Continuous Improvement
Inequalities in Moray
Implement Fairer Scotland Fund |
Milestone | Milestone Due Date | Milestone Note | Progress |
Production of initial Fairer Scotland Fund strategic assessment - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | Initial Fairer Scotland Fund strategic assessment has been produced. | 100 % |
Review content of strategic assessment to identify areas of deprivation - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | Key areas for ongoing research have been identified and undertaken (employability, financial inclusion). Through discussion key areas to concentrate on for tackling poverty were agreed as Financial Inclusion, Employability and health inequalities. Link with priority areas is used in ongoing assessment for funding proposals, shaped the content of the employability tender and the Financial Inclusion Strategy and Actions. | 100 % |
Employability research study complete. Write draft Employability Action Plan - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | Employability assessment completed and Employability action plan has been developed and agreed. Activity toward the actions underway. | 100 % |
Financial Inclusion seminar to receive feedback on local issues and agree priorities for Financial Inclusion Strategy - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | A Financial Inclusion Seminar was held on 5th June 2009 to seek the views of providers of financial services, services working with vulnerable groups 'at risk' or facing financial exclusion, and elected members. 47 delegates attended the event. The out come of this event will be the development of a Financial Inclusion Strategy for Moray, and the development of a Financial Inclusion Network. | 100 % |
Fairer Scotland Fund process for applicants launched (1st and 2nd round) - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | Process developed and 2 rounds of proposals were submitted by end of September. | 100 % |
Discussion with Moray Council Training department on development of MARS linking with existing apprenticeship scheme - Q1 | 30 Jun 2009 | MARS outline idea developed. Consultation undertaken with key stakeholders on idea. Feedback received. | 100 % |
Review Employability Research Study to identify areas of deprivation - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | Areas of deprivation identified and has been used to influence the development of the employability tender and ongoing developments through the project development groups (task group of the Employability Action Group). Employability survey with key stakeholders and the unemployed client groups will be undertaken to further influence decision making. | 100 % |
Consultation with other local authorities and experts on poverty indicators appropriate to rural areas. Fairer Scotland Fund team meeting with NHS regarding key areas for health related to poverty - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | Meeting with NHS Grampian held – key areas of measurement utilized by NHS identified.
Meeting of Tackling Poverty – Rural Network ( 21st September 2009) discussed potential ideas in relation to setting accurate poverty indicators for rural areas.
A scoping exercise by Heriot Watt University is being undertaken into the development of a poverty toolkit. Several Rural Local Authorities have been involved in the consultation. The Scottish Government have also commissioned work into the development of poverty indicators. | 100 % |
Finalise Employability Action Plan. Strategy drafted Employability tendering process complete. Draft surveys for unemployed people and local services to obtain feedback on current service provision - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | Employability action plan finalised and agreed. Employability tendering process complete and tender warded on 14th September 2009. Service implementation date 1st October 2009. Surveys drafted. | 100 % |
Research into services offering financial information and advice. Survey of local services to assess awareness of national financial organisations and online resources. Draft Financial Inclusion Strategy - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | The Fairer Scotland Fund team have produced a Financial Inclusion Directory, detailing services offering financial information and advice.
The team have also conducted a Financial Inclusion Survey. This targeted providers, and aimed to test their knowledge and awareness of local and national financial services. This was in response to the suggestion by many attending the Financial Inclusion Seminar that there was a lack of knowledge of the services available, and that there was an indication that national and on-line resources were not readily utilised.
The draft Financial Inclusion Strategy was presented at the Community Planning Board on 27/08/09. | 100 % |
First contracts for delivery under the fund agreed and finalised, 3rd round of funding launched - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | 7 projects approved for funding through 1st and 2nd. 2 Service level agreements agreed to date, 3 currently under discussion and 2 to be developed. 3rd round of funding proposals invited with a deadline of the 16th October. | 100 % |
Develop scheme outline and identify suitable funding streams including the FSF. Write and submit funding proposals - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | Scheme detail developed. Funding stream identified. Funding proposals written and submitted for: Lowlands and Uplands European Social Fund priory 2 – ‘progression through employment’ and the Department of Work and Pensions Future Jobs Fund. First round applications approved and second round submitted.
Funding sought from Fairer Scotland Fund – approved by the Social Inclusion Implementation group and Community Planning Board on 27th August 2009. Funding also approved from Moray Council Economic Development. | 100 % |
Identify and seek initial indications of interest from local employers - Q2 | 30 Sep 2009 | Employers have been advised of the project and indications of interest from 140 have been received across many occupational sectors including retail, health, construction, social enterprise and hospitality. | 100 % |
Development of list of potential poverty indicators and consultation process. Feedback and re-drafting of list - Q3 | 31 Dec 2009 | This milestone has not been achieved as specified and requires revision. Work is currently underway to provide an analysis of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2009 data. The Scottish Government commissioned work to establish a set of rural indicators to complement the National Performance Framework. These results are not yet published an in the meantime the landscape has changed due to the Scottish Governments new Rural Development Framework, which will go out for consultation in draft from in summer 2010. The FSF team are in the meantime working with the Tackling Poverty Rural network (identifying Poverty indicators sub group) on a Rural Indicators project which will look at measurements of rural poverty in partnership with other rural local authorities. The outcome of this work will be the production of a report which will be widely disseminated and read, aiming to collate current thinking on rural poverty indicators and to identify a programme of activity to effect change. It is hoped that this will be a springboard to further targeted action by practitioners. | 0 % |
Award Employability Tenders. Employability Surveys to gather information on focus of improvements to services. EAG Strategy group finalise Employability Strategy and distribute to CPP. Revise milestones for Q4 - Q3 | 31 Dec 2009 | Employability tender awarded and project underway. Project workplan completed. Servicer will focus on areas of deprivation as defined by the SIMD 2009. Initial activity report on activity completed. All data input into covalent to allow monitoring.
Employability surveys complete however, further activity is required due to low response rate from unemployed client groups. Milestone for Q 4 to reflect development of focus groups to engage with unemployed clients. Results from surveys utilised to shape the activity of the employability service. Employability Strategy has not been developed and will now be completed at Q4. | 50 % |
Financial Inclusion day to consult on strategy. Finalise Financial Inclusion Strategy and action Plan; distribute to CPP. Revise Q4 milestones based on content of Strategy - Q3 | 31 Dec 2009 | Consultation day on the Financial Inclusion Strategy took place (October 2009) and Financial Inclusion Strategy and Action plan completed and approved by the CPP Board. Financial Inclusion network now formed and sub groups developed. Strategic action identified and currently being developed. | 100 % |
Develop the FSF further - contracts from second round funding process awarded - Q3 | 31 Dec 2009 | Significant progress has been made in developing contracts from the second round of funding. The paperwork for 2 contracts from the second round of funding have now been completed and where relevant have been input into the Covalent Performance Management System. The 3 remaining contracts (Service Level Agreement and Workplans) are near completion. | 40 % |
Continue to develop MARS with partners and local employers - Q3 | 31 Dec 2009 | Second round process underway deadline for employers to complete paperwork (assuming they are still interested is the 17th December). 140 employers have noted interest. Future Jobs Fund funding proposal requires revision and will be resubmitted at 31st January 2010. Project due to start 1st May 2010. | 100 % |
Poverty indicators for Moray and method of tracking established - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |
Employability Action Group to complete review of Employability Strategy. Milestones for Q4 to be set in Q3. Set initial targets for 2010/11 - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |
Social Inclusion Implementation Group to review Financial Inclusion Strategy. Milestones for Q4 set in Q3. Feedback on method of communication of Financial Inclusion Network. Set initial targets for 2010/11 - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |
Contracts for 3rd round of funding awarded. Review and evaluation of impact of FSF complete. Review of Social Inclusion Strategy and FSF submission action plan complete. 75% funding awarded - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |
Continue development of MARS with partners and local employers - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |
Results of funding proposals received and implementation of MARS (May 2010) - Q4 | 31 Mar 2010 | not started | 0 % |