Freedoms and Flexibilities. A central component of delivering on this Single Outcome Agreement is to have constructive dialogue about issues that are constraining delivery of the strategic outcomes. Highlighted below are particular freedoms and flexibilities which will be discussed with the Scottish Government: Example: • Remove, as a matter of priority, the requirement to report on the statutory performance indicators. • Implement, in full, the findings of the Crerar review. • Move towards a singular strategic model which regulates the work of local government/public sector organisations. • Design the new model on the basis of outcomes/impact assessment. • Funding made available to support English as a Second Language provision for European economic migrants. • Standardisation of all NHS A&E facilities to monitor admissions related to alcohol (their own drunkenness and because of others). • Standardisation of Police recording of alcohol as a contributing factor. • Scottish Government to fund research to identify issues, and particularly to cross reference when and where incidents are taking place. • Increase the cost of alcohol. • Guidance on community empowerment with local autonomy to reflect local context. • Continued funding and guidance to support implementation of ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’ and other associated national initiatives. • National and local figures on energy consumption.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. To facilitate the delivery of these outcomes the Government agrees that it will: Action Timescale Direct implementation responsibility Other intereste d partners Worklessness and Skills Develop joint machinery to maximise the responsiveness of employment and skills services in the five borough area to local needs by establishing a Joint Employment and Skills Group and developing an integrated employment and skills strategy taking into account all worklessness and skills funding, with a longer term aim that all worklessness and skills services are commissioned on the five host borough boundaries By April 2010 DWP BIS DCSF LSEB JCP LSC/ SFA LDA Following the forthcoming publication of the consultation document on options for reforming Housing Benefit, including those relating to boosting work incentives, DWP will consider in detail the 5 Host Borough’s suggestions and how they can support their aims of linking worklessness services and housing to move people into work By July 09 DWP Incentives for parents which replicate the offer to lone parents with appropriate tax disregards. Effective immediately DWP HMT Flexibility to move people in worklessness services, and close to entering the labour market, to a benefit equivalent training allowance so that they can engage in activity over the 16 hour limit without it affecting their income Effective Immediately DWP HMT JCP Flexibility to extend work trials from 3 weeks to 6 weeks without disruption to benefits Effective Immediately DWP HMT JCP Public Realm Establish a senior multi-agency group to develop and agree a shared protocol on cleansing and maintenance of structures and transition areas; a joint and coordinated plan for improvement and maintenance works across all the main public realm players in the five borough area covering at least the next five years; and a public-facing commitment on how these will make a difference to the quality, cleanliness and management of the public realm. by April 2010 Defra DfT CLG GLA TfL Government departments will work with the Olympic Host Boroughs to explore barriers to the effective implementation and/ or enforcement of legislation on management of the public realm and identify action to overcome these. Such actions may potentially range from identifying best practice and clarifying or extending guidance through to proposals to amend specific pieces of legislation or regulations. A programme of actions will be developed and agreed. by June 2009 CLG Defra DfT Keep Britai...
Freedoms and Flexibilities. In addition to the core freedoms and flexibilities outlined in the ODPM Guidance the following specific Freedoms and Flexibilities are sought for the Leicestershire LAA. More detail is contained in Appendix 6. In summary, the freedoms and flexibilities initially being sought are: Older People To be developed further. Data sharing between health, social care and pensions service Healthier Star rating targets for 4 week quitters with aim to include specific groups e.g. pregnant women Flexibility on procurement restrictions re vending machines and catering Flexibility on pricing policies in leisure centres and access for hard to reach groups Flexibility to direct Mental Health Support Grant to Health Promotion Activities Flexibility to direct Learning Disability Development Fund to Health Promotion Activities (Further discussion taking place to clarify requirements and to test need for them) Children and Young People Flexibility in use of Carers Grant (from only providing carer “breaks”) and Children’s Fund ( ability to carry forward funding) Safer Reductions in the level of PPO monitoring Relaxing of the ring fencing of drugs treatment budgets Relaxation of the capital/revenue split Stronger None Cleaner & Greener Economic Development Enhancement at sub-regional level in the funding for tourism Flexibility to be able to sue core funding from Business Link, UKTI and LSC to work within the LAA priority sectors Freedom from emda performance management arrangements
Freedoms and Flexibilities. The second round pilots that we spoke to were in the process of putting together their freedoms and flexibilities for inclusion in their Local Area Agreement and were in negotiation with Government Office. For the majority of second round pilots no formal arrangement has been reached as to the number of freedoms and flexibility they are able to request but there was a feeling that the fewer flexibilities requested the more likely that they would be accepted. It was also mentioned that it may be useful to request similar freedoms and flexibilities to neighbouring authorities in order to work regionally as well as locally and to enhance the impact of this element of Local Area Agreements.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. 5.9.1 As this is not officially the LAA this has not been a focus of the SSCF and the current guidance is unclear on the position of non LAA areas on this. Nevertheless it is envisaged that we will be asking for some freedoms and flexibilities which have identified in the development of the SSCF: • flexibility to use money allocated to tackle drugs and the fear of drugs on tackling alcohol related crime and anti-social behaviour. • On the worklessness agenda there are a number of freedoms and flexibilities being sought by other LAA areas in the first two rounds which apply nationally particularly around benefits and hours allowed for volunteering or work experience.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. In support of target 9 Change 1 - We would request NVQ equivalent (but not NVQ accredited) courses also to be considered under the PSA as they come on to the section 96 list (approved qualifications for pre 16's). This will allow us to consider new NVQ equivalent courses that appear during the three year PSA and also additional courses that we might not be aware of now. SCHEDULE 3: PUMP PRIMING GRANT IN SUPPORT OF INVEST TO SAVE OR INVEST TO IMPROVE PROJECTS To assist in achieving the targets set out in this Agreement, the Government will make a pump priming grant of £1,004,700 to Southwark Council as a contribution towards expenditure of an “invest to save” or “invest to improve” nature. This grant will be paid no later than the financial year end 2005/2006. The grant is intended to assist the authority in achieving the targets set out in the agreement. It must be spent, during the period of this Local PSA, or as otherwise agreed with the Government. Conditions protecting the proper use of public funds will apply. SCHEDULE 4: PERFORMANCE REWARD GRANT The provisions of this Schedule are subject to any additional provisions on the performance reward grant elsewhere in the Agreement. The total potential grant The total potential grant is equivalent to 2.5% of the authority’s net budget requirement for 2004/2005. It is divided equally among the targets except where specified otherwise. Where a target has sub-targets, the amount for the target is sub-divided equally among the sub-targets unless otherwise specified. The relevant net budget requirement for the London Borough of Southwark is £407.461m. Total grant if all the targets were fully achieved would be £10,186,525. The reward for achievement on a target The proportion of the potential grant attributed to a target or sub-target that is payable is the same as the proportion of the ‘enhancement in performance with the Local PSA’ specified in Schedule 1 that the authority achieves, subject to a maximum proportion of 100% and a minimum of 60%. If the authority achieves less than 60% of that enhancement in performance, nothing is included in the grant in relation to that target or sub-target. Payment of the grant Main grant The grant will be paid in two equal instalments in the financial year following that in which the end date of the Local PSA falls, and the next financial year, subject to the qualification below relating to interim payments on account.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. To enable high achievement in relation to the above outcomes, to “stretch” performance beyond that achievable within current constraints, and to make major further improvements in the public service offer to the people of Kent, a series of “freedoms and flexibilities” are required. Local Area Agreements provide a further opportunity to demonstrate how Government can enable improvements in local services by freeing up local partners to deliver. This releases the energy, commitment and innovation of local agencies, managers and staff to deliver high quality and efficient services responsive to national priorities and local needs. As has been discussed earlier, most of the Kent partners to this Agreement have been independently assessed as good or excellent. With the principle of ‘earned autonomy’ Kent is particularly well placed to make good use of additional freedoms. The freedoms and flexibilities we have identified, building on those proposed as part of the LPSA2 process and based on the evidence we have of the barriers to performance improvement are listed below, and details are given in Appendix 5. Overarching Freedoms Supporting People Programme to be managed locally: to reduce its extraordinary amount of administration Intervention in ‘failing ‘ and ‘weak’ service providers: LAA partners should be given the responsibility to recommend the most appropriate and acceptable way to deploy the expertise of any excellent public service provider to assist the recovery of an under performing LAA partner. Reinvestment in Kent of savings brought about through the LAA: When the LAA achieves cross-sector savings between LAA partners, these savings shall be retained within the LAA and re-invested accordingly. Where the actions and investment of a LAA partner delivers a saving to a non LAA partner, incentives shall be devised such that a portion of the saving can be retained by the LAA partner which made the original investment Concentrations of highly dependent people within Kent: to reduce flow to Kent of high-dependency people from London, and stem the continued inflow to Kent's coastal town of high-dependency groups, particularly looked-after children, vulnerable adults and elderly adults. Elimination of perverse effect of reducing benefit claims Distribution of Lottery / Other Funds: Devolved management and coordination of key funding at a Kent-wide level to focus resources on priority outcomes and to avoid duplication. A greater role for the Kent PSB in the de...
Freedoms and Flexibilities. Use of average point scores instead of levels to measure uplift.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. Use of average point scores instead of levels to measure uplift. To express targets in terms of value added in particular where Special Needs Classes affect the results.
Freedoms and Flexibilities. The range of approaches identified above will require negotiating a more flexible definition of what counts as “attendance” and what counts as “education off site” We would seek the freedom to be able to vary current legislation (Statutory instrument 2089) in order to be able to credit children with attendance where they gain most of their education either offsite or at unusual times of the day, eg. after school from 4-6 p.m. or evening classes.
