1. Portfolio/Number/Name:FPSR - C-C6 (formerly ELL C2) - Scottish Science Centres Programme |
2. Programme/Activity: The Scottish Science Centres Programme provides funding for four science centres in return for business and performance improvements, increased collaboration, and stronger alignment with Executive aims in terms of complementing the emerging 3-18 science curriculum, promoting Scotland as a pro-science country, and increasing the science literacy of the Scottish public. A four year strategy for the Scottish Science Centres: 2005-09, developed by the centres in partnership with the Executive, was published in December 2005 and supports the aims of A Science Strategy for Scotland, and acknowledges the recommendations of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee reports, Why Science Matters and Why Science Education Matters. |
3. Efficiency | 3.1 Current target; £m | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
Cash | 0.470 | 0.611 | 0.611 |
Time | - | - | - |
3.2 Efficiencies delivered; £m | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
Cash | 0.611 | - | - |
Time | | - | - |
4. Accountable Officer for delivery | Dr Andrew Goudie |
5. Project Manager | Michael Roy |
6. EGDD Portfolio Manager | Hilary Pearce |
7. Description of efficiency and actions to be taken | 7.1 What is the efficiency improvement? How will the efficiencies be made? By working more collaboratively the Scottish science centres have to shared best practice, driven up commercial performance, and provided a more cohesive approach to complementing the emerging 3-18 science curriculum. Development of collaborative activities (e.g. shared exhibits, learning activities around particular topics) has provided cash savings, while at the same time resulted in an enhanced science centre experience, due to increased rotation of exhibits and a greater choice of activities. Shared marketing elements have resulted in cash savings as duplication of school mailings has been prevented. Moreover, continual review of business operations has encouraged and driven out efficiencies. |
7.2 What are the main actions that are needed to secure the delivery of this efficiency improvement? The centres have demonstrated, through the submission of two year corporate plans, that they are becoming more efficient and are able to generate additional primary and secondary income through more collaborative and efficient working. Projections indicate that their core operational deficits will continue to decrease, year on year, down to optimum levels, allowing investment in 'added value' discrete educational programmes, in pursuit of the policy aims outlined in the Science Centres Strategy, to increase accordingly. |
8. Associated costs | 8.1 Are there any development or redundancy costs associated with the delivery of this efficiency? No - these are 'resource neutral'. The costs associated with the efficiency savings have not been 'netted off', for instance. |
9. Measurement | 9.1 What are the inputs that will be measured? The input that will be subject to monitoring is the funding to science centres, which is baselined at SR2004 from 2006/07 onwards, to a value of £3.7m per annum to the end of the current Spending Review Period. |
9.2 What are the outputs that will be measured? A year on year reduction in core operational grant requirement from the centres down to optimal levels, allowing increasing support, as a result, for 'added value' education programmes. The successful delivery of the Science Centres Network Strategy is dependant upon being able to support these 'added value' programmes and the amount of funding available to support the 'added value' side is very largely dependant upon savings being made on the 'core operational' side. |
9.3 What is the baseline for inputs and outputs? Derived baseline for 2004-05 = £4.17m (£2.2m from (then) ETLLD budget, and £1.97m paid by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow to Glasgow Science Centre in 2004-05). Qualitative baselines for outputs are contained both within the report commissioned by Scottish Ministers into the science centres (the Jura Report - 2004) and in the 2002 HMIE report into the quality of the science education provision on offer at the centres. |
10. Quality cross-check | 10.1 What quality indicators are being used to ensure that quality of service is maintained or improved? The quality of the centres as visitor attractions is assessed by VisitScotland on a regular basis. Furthermore, HMIE will are currently undertaking a re-assessing the quality of the educational provision in 2006. |
11. Monitoring | 11.1 What are the arrangements for monitoring the delivery of efficiencies? Economy, efficiency and effectiveness measures will form the basis for discussion at Joint Executive Group meetings and monitored formally at quarterly monitoring returns prior to grant drawdown. |
12. Reporting | 12.1 What are the arrangements for reporting the delivery of efficiencies? Annual end-year efficiency statements, as required by the Efficient Government programme team. |
13. Dependencies | 13.1 Explain if your efficiencies are dependent on legislation or other structural changes being achieved. N/A |
14. Use of efficiencies | 14.1 How are the efficiencies released from improvement activity being used to improve front-line services? The savings generated are being utilised in collaborative Network wide activities. |