1. Portfolio/Number/Name:C/C2 - Efficiencies in Supporting People programme |
2. Programme/Activity: Supporting People is a coherent policy and funding framework to support vulnerable people in different types of accommodation and tenure. It came into effect on 1 April 2003 when responsibility for the planning and funding of housing support services transferred to Local Authorities. The project is helping the Scottish Executive to deliver its priorities on homelessness, anti social behaviour, poverty and learning disability. |
3. Efficiency | 3.1 Current target; £m | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
Cash | 19.0 | 27.0 | 25.0 |
Time | 0 | 0 | 0 |
3.2 Efficiencies delivered; £m | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
Cash | 25.0 | - | - |
Time | 0 | - | - |
4. Accountable Officer for delivery | Nicola Munro |
5. Project Manager | Stephen Sandham |
6. EGDD Portfolio Manager | Angus Gardner |
7. Description of efficiency and actions to be taken | 7.1 What is the efficiency improvement? How will the efficiencies be made? Savings are delivered by local authorities through local reviews of some 1200 housing support services currently delivered by upwards of a hundred individual providers, but it isn't possible to quantify the number of posts or contracts that will be involved at this stage. |
7.2 What are the main actions that are needed to secure the delivery of this efficiency improvement? Internal - Guidance on service reviews was agreed with external stakeholders and issued on 31 March 2005
- Effective tracking and monitoring of impact of service review process
External Local authority senior management with responsibility for housing support services to undertake service review. |
8. Associated costs | 8.1 Are there any development or redundancy costs associated with the delivery of this efficiency? No development costs associated with this efficiency saving. No confirmed redundancy costs to date - monitoring arrangements will capture these if they occur. |
9. Measurement | 9.1 What are the inputs that will be measured? The amount of funding allocated. |
9.2 What are the outputs that will be measured? The number of clients assisted per year. |
9.3 What is the baseline for inputs and outputs? The baseline is 2004-05. |
10. Quality cross-check | 10.1 What quality indicators are being used to ensure that quality of service is maintained or improved? Examining service quality is part of the local service review process and local authorities report on the extent to which service reviews have helped improve overall quality. |
11. Monitoring | 11.1 What are the arrangements for monitoring the delivery of efficiencies? Monitoring returns were received from local authorities in October 2005 and August 2006 and the next is due March 2007. The Scottish Executive is monitoring the extent to which efficiencies have been delivered without impacting adversely on service capacity, and the extent to which efficiencies have been delivered through a fair and transparent process that doesn't impact unfairly on external providers. |
12. Reporting | 12.1 What are the arrangements for reporting the delivery of efficiencies? A report went to Ministers in March 2006 on the first returns and arrangements to improve the quality of returns in the future. Reports on the second and third set of monitoring returns will go to Ministers in October 2006 and May 2007. |
13. Dependencies | 13.1 Explain if your efficiencies are dependent on legislation or other structural changes being achieved. Dependent on local authorities to carry out the review process in an effective manner that delivers maximum efficiency improvements without cutting relevant front line services. |
14. Use of efficiencies | 14.1 How are the efficiencies released from improvement activity being used to improve front-line services? Because efficiencies were imposed in parallel with redistributing resources more fairly across Scotland, the impact is partially to fund service growth in other local authority areas but all councils are being asked to review the scope to minimise overheads and maximise funding for front line services. |