Chris Raftery for Scottish Government admits “Miscommunication from D&G Council” Reply to our questions 16-Feb but no definitive answers.

See reply 22-March and detailed request for clarification and release of all documents including identity of the academic evaluators.

on 3-Mar Chris Raftery wrote as follows:  Thank you for your recent e-mail. I appreciate your concerns.   I have to reiterate that the closure of the ARCs is not related to the test site activity. If, a member of D&G council has suggested this, then this was a mistake on their part and it is unfortunate that this has given the impression that it has done. We have been assured by the council that this is definitely a separate workstream, despite possible miscommunication from the council.

The miscommunication does not discredit the test site activity or the study. The test site evaluation will uncover any problems with the test sites. As, I explained in my previous e-mail, the test sites are there as a learning study both positive and negative. It is obvious from your concern, that a major piece of learning from this, is the need for effective communication to ensure no confusion between different work activity. This learning alone will be invaluable in the future because it demonstrates any future changes that Local Authorities undertake needs to be clearly communicated to everybody concerned, to avoid the distress that this can obviously have on individuals. D&G motives for their test site activity is to carry out work to increase the uptake of Direct Payments, which is a Scottish Government priority. They have entered into an agreement with the Scottish Government to ensure that all learning both positive and negative is shared with other Local Authorities. It is not reasonable for the Scottish Government to expect that any of the test site councils to halt other work in order to carry out this activity. All the test sites are subject to continuous evaluation and monitoring as the test site progresses. For the reasons outlined above the test site activity will continue.

We understand the demography and geography of Wigtownshire and that of wider Dumfries and Galloway. This was a major criterion for the council being selected as a test site. The point of this, is that we know there are different issues that effect people in different locations. The D&G test site, will alone provide one perspective but with the other 2 test site areas, we can build a bigger picture to help inform our future direction. Also, D&G’s test site action plan is to initially start work in Wigtownshire and then expand this further across other areas of D&G. We are confident that the data both quantitative and qualitative will be statistically valid and this is the role of the independent evaluators, who have good experience with this type of work.

I am happy to provide all the documents that you have requested formally, which as you will appreciate will take the full amount of time under FoI. However, I am also aware that you are eager for the information as soon as possible.  Therefore, if you would rather I can provide you now with  the criteria for the test sites, which was agreed with COSLA. This is the primary document that outlines our assumptions for the 3 test sites. I can also provide a copy of D&Gs recently re-evaluated action plan. I am also happy to contact our evaluators, to ask if they are happy for me to release their tender bid to the Scottish Government. This would be exempt under a formal FoI request as it contains commercially sensitive information, however I think this will help you. I am happy to ask them, if you wish but they do have the right to refuse this request. These are the three most important documents, however we do hold other information, which is of much less significance and tend to be work in progress as such. These documents will need to be subject to further analysis of whether they are exempt from FoI for reasons such as commercial sensitivity or advice to Ministers. I am unsure at this point, whether the costs for the request you have made would be within the FoI limits, my initial analysis is that it would be out with these limits. We would be happy to look at this formally for you, should you wish but I am confident the documents, I am prepared to send you now would be sufficient for your questions. Please let me know how you wish to proceed.

Again, with regards to your statements about the proposed ARC closures, please could you direct them directly to D&G. unfortunately, I am unable to provide advice on this issue.

With regards to your concerns about the local management of the test site. All three test sites have had challenges with progress in the first year as test sites, this is something the Scottish Government can learn from. All three test sites are committed to accelerate their progress in the second year to compensate for a slower than expected start. One of the three key themes of the test site activity and therefore the evaluation is leadership and training. Therefore the approaches to leadership of all test sites will be evaluated and will form part of the evaluation. I have to state at this point, the evaluation will look at the organisations approach and not individual staff members.

I have contacted the researchers and I understand that some individuals who are concerned about the ARC proposals and the test sites will form part of the evaluation. It is for the evaluators to ensure that appropriate views form part of the evaluation. As the evaluators are independent and the Scottish Government do not wish to influence their work, we will not pass on their details. The evaluation is separate from any other work and has been commissioned by the Scottish Government, last year. D&G have had no input into the specification of the evaluation, how it is conducted or the selection of the tender bids. A pre-requisite of a council becoming a test site, is that they allow full access to the independent evaluators to all the test work. To date, we are content that evaluators have been given the access they require within D&G.

Unfortunately, we cannot publish your correspondence on our website. We only promote the policies and work of the Scottish Government. We do publish summaries of consultation responses, following the end of the consultation. However, the responses that we have had to date, would not be published as they are not specifically in response to the consultation. As, I stated in my previous e-mail the authors of the paper you refer are not involved, nor do they have a remit in this area of work. This paper is purely incorporated as an annex as an illustration of co-production. Therefore, I cannot forward your concerns on directly to them. Since my previous e-mail, I have ensured you are placed on both SDS and Changing Lives/personalisation, consultations lists.

I hope this is helpful.   Many thanks

Chris

Chris Raftery

Scottish Government  Adult Care and Support  0131 244 5492 email: Chris.Raftery@scotland.gsi.gov.uk