In November 2007 national and local government signed a concordat, which committed both to moving towards Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs) for all 32 of Scotland's councils and extending these to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs).
The Scottish Government and local government share an ambition to see Scotland's public services working together with private and voluntary sector partners, to improve the quality of life and opportunities in life for people across Scotland. Single Outcome Agreements are an important part of this drive towards better outcomes. They are agreements between the Scottish Government and CPPs which set out how each will work towards improving outcomes for the local people in a way that reflects local circumstances and priorities, within the context of the Government's National Outcomes and Purpose.
All of the outcome agreements are uniquely shaped to reflect the needs and circumstances of the areas they cover and designed to ensure local people know exactly what their CPP is committed to provide on their behalf. But in one crucial way the agreements are also all the same: each of the 32 maps out a brighter, more successful future for the people of Scotland, with all levels of government working together to deliver better services across the whole of the country.
COSLA and the Scottish Government jointly published Local Matters in March 2011, which sets out our track record to date in doing things differently and delivering the local outcomes that really matter to communities across Scotland. It shows how the local outcomes approach marks a radical change in how local public services are provided across Scotland. For the first time, the focus of our public services is being placed on improving outcomes, that is to focus on actions which make a meaningful difference to people's lives. And, led by councils, local partners are increasingly working together in pursuit of shared local priorities, as set out in Single Outcome Agreements. Key messages from Local Matters are that:
- The local outcomes approach is the right approach: Overseas literature, including from the OECD and World Bank, validates the approach as being in line with international developments.
- The local outcomes approach is working: Local partners are committed to making the approach work and there are already examples of positive outcomes emerging from their efforts.
- We can make the local outcomes approach work even better: Messages about the challenges to make this approach work reflect experiences from other countries (as described in international literature), as well as the financial challenges that Scotland's public services face. But there are examples of action already taking place to address these challenges.
SOA Annual Report Overview 2008-09
2009-10 Annual Reports
Overview Commentary on 2009-10 Annual Reports - 'Local Matters'
SOAs
In line with the guidance published in December 2012, CPPs are in the process of developing new SOAs. These are at different stages of development and all CPPs will be doing further work over the coming months. Copies of available draft SOAs can be found here:
Contact the SOA Team at:
Area 3-J (North)
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh EH6 6QQ
Tel: 0131 244 4956
Fax: 0131 244 7020
carrol.herbertson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk