Borders SOA 08 09 30#118473
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Single Outcome Agreement for the Scottish Borders 2008/09 Scottish Borders Single Outcome Agreement 2008/2009 Community Planning Partners- Support for the Single Outcome Agreement 2008/09 As Community Planning Partners in the Scottish Borders, we can confirm our support for this Single Outcome Agreement. We have worked with Scottish Borders Council in the development of this Single Outcome Agreement for 2008/09 and are satisfied that it reflects the issues that are important to individuals, communities, businesses and organisations in the Scottish Borders. We commit to supporting Scottish Borders Council, and others, and where national policy and directives allow, we will play a key role in working toward the achievement of the outcomes in the SOA, and the development of future SOAs. We have also agreed to changes within our community planning arrangements to be better placed to deliver the SOA. These changes will be implemented during Summer 2008. The Bridge and BAVS (representing the Voluntary Sector) Scottish Border Community Councils’ Network Borders Housing Network: Other partners include: Federation of Small Businesses, National Farmers Union Scotland, and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency 1 Scottish Borders Single Outcome Agreement 2008/2009 Introduction 1. Purpose of the Agreement The purpose of the Single Outcome Agreement is to identify areas for improvement and to deliver better outcomes for the people of the Scottish Borders and Scotland, through specific commitments made by Scottish Borders Council, community planning partners and the Scottish Government. This document sets out the joint commitments between the Council, community planning partners and the Scottish Government to the delivery of an agreed set of outcomes. To this end, we encourage the Scottish Government to act as a partner in the further development and delivery of the Agreement. Each party to this Agreement is mutually accountable for the delivery of the agreed outcomes. For the purposes of this Agreement, “mutually accountable” means that each party: − will jointly take ownership and responsibility for their respective contributions to the agreed outcomes; and − will be able to hold each other to account for the delivery of specific commitments they make to enable the delivery of the agreed outcomes. This agreement reflects a new relationship between the Scottish Government and Local Government and one that Scottish Borders Council is committed to developing. The basis on which this agreement is being made is set out in the Concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA. The components of the package under the Concordat are: − Commitment from the Scottish Government that there will be no structural reform of local government during this Parliament; − Introduction of Single Outcome Agreements for every Council; − An overall funding package for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11; − A significant reduction in the number of separate funding streams to local government; − That local authorities will be able to retain their efficiency savings; − Commitment from local authorities to deliver on a specified set of commitments from within the funding envelope provided; − That a new performance reporting system will over time replace the myriad of existing systems and provide regular, timely and transparent reporting to local communities and the Scottish Government; − Over and above requirements for this new performance reporting system, requirements associated with statutory requirements, any agreed transitional arrangements in moving to an outcomes based approach, ongoing statistical returns and formal inspections, local authorities will not be asked to submit any other monitoring returns or plans to the Scottish Government without prior agreement; − An agreed response to the Crerar Review leading to improved performance management, increased self-assessment and more focused and proportionate external scrutiny; and − Joint responsibility between local government and the Scottish Government for overseeing and monitoring the new relationship. 2 Scottish Borders Single Outcome Agreement 2008/2009 2. Scope of the Agreement This Agreement covers all local authority services in the Scottish Borders, including those delivered by or with non departmental public bodies, agencies, businesses, the third sector and other partners. Parties to this Agreement confirm their commitment to fulfil legal and policy obligations upon them in relation to Community Planning, Best Value, equalities and sustainable development. This Agreement is based around and builds upon the existing Community Plan, the Council’s Corporate Plan, and other plans and strategies existing within and between partner organisations, including the South of Scotland Competitiveness Strategy. It therefore reflects extensive consultation with stakeholders around these existing plans and strategies. However the Council and community planning partners recognise the need to consult much further with stakeholders during 2008/09 as the Agreement is refined and developed to ensure that this Agreement fully reflects the outcomes required by Borders communities paying particular cognisance to equalities and hard to reach groups. The Council and its partners have brought the Fairer Scotland Fund (FSF) into the Outcome Agreement. Our Fairer Scotland priorities have been agreed by the Scottish Government and will be overseen by the multi-agency New Ways Social Justice, Equalities and Diversity Group, chaired by the Director of Social Work. All indicators that relate to Fairer Scotland Funding are marked clearly in bold typeface throughout this document and with (FSF). 3. Governance The Council, with its community planning partners, will ensure that corporate and joint governance and scrutiny arrangements are applied in support of their commitments under this Agreement and in full accordance with the principles of Best Value. Parties to this Agreement confirm their commitment to fulfil all legal, policy and operational obligations upon them (including responsibilities introduced by the Concordat and any new obligations that may be agreed or introduced during the life of this Agreement). “New Ways” the Community Planning Partnership in the Borders is reviewing its existing governance arrangements and is putting in place structures, accountabilities and monitoring arrangements to ensure the delivery of the outcomes in this agreement. These will be in place by Summer 2008 so that we are ready to deliver and monitor progress of the Agreement. 4. Ongoing Development of the Agreement We believe that the 2008/09 Agreement is a starting point and that the successful delivery of the Agreement is dependent on ensuring our resources are fully focussed around its outcomes. As part of our performance management and financial planning process, we will use our 2008-2011 Agreement to define and set our spending priorities and financial resources for 2009-2012. This will be an iterative process dependent on: • Scottish Government priorities and grant funding; 3 Scottish Borders Single Outcome Agreement 2008/2009 • progress with existing local and national outcomes; • amendment to existing outcomes to reflect changing local and national circumstances As a result, our financial plans for 2009-2012 will be fully aligned to the delivery of outcomes in the Agreement 2009-2012. The Council and its community planning partners will continue to review the outcomes in the Agreement on an annual basis and set our revenue and capital financial plans around the delivery its outcomes. This will be shaped through ongoing and targeted community engagement activity with all our stakeholders. 5. Local Context for the National Outcomes, Local Outcomes and Commitments These are set out in the main section of the Agreement following this introductory section. The Council and its community planning partners recognise that much further work is required, as part of preparing the 2009-2011 Agreement, to prioritise local outcomes and to refine and consolidate the indicators within the Agreement. Continued Scottish Government feedback and guidance based on what has been submitted by other Local Authorities and emerging best practice will be an important part of this process. 6. Performance Management The Council and its community planning partners see the Agreement as an opportunity to simplify the strategic planning landscape in the Borders. The Community Plan and Council’s Corporate Plan will be replaced by the Agreement, which will become the overall strategic planning document for the Borders. This will provide a clear concise picture to the Council, its partners and Borders communities of what we are trying to achieve for the Borders. The Council, with community planning partners, is reviewing and building upon well established performance management arrangements so that effective performance management is applied in support of their commitments under this Agreement and in full accordance with the principles of Best Value. The need to develop and deliver on outcomes was seen by the Council and its community planning partners as the next stage in the evolution of performance management around community planning. The arrival of Single Outcome Agreements provides a welcome opportunity for us to continue to drive this forward. Quarterly reporting of progress within the Council and community planning partners will be a key part of our arrangements, which will allow us take corrective action throughout the year to ensure delivery of outcomes. In