reference group members were asked in their questionnaire whether they could give any advice to the Scottish Executive to inform its planning of another similar consultation. Their responses illustrate a variety of views on elements of the process and output of the external reference group.
One consultee argued that in future the Scottish Executive should embrace a project management approach when conducting similar consultations. Another suggested that the likely time commitment demanded by the exercise should be made clearer by the Executive at the start. One consultee stressed the need to make explicit the way in which the group would operate.
The need to show " real leadership" was emphasised, with more homework required on " existing networks and approaches". One view was that further effort should be put into ensuring representation of different types of people - coal face officials as well as higher ranking policy personnel.
Finally, one obviously satisfied member of the group recommended simply replicating the key aspects of this exercise, namely, " the involvement of practitioners in shaping the overall output".
To put these views into perspective, when asked if they would be prepared to take part in a similar consultation if asked by the Scottish Executive, every member who responded indicated their willingness. Some added commentary:
"Yes - based on the positive experience on this occasion."
"Yes - a learning opportunity and chance to influence policy direction."
"Yes - I was very impressed with the quality of commitment and facilitation from the SE team. All credit to them."
These comments demonstrate clearly that participants felt that they were valued and that they had influence and clout in terms of affecting the results of the consultation.
9.3 SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS
- As the external reference group is still meeting at the time of writing and has not yet produced all of its final outputs, its overall effectiveness cannot yet be gauged.
- Indicators of process suggest a high degree of commitment and engagement amongst the external reference group members.
- From observation and examination of meeting papers it is evident that the group is moving towards delivering tangible outputs over the next 5 months.
- Deliberation amongst the group has been at a highly detailed and practical level.
- The external reference group approach appears to have been successful in inputting a strong bottom-up dimension to the consultation aim of refreshing and renewing the spirit of Best Value across the public sector.
- All of the consultees who responded stated that they would take part in another similar exercise if invited to participate by the Scottish Executive.
- Amongst the few suggestions for improving the process in the future, consultees recommended using a project management approach; greater clarity on expected input and operation of the group; and greater representation on the group of different types of consultee.
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