The Comprehensive Spending Review has landed at last!
But can we breathe a sigh of relief? Rocket Science explores some of the implications of the CSR on our work over the coming months.
The long-awaited 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) and Pre Budget Report were finally launched amidst accusations of policy skulduggery between the political parties. Whilst many heads are still down poring over the minutiae, most of what the government announced did not come as a great shock. A number of independent and departmental reviews published over the preceding ten months had already laid the foundations for the CSR.
The team at Rocket Science has been casting more than a beady eye over the main recommendations, identifying common cross-cutting themes and assessing the implications for different parts of government, its intermediaries and, most importantly, our communities.
What we know is public spending is set to rise by £92 billion by March 2011. The Treasury are basing these long-term financial projections for the CSR on 2006 population figures produced by the ONS (due for publication on 27th October). However, we also know that local populations are being significantly under-counted, something Rocket Science is trying to understand better through adapting from the United States, a UK Drilldown programme which we are proposing to pilot with a group of strategic partners in East London. Just this week the Drilldown project in Detroit discovered 62,000 more people in the local population than had previously been estimated in the census. This in an area associated with average immigration patterns.
One of the biggest challenges facing public agencies will be how over the next three years they shape, deliver and maintain their services locally. Conveying the true story behind population figures and other hidden community assets must surely be a priority for local authorities if they are to make a case for improving their 1% funding increase allocation as well as attracting other sources of private investment.
You can find out more information on the CSR by clicking here and more information about Drilldown and our other services by contacting caroline.masundire@rocketsciencelab.co.uk.
You can get a quick update on what Rocket Science has been up to over the past few months and enter our regular competition further on in the newsletter. What follows are some brief insights on the CSR and some of its implications for our clients:
- John Griffiths gives a personal view on the 'employer engagement' challenge in the new skills and employment agenda.
- The economic development challenges facing Regional Development Agencies and local authorities were played out in the Review of Sub-National Economic Development (SNR) published in July this year. Has the CSR followed through with the resources needed to drive forward the review's recommendations? Andrew Carter gives you his thoughts.
- Take your pick! How are the new Public Service Agreements and streamlined performance indicators going to affect local service delivery? John Griffiths provides an overview of how these could play out through Local Area Agreements and what local partnerships need to be considering.
Rocket Science Update
People
Well it has been a busy summer period this year both in terms of project delivery and developing the capacity of our London team. We welcomed two new Associate Directors in our London office. Mark Morrin has joined us from Inclusion where he was Senior Research Manager. Mark will be building our expertise around welfare to work and working with London Director, Andrew Carter, to develop our work in the capital and surrounding regions. Caroline Masundire has also joined us to lead our business and market development activities across the country. She joins us from Ci Research/j4b.
Projects
We are delighted to have delivered and won some significant pieces of work in terms of policy shaping and profile raising over the past couple of months:
Investigating adult's attitudes to working with Children and Young in Scotland
The Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) has published the conclusions of a research study conducted by Rocket Science early this year, with adults across Scotland. The study, conducted with partner organisation George Street Research, surveyed 1100 adults across Scotland to explore attitudes towards contact with children and young people. The key aim of the research was to understand what considerations influence an adult's decision to have contact, work or volunteer with children and, in terms of any barriers, to explore ideas on how to alleviate any anxieties. Some 48% of adults surveyed said fear of being falsely accused of causing harm was a key barrier to contact with children and young people. This same fear also made adults much less likely to help when they saw a young person in danger or distress. The SCCYP is hoping this report will start the debate on how to encourage a framework for positive interaction across all ages and to explore how public services, agencies and the media can help to alleviate adult's concerns around their perceived risks of contact or work with children and young people. For more information on the report and the study or on our work within the children and young people's sector, contact debbie.adams@rocketsciencelab.co.uk.
V is for Volunteering - E is for Evaluation
We have been chosen by the national volunteering agency V to develop their evaluation framework. V will be managing a £150 million programme of activities for young people. For more information contact andrew.carter@rocketsciencelab.co.uk.
Going for gold
How can the Higher Education and Further Education sectors maximise opportunities to participate in and benefit from London's staging of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games? Podium, the Further and Higher Education Unit for the 2012 Games, has commissioned Rocket Science to help them develop a Business Opportunities Plan. For more information contact john.griffiths@rocketsciencelab.co.uk.
Places
Local Works (the annual gathering of practitioners involved in reducing worklessness and promoting job growth through local initiatives) takes place this year on 13th and 14th November in Sheffield. Rocket Science is working with Inclusion to shape the programme and deliver the event.
If you are interested in contributing or wish to attend, get in touch with Mark Morrin on 0207 253 6289 or email mark.morrin@rocketsciencelab.co.uk.
Competition
In which year was the first Comprehensive Spending Review published? Email answers to caroline.masundire@rocketsciencelab.co.uk by 31st October 2007.
The first correct answer to be drawn at random will win £25 of Oddbin vouchers.