Introduction
1.
This
report presents the findings of an evaluation of the Wales Social
Partners Unit, focusing on its performance in relation to the
contract to facilitate Social Partners’ engagement with the
Welsh Government. At the request of the Welsh Government a service
review was also carried out as part of this project.
2.
The
Wales Social Partners Unit was created in September 2001 to provide
services that improve the engagement of the business representative
bodies in Wales and the Wales TUC (the Social Partners) with the
Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales.
3.
The WSPU
is wholly funded by the Welsh Government under a contract secured
through competitive tender. Its members are the CBI, FSB, Chamber
Wales, EEF Cymru, FPB and the Wales TUC. Its main aims are
to:
o
Facilitate the
interface between the Social Partners and the Welsh
Government;
o
Provide
an impartial and comprehensive research and evaluation service to
the Social Partners;
o
Operate
effectively with a wide range of partner organisations
o
Assist
in the development and maintenance of the Social Partner
network.
4.
The WSPU
provides these services after winning a competitive Welsh
Government for a three year contract that ends on 18 January
2014.
5.
The
programme of research for the evaluation included desk
research to explore original aims and objectives of the WSPU
services; an electronic survey of the WSPU members and
service users which focused on beneficiaries views’ on the
quality and relevance of the WSPU services; and fieldwork
consisting of qualitative interviews with users of WSPU services,
WSPU staff and board members, and Welsh government
officials.
Awareness
and use of the WSPU services
6.
Information and
research services provided by the WSPU are used extensively by the
core group of Social Partners. The services are well developed,
valued and tailored to user needs. Awareness of the services
– and how they are funded – is very high amongst Social
Partners who contributed to the evaluation.
7.
Social Partners
noted that the information and research services help guide and
inform day-to-day activities within their respective organisations
and keep them ‘in the loop’ regarding ongoing
events and policy debates.
“The
detailed and filtered reports form Plenary and other releases from
Welsh Government are invaluable to my organisation. The work of the
WSPU is essential in providing support to a number of committees
providing cohesive responses to the Welsh Government. It would make
it extremely difficult to provide, consistent and organised,
industry responses and input to the Welsh Government without the
benefit of the WSPU.” (Social Partner survey
respondent)
8.
Social Partners also
disseminate the information received more widely. As a consequence,
information services provided by the WSPU extend beyond the core
group of service users and further contribute to direct greater
Social Partner engagement and the development of additional
networks.
9.
Awareness and use of
the WSPU’s service across Welsh Government departments is
considerably less well developed. There is some confusion regarding
the specific roles of the WSPU and its name amongst some officials.
THE WSPU outlined that it was now taking a more proactive approach
to engagement with the Welsh Government as a result of the recent
Business Scheme review.
10. There is consensus that ensuring
greater use by Welsh Government officials of WSPU’s knowledge
and networks to support Social Partner engagement should be a
priority moving forward. Some officials had recently met, or made
contact with, the WSPU and saw it as the beginning of ‘a
more constructive approach to working with the WSPU and Social
Partners more generally’.
Effectiveness
and value of the WSPU services
11. There are high levels of
satisfaction regarding the value of the services currently provided
by the WSPU among Social Partners who contributed to the
evaluation. Almost all Social Partners agree that the WSPU provides
an impartial and comprehensive research service and the Unit is
seen as a trusted and authoritative source of information and
valued for its independence.
“The high
quality of the service given by WSPU is representative of the wide
experience which exists within the Unit. The staff at WSPU have
always been keen to ensure that the information they provide is
relevant and accessible which means that I am able to distribute it
to my members in certainty of its quality.” (Social Partner
survey respondent)
12. The services currently provided
by the WSPU have contributed to providing additional capacity for
Social Partners, particularly the smaller organisations, to operate
and engage more effectively. Social Partners outlined that the
services enable them to keep up to date with policy developments,
while saving time and resources for their organisations and
members.
13. Social Partners consider that
the WSPU has contributed to better engagement between Social
Partners and the National Assembly and Welsh Government by acting
as an interface between them. Contributors to the evaluation
outlined that the WSPU has brought diverse organisations together,
establishing common ground, and contributing to developing a united
voice for the Social Partners on some policy issues.
“This information and the
support and advice given by WSPU has not only increased our own
interaction with Government and the Assembly but crucially, has
facilitated our engagement with other social partners in Wales.
WSPU have been excellent at keeping us abreast of the priorities
and issues affecting the social partners and assisting our
understanding of Government priorities and processes.”
(Social Partner survey respondent)
14. Effective management structures
have been put in place by the WSPU and the Board of Directors
ensures accountability and transparency. The Board consists of
representatives from Social Partner organisations who therefore
have ownership of the organisation and are responsible for
overseeing the management of the Unit’s work
15. The evaluation found a
range of opinion among Welsh Government officials on the value and
effectiveness of the services currently delivered by the WSPU.
Overall, there was a recognition of the value of services but also
a view that more work needs to be done to ensure that the benefits
are enjoyed by Welsh Government departments as well as by Social
Partners.
The
WSPU’s performance against contractual
requirements
16. Evidence collected during this
evaluation indicates that the WSPU has successfully met the aims
and objectives of its contract with the Welsh Government. The
WSPU’s monitoring and information services are of high
quality and of relevance to the needs of Social
Partners.
17. The services currently provided
by the WSPU have contributed to the maintenance and development of
the network of Social Partners allowing all voices and sectors to
be heard – both within the network, and in terms of
engagement with the Welsh Government
18. In view of the lack of directly
comparable services, it is difficult to carry out a value for money
assessment of the services provided by the WSPU. However the
model currently delivered is seen by service users as being cost
effective and delivering added value to Social Partners.
19. The Welsh focus of the services
provided by the WSPU; their impartiality and independence; and the
level of trust developed across the network as a result of their
provision were considered to have provided additional capacity and
engagement opportunities for the Social Partners.
“WSPU gives
us a much more Welsh focus and an understanding of the Welsh
mind-set which is crucial when identifying relevant information and
advice.” (Social Partner)
20. For Welsh Government officials,
however, more work was needed to ensure that the Welsh Government
also sees the benefit of services. While services has been
delivered according to the contractual terms on a request basis,
officials considered a more proactive role from the WSPU or another
organisation delivering these services in future would be
beneficial.
“There is
still progress to be made to deliver more value for the Welsh
Government [from these services]. At the heart of this is the role
of WSPU and its potential value to Welsh Government officials and
departments. This needs to be communicated far better and there
should be better working protocols and the WSPU to take a more
proactive approach – observing, analysing and facilitating
rather than simple monitoring.” (Welsh Government
official)
21. The high value placed on the
services by the Social Partners and the potential for rebalancing
the services to improve engagement with the Welsh Government
suggest that there is a rationale for their continuation. A
refreshed Business Scheme, plus a contract focused on proactive
engagement with the Welsh Government and continued high quality
services to the Social Partners, will be key to maintaining the
value and effectiveness of this engagement.
Future
Services
22. An overwhelming majority of
Social Partners who responded to the evaluation consider that there
is a continued need for dedicated services to support Social
Partner engagement in Wales.
23. The majority of Social Partners
also considered that discontinuing the services currently delivered
by the WSPU would have a negative impact on their levels of
engagement with the National Assembly and Welsh
Government.
24. Welsh Government officials also
supported the need for services to promote Social Partner
engagement. Some officials take the view that the services
delivered under the contract by the Welsh Government could place a
greater emphasis on building capacity among Social Partners to
engage with the Welsh Government.
25. Both Social Partners and Welsh
Government officials considered that there was scope for either
additional services to be provided or for a rebalancing of the
services delivered by the WSPU or any future service provider
during the next contractual period.
26. Additional potential services
and roles could include maintaining and enhancing the
core elements of the information service; playing a lead role in
supporting more focused meetings of the Council for Economic
Renewal; more targeted and strategically-focused research support
services; and more proactive and targeted approaches to
engagement.
27. There was an acknowledgement
that the Welsh Government has a key role to play in this process
and in making clear its own expectations and requirements as part
of the next contractual agreement from 2014 onwards.
“WSPU plays an important
role in supporting social partner engagement with Welsh Government
but the quality of this work is dictated to an extent by the
commitment of Welsh Government departments. Some areas of
government are better than others at engaging so it follows that
the WSPU service would be enhanced greatly by a more joined-up and
consistent system of engagement from the Welsh
Government.”(Social Partner survey
respondent)
Recommendations
Recommendation
1: An overwhelming majority
of Social Partners who responded to the evaluation consider that
there is a continued need for dedicated services to support social
partner engagement in Wales. Evidence suggests high levels of
satisfaction and that the WSPU has met its contractual
requirements, indicating that the services delivered are well
developed, effective and highly valued by Social Partners. These
services should therefore continue to be funded by the Welsh
Government and delivered in support of the Business
Scheme.
Recommendation
2: Evidence suggests that
there is a case for the Welsh Government to review the overall
profile and delivery of services provided in order to both ensure
Social Partners and its own departments and officials benefit
further from these services. This will ensure that they
balance the need to support the capacity of Social Partners to
engage effectively with the Welsh Government while ensuring added
value for Welsh Government officials.
Recommendation
3: Future service contracts should
therefore place greater emphasis on a more proactive and targeted
approach to engagement from service providers. This should include
regular meetings between the Welsh Government and any future
service provider and agreed monitoring processes to reflect
progress. The Welsh Government has a key role to play in this by
making clear its own expectations and requirements as part of the
next contractual agreement from 2014 onwards.
Recommendation
4: In reviewing the
services, there is a particular need to take account of the
perceived value of the core information services (notably the
weekly summaries of Assembly business) and the resources required
to deliver these services which provide a crucial initial point of
information for many Social Partners, particularly smaller
organisations.
Recommendation
5: Early engagement is seen
as paramount for both Social Partners and Welsh Government
officials who contributed to the review. Future service providers
could therefore place a greater emphasis on building capacity among
Social Partners towards early engagement with the Welsh Government.
This could potentially entail a shift in emphasis to more tailored
and strategic work with Social Partners, including by providing
more targeted support to Social Partners in planning and
preparation for CER meetings
Recommendation
6: Evidence underlines a
specific need to raise awareness of the WSPU and the services it
provides across Welsh Government departments. While actions are
already underway to formalise links between departments and Social
Partners, the WSPU or any future service provider should consider
what additional proactive steps it can take to raise its profile.
This could include developing guidance or good practice case
studies in Social Partner engagement. The Welsh Government should
also play a key role in this process, supporting any future service
provider to engage effectively across Welsh Government departments
and ensuring senior level support for such engagement.
Recommendation 7:
As the WSPU staff
continue to establish contacts with Welsh Government officials
across departments, discussions should focus on the type of
services and practical support any future service provider can
offer Welsh Government officials. This will contribute to ensuring
that the service provider is used as an effective engagement
mechanism, as recommended in the Review of the Business
Scheme.
Recommendation
8: Evidence suggests that
Social Partners value the WSPU’s impartiality and the fact
that the services focus specifically on Welsh policy and
programmes. Any similar future services to support Social Partner
engagement should therefore remain independent of the Welsh
Government and focus on the needs of the Social Partners in
Wales.
Recommendation 9:
Following on from
the recommendation in the Review of the Business Scheme, any
future service provider should use its expertise and networks to
play a lead role in supporting more focused meetings of the Council
for Economic Renewal. The Welsh Government should facilitate this
by working with any future service provider to clarify roles and
functions in facilitating more focused discussions through the
CER.
Recommendation
10: While the WSPU
may be a recognisable brand for the organisations it has served for
over a decade, its identity and profile still need to be raised
among a number of key Welsh Government partners. Looking ahead,
future service providers may wish to consider whether a rebranding
of the services is necessary to achieve this.
Recommendation
11: Any significant changes
proposed to the services provided by any future service provider
should be accompanied by a detailed assessment of current
resources. This assessment should ensure that there is enough
capacity and suitable skills within a staff team to be able to
deliver services to the highest quality.
The Wales Social
Partners Unit (WSPU) commissioned Arad to undertake an evaluation
of its performance in relation to the contract to facilitate Social
Partners’ engagement with the Welsh Government. At the
request of the Welsh Government a service review was also carried
out as part of this project. This report presents the findings of
the research, carried out between April and July 2013.
The Wales Social
Partners Unit was created in September 2001 to provide services
that improve the engagement of the business representative bodies
in Wales and the Wales TUC (the social partners) with the Welsh
Government and the National Assembly for Wales. The WSPU is wholly
funded by the Welsh Government under a contract secured through
competitive tender. Its members are the CBI, FSB, Chamber Wales,
EEF Cymru, FPB and the Wales TUC. Its main aims are to:
o
Facilitate the
interface between the Social Partners and the Welsh
Government;
o
Provide
an impartial and comprehensive research and evaluation service to
the Social Partners;
o
Operate
effectively with a wide range of partner organisations
o
Assist
in the development and maintenance of the Social Partner
network.
The WSPU provides
these services after winning a competitive Welsh Government tender
for a three year contract that ends on 18 January 2014.
The specification
for the evaluation noted that the review should examine:
o
the
extent to which WSPU has met the aims and objectives of the
contract;
o
the cost
effectiveness of WSPU’s services;
o
the
experiences of customer organisations, including the Welsh
Government, in their dealings with WSPU.
In addition to an
evaluation of the performance of the existing contract the review
considered the following questions:
·
Is the
service provided under the contract valued by the social partners
and the Welsh Government?
·
Is the
service providing additional benefits and lasting/meaningful
improvements to engagement and facilitation?
·
Is there
a rationale for the Welsh Government supporting social partner
engagement and facilitation through the continued commissioning of
such a service?
·
Are
there clear accountability and governance structures in place for
delivery of the contract?
·
Does the
service provided under the contract offer value for money and are
the benefits realised as a result of the service being in place
greater than might be obtained by providing funding in an
alternative way to support social partner engagement and
facilitation?
·
What
lessons have been learnt to date regarding provision of the
service, for example in relation to models of delivery and capacity
of partners to deliver, and is there a need to amend the
service?
·
Are
there evidence-based recommendations that can be made for future
improvements to the service?
During an
initial meeting between the Arad research team and WSPU staff a
number of themes and topics were identified. These would serve both
to organise and present evidence, and provide additional context to
the review. These themes were:
o
Awareness and use of
the WSPU services
o
Effectiveness and
value of the WSPU services
o
Future
services
The programme of
research included the following tasks:
i.
Desk
researchto explore original
aims of and objectives of the WSPU services as well as possible
changes to services in the light of the Business Scheme
Review;
ii.
Fieldwork:
Survey of the WSPU members and service users
·
An
electronic survey of WSPU services beneficiaries. Topics covered in
the survey linked to the three themes outlined above and included a
focus on beneficiaries views’ on the quality and relevance of
the WSPU services and their impact on their organisations and
engagement with the Welsh Government. The survey was sent to 115
individuals who receive information from the WSPU. 42
responses were received, with 39 of those responses sufficiently
complete to form part of the analysis. This represents a good
response rate (34 per cent) and is at a similar level to the number
of responses received during previous evaluations of the WSPU (2007
and 2010).
iii.
Fieldwork:
Interviews with key stakeholders
·
Qualitative
interviews with users of WSPU services; WSPU staff and board members;
and Welsh Government officials. 16 interviews (including nine
with Welsh Government officials) were carried out in total either
face-to-face or by telephone. A semi-structured interview guide was
developed to help steer these interviews, again based on the three
main themes of the evaluation,
We would like to
place on record our thanks to all those who contributed their time
and effort to this evaluation. All contributions – both
written submissions and contributions during interviews –
were greatly appreciated and provided the team with valuable
evidence upon which to base this report and its
findings.
The WSPU provides a
range of key services designed to facilitate and build capacity for
engagement between the Social Partners and the Welsh Government.
This section of the report focuses on the awareness and use of the
WSPU services by WSPU members and Social Partners and Welsh
Government officials.
2.1.1
Awareness among WSPU
members and Social Partners
Survey
responses indicate a very good level of awareness of the services
currently provided by the WSPU among those who are on the
organisation’s distribution list (see Annexe 1, figure 1 for
results). Given that the
WSPU has been providing broadly similar services to members and
Social Partners since 2001 it is perhaps unsurprising that levels
of awareness are so high.
In
summary:
·
31 out
of 38 respondents (82 per cent) indicated they were aware of the
WSPU’s aims and objective of assisting with the development
and maintenance of the Social Partner network;
·
Almost
all respondents (37 out of 38 or 97 per cent) noted that they were
aware of the WSPU’s role to ‘facilitate the
interface’ between the Social Partners and the Welsh
Government’.
Some survey
respondents commented further that they were ‘fully aware
of the role played in arranging ongoing consultation and engagement
[with the Welsh Government]’. Another noted that, since
meeting up with the WSPU staff, they were now well aware of the
organisation’s aims and objectives and the support they
provide ‘to fellow trade federations’. This
underlines the importance of direct contact between the WSPU and
Social Partners in communicating the unit’s functions and the
extent of its links with the network of Social
Partners.
Furthermore,
respondents demonstrated a good awareness of how the services
delivered by the WSPU were funded: 32 out of 37 respondents (86 per
cent) were aware that WSPU delivers services under contract to the
Welsh Government. A number of questionnaire respondents
commented that the WSPU had explained how the services were funded
when they had initially established contact with them. In
follow up interviews several Social Partner representatives
acknowledged the role that the Welsh Government is playing by
investing in wider engagement with the business community through
the WSPU.
2.1.2
Awareness among
Welsh Government officials
Arad conducted
interviews with senior civil servants from a range of Welsh
Government departments.
These interviews revealed very mixed levels of awareness of the
WSPU and the services it provides amongst these officials.
Some of the officials interviewed had good knowledge of the
type of support and services provided by the WSPU and were able to
provide recent examples of contact with the team as well as plans
to work with them in future.
In
addition, where there had been contact between officials and the
WSPU, there was a sense that there was scope to build on these
links; and to build ‘Social Partner engagement’ more
effectively into policy and programme design and delivery.
There was awareness among some officials that this work has begun,
driven largely by the review of the Business Scheme, to identify
departmental leads for Social Partner engagement.
WSPU
representatives also outlined that they were now taking a more
proactive approach to engagement with the Welsh Government as a
result of the Business Scheme review. With the support of the Welsh
Government they outlined that they have recently contacted around
20 officials. Some officials had recently met, or made contact
with, the WSPU as a consequence and saw it as the beginning of
‘a more constructive approach to working with the WSPU and
Social Partners more generally’.
“I was
asked to attend a meeting with other representatives from
departments to be the Welsh Government’s link with the WSPU.
So far, I have only attended one meeting but I am now fully aware
of what the WSPU does and the services it provides to social
partners.” (Welsh Government official)
Other
officials, however, acknowledged they had limited awareness of the
WSPU’s role and the services it is contracted to deliver.
Those officials who noted that they were not aware of the WSPU,
explained that they had not had contact with staff at the
Unit. In most cases these officials noted that they had
direct links with business representatives and trades unions and
were unsure as to the added value that the WSPU could potentially
provide.
“If you
want me to use [the services provided by the WSPU] I need to know
what they’re for and how they can benefit us in delivering
programmes and business”. (Welsh Government
official)
The
name Wales Social Partners Unit also created some confusion among
several officials. One noted that his understanding was that the
Unit’s members included both the private sector and trade
unions, and that to him, the term Social Partners did not
convey this well. Another official, who had little knowledge
of the WSPU, assumed that it provided services to support
‘social enterprises’.
Notwithstanding
recent activity to strengthen direct links between the WSPU and
Welsh Government departments, this current lack of awareness
illustrates a need to ensure there is clear awareness among
officials of the functions and potential benefits of the services
delivered by the WSPU to them. In later sections of this
report, we consider some potential further actions that could be
taken to improve links between the WSPU, or any organisation
delivering similar services in future, and the Welsh
Government.
2.2.1
Use of the WSPU
services by WSPU members and Social Partners
WSPU members
and Social Partners were asked to indicate how often they use the
WSPU services through the survey (see Annexe 1, figure 2 for
results). In summary:
·
Email
summaries were the most frequently used services, with 35 out of 38
respondents (92 per cent) using the Weekly Summaries of
forthcoming National Assembly Business;
·
28 out
of 37 respondents (76 per cent) used the email service relating
to Welsh Government, National Assembly for Wales, Wales Office and
WEFO activities while 25 out of 36 respondents (69 per cent)
used e-mailed Targeted National Assembly for Wales (NAW)
Committee excerpts frequently;
·
16 out
of 34 respondents (47 per cent) of respondents frequently asked for
client specific information and advice while a further 8 (23 per
cent) used this service occasionally;
·
The
website and Twitter feeds were the least used
‘services’. 4 out of 34 respondents (12 per cent)
frequently used the website, with a further 15 (44 per cent)
occasionally using the website. 5 out of 33 respondents (15 per
cent) frequently used the Twitter feeds, with a further 12 (36 per
cent) occasionally and 12 (36 per cent) never using the Twitter
feeds.
This data is consistent with
the findings of the previous evaluation of the WSPU. In 2010,
the email-based summaries of forthcoming Assembly business were
also identified as the service used most frequently by Social
Partners.
This suggests that service users continue to see the value of the
information provided. Social Partners noted that the
summaries and the information contained helps guide and inform
day-to-day activities within their respective organisations and
keep them ‘in the loop’ regarding ongoing events
and policy debates.
“The detailed and filtered
reports form Plenary and other releases from Welsh Government are
invaluable to my organisation. The work of the WSPU is essential in
providing support to a number of committees providing cohesive
responses to the WG. It would make it extremely difficult to
provide, consistent and organised, industry responses and input to
the WG without the benefit of the WSPU.”
(Social
Partner survey respondent)
The WSPU reported that it has
adapted the information services it provides, taking into account
feedback from users, to ensure these services remain relevant to
user needs. The data suggests that users also continue to
appreciate the opportunity to request specific or bespoke
information. 24 out of 34 who answered noted that they have
asked for client specific information, indicating the readiness of
WSPU staff to be responsive to the individual needs of
organisations.
Use of the WSPU’s Twitter
feed and website services is fairly low among those who responded
to the questionnaire. Qualitative evidence outlines that this may
largely be due to the regularity of the email services, and the
quality and relevance of the information provided therein.
Nevertheless there is some lack of awareness regarding these
elements of the WSPU services and strategies to promote them, and
the additional information and resources they provide, could
therefore be enhanced.
“I have
not made use of the Twitter stream to date because the e-mail
service is so comprehensive and reliable.” (Social Partner
survey respondent)
This raises
questions about the added value of the Twitter feed to those
organisations included on the WSPU’s main distribution
lists. However, the dissemination of information via Twitter
ensures that the WSPU’s services reach out to a far wider
network of individuals and institutions, spanning higher education,
social enterprises, media organisations, private and public sector
organisations. This evaluation has not sought to collect the views
of the WSPU’s Twitter followers who are not included on the
main distribution lists.
Section 3 of
this report explores further evidence on the effectiveness and
value of these services and shows the clear links between the
levels of usage of various services and the value that the WSPU
members and Social Partners assign to them.
2.2.2
Use of services by
category of Social Partner
WSPU recognise
the different interests of the organisations they serve by grouping
them according to three categories:
-
Category A
includes WSPU’s core clients;
-
Category B
lists organisations that come within the wider social partner group
(as defined by WSPU), but who are not core clients;
-
Category C
includes organisations and clients who have requested information
from WSPU but who are not included in the narrow definition of
social partners.
39
survey responses received were divided as follows between these
categories:
|
Category
A
|
17
|
|
Category
B
|
14
|
|
Category
C
|
8
|
Analysis of
responses by category shows that, overall, Category A and B
organisations are proportionally more frequent users of weekly
summaries of Forthcoming National Assembly Business:
- 15 out of 17
Category A respondents noted they use the weekly summaries
frequently, with the remaining 2 respondents from this Category
using them occasionally. 14 of the 15 frequent users evaluated the
service as ‘very beneficial’.
- 13 out of 14
Category B respondents noted they use the weekly summaries
frequently. Of this Category 13 out of 14 reported the summaries as
‘very beneficial’.
- 6 out of 8
Category C respondents indicated frequent use of weekly summaries,
5 of these indicated they were ‘very
beneficial’.
Responses reporting the
frequency of use of client specific information and advice
indicated that a higher proportion of Category A respondents use
this service more frequently than Category B and C respondents.
More specifically 10 out of 17 Category A respondents indicated
frequent use of client specific information and advice, compared
with 4 out of 14 Category B respondents and 2 out of 8 respondents
from Category C.
2.2.3
Wider communication and use of WSPU services
Previous evaluations of the
WSPU have found that the information disseminated by the
Unit’s staff reaches beyond the immediate target audience.
Data collected from current service users also indicates that users
of WSPU services forward materials they receive to
colleagues within their own organisation as well as individuals in
other organisations. This demonstrates that the use of WSPU service
is not confined to the individuals or organisations on the
WSPU’s own distribution list.
Survey respondents outlined a
number of reasons for passing on this information. These included
aiming to generate greater awareness of the work of the Welsh
Government amongst colleagues and partners; using it increase
communication and networking processes and promoting direct
interaction from their membership.
“While
information is circulated to all staff members by WSPU as a matter
of course, I sometimes forward to other individuals within the
organisation with commentary. This enables us to further debate
around specific subjects without having to trawl for information on
the Welsh Government's website. I also occasionally forward the
material to third parties that are carrying out work for us. This
enables us to have a steady stream of communication that can be
relied upon.”
Table 1: Do you
forward any of the material you receive from WSPU to the
following:
|
|
Yes,
frequently
|
Yes,
occasionally
|
No
|
|
Other individuals within your
organisation?
|
17
|
15
|
4
|
|
Individuals in other
organisations?
|
4
|
20
|
12
|
Source:
Survey of WSPU service users
It
is interesting to note the use of services provided by the WSPU to
stimulate internal discussion among Social Partners about specific
policies or issues. In addition to saving time for member
organisations (through the provision of summary information),
Social Partners also reported that services provided by the WSPU
also serve to generate ideas and topics for ongoing debate. As
such, the Unit’s work contributes to raising levels of
engagement of Social Partners.
2.2.4 Use
of the WSPU services by Welsh Government officials
The
majority of officials interviewed stated that they had not used
services provided by the WSPU to date. There was a general feeling
among officials that the WSPU has focused mainly on its role as a
conduit of information from the Welsh Government out to Social
Partners and in enabling Social Partners to speak with a more
coordinated voice on certain matters. Representatives from the WSPU
noted that under the terms of their contract they have only been
required to provide these services ‘upon
request’.
WSPU
representatives did acknowledge, however, that the review of the
Business Scheme is placing more emphasis on Welsh Government
officials using their services. As reported in section 2.1.2 this
process is linked to efforts to raise awareness within the Welsh
Government of the roles of the WSPU. Some officials expressed a
view that there are now opportunities for the WSPU to engage more
effectively with various Welsh Government departments and that
there are indications that this is beginning to
happen.
For
example since becoming aware of the service, one department has
been able to send important information to the WSPU to disseminate
to its members. Now that they are aware of the WSPU they intend to
use it as part of future consultation activity, including the
process of consulting on a Skills Strategy for Older People.
Another official noted that he is keen to explore opportunities to
improve links with Social Partners as part of their efforts to
improve early engagement with business and with
communities.
“When new
bills or policies are being developed, we would clearly benefit
from a better understanding of the view from the private sector as
proposals are being worked through”. (Welsh Government
official)
Discussions with officials
revealed that they would appreciate further opportunities to tap
into the WSPU’s knowledge and networks. Several
interviewees noted that greater and more effective use of the
WSPU’s services and expertise by the Welsh Government is
important in order for the WSPU to demonstrate its full value and
maximize its impact. This view is shared by the WSPU’s
Board and WSPU representatives outlined that a more proactive
approach to engage with the Welsh Government was now being
undertaken.
2.2.5
Summary conclusions from this section
|
-
Services provided by
the WSPU continue to be used extensively by the core group of
Social Partners;
-
The services are
well developed and valued and tailored to user needs. Awareness of
the services – and how they are funded – is very high
amongst Social Partners;
-
Social Partners also
disseminate the information received more widely; as a consequence,
information services provided by the WSPU extend beyond the core
group of service users and further contribute to Social Partner
engagement;
-
Awareness and use of
WSPU’s service across Welsh Government departments is
considerably less well developed; an increased focus is currently
being placed on this.
-
There is consensus
that ensuring greater use by Welsh Government officials of
WSPU’s knowledge and networks to support Social Partner
engagement should be a priority moving forward.
|
This section of the
report focuses on the effectiveness and value of the WSPU services,
and the respective views of WSPU members, Social Partners and Welsh
Government officials. The section examines views regarding the
quality, effectiveness and accessibility provided by the WSPU;
their relevance in terms of meeting the needs of Social Partner
organisations; the potential efficiencies gained in time and
resources for organisations and enabling them to better serve their
members; and the contribution of the WSPU services to better
engagement between the Social Partners and the Welsh
Government
Overall, survey responses
indicate a high level of satisfaction with the WSPU services among
Social Partners (see Annexe 1, figure 3 for results). In
summary:
·
Email
summaries of forthcoming National Assembly Business are most
beneficial to respondents. 33 out of 38 survey respondents (87 per
cent) indicated summaries are ‘very beneficial’ with 5
out of 38 (13 per cent) indicating they are ‘beneficial at
times’.
·
Email
services relating to Welsh Government, National Assembly for Wales,
Wales Office and WEFO activities were considered ‘very
beneficial’ by 25 out of 37 survey respondents (68 per cent),
with a further 8 (22 per cent) considering them to be
‘beneficial at times.’
·
23 out
of 36 respondents (64 per cent) considered the e-mailed Targeted
National Assembly for Wales (NAW) Committee excerpts to be
‘very beneficial’ while a further 8 (22 per cent)
indicated that they were ‘beneficial at
times’
·
20 out
of 35 respondents (57 per cent) indicated that client specific
services were ‘very beneficial, while a further 4 (11 per
cent) indicated that they were ‘beneficial at times’.
11 out of the 35 respondents (31 per cent) had not used these
services.
·
Twitter
feeds and the website were reported as the least beneficial
services, relative to other services. 5 out of 34 respondents (15
per cent) reported the Twitter feeds as ‘very
beneficial’, 13 (38 per cent) ‘beneficial at
times’ and 13 (38 per cent) had not used the
service.
·
The
website was considered to be very beneficial by 7 out of 35
respondents (20 per cent), beneficial at times by 14 respondents
(30 per cent) and 12 of the respondents (34 per cent) had not used
the service.
·
32 out
of 38 respondents (84 per cent) indicated the services currently
provided by the WSPU complement other forms of engagement between
social partners and Welsh Government.
·
All Social Partners
who responded to the questionnaire consider that WSPU services are
easy to access.
These high levels of
satisfaction were also reflected in survey responses to a range of
further questions relating to the effectiveness and value of the
services provided by the WSPU. Respondents provided additional
qualitative evidence and specific examples of the services provided
by the WSPU that they valued. These are presented below and linked
to the main aims and objectives of the services currently delivered
by the WSPU under its contract with the Welsh
Government.
3.1.1
Providing an
impartial and comprehensive research and evaluation service to the
Social Partners
A clear
majority of survey respondents (25 out of 38, or 66 per cent)
‘strongly agreed’ that services currently provided by
the WSPU have enabled their organisation to be better informed of
Welsh Government policy development processes while a further 12
(32 per cent) ‘agreed’ (see Annexe 1, figure 4). The
WSPU can be therefore seen to be delivering on one of its key
overall aims and objectives relating to the provision of
comprehensive research services to its members and Social
Partners.
Survey
respondents outlined that the services provided by the WSPU are a
‘good source’ of information for key issues of interest
and that they were kept ‘up to date’ with current
issues. The high levels of satisfaction also related to the quality
of information services received, and 36 out of 38 of survey
respondents (95 per cent) either strongly agreed or agreed that the
services are of a consistently high quality (see Annexe 1, figure
5).
“The high
quality of the service given by WSPU is representative of the wide
experience which exists within the Unit. The staff at WSPU have
always been keen to ensure that the information they provide is
relevant and accessible which means that I am able to distribute it
to my members in certainty of its quality.”
(Social Partner
survey respondent)
Some organisations
reported planning much
of their work programme around the content of WSPU email services,
particularly the ‘forthcoming business’ services. They
outlined that this has enabled them to keep up to date with policy
developments, while saving time and resources for their
organisations and members.
Other organisations
noted the importance of the tailored research services provided by
the WSPU which also brought benefits to their members.
Specific
examples of this outlined by Social Partners included briefing
papers on education in Wales; information about the progress
of the Social Care and Wellbeing Bill and a summary of statistics
relating to the Economic Growth Fund.
“The most
valuable service is when we make specific requests of WSPU and they
provide us with targeted and specific information - this is most
helpful.”(Social Partner survey respondent)
23 out
of 38 survey respondents (61 per cent) of survey respondents
‘strongly agreed’ that the WSPU is a trusted and
authoritative source of information (see Annexe 1, figure 5).
Further discussions with Social Partners indicated that the
WSPU’s reputation as a trusted and reliable source of
information appears to be firmly established among Social
Partners. Social Partner
representatives outlined their confidence when using the data
provided by the WSPU; they also noted that they value the
impartiality, independence and reliability of the services
currently provided by the Unit.
“The support
and advice offered by WSPU on Welsh Government developments as well
as social partner engagement is well-trusted and consistently
independent.”(Social Partner survey respondent)
Social Partners interviewed
considered that the independence of the WSPU from the Welsh
Government ensures that the information it provides “is
delivered in a transparent and accessible manner.” They
noted that the services currently provided by the WSPU have a
degree of impartiality and several indicated that it is important
to have an “independent honest broker” in this
role.
“There is a
need for the WSPU to provide an independent service from Welsh
Government, as this ensures impartiality, and therefore provides a
more trusted source of advice to both Welsh Government and WSPU
member organisations.” (Social Partner survey
respondent)
Further comments from Social
Partners reveal that trust has been built up over time as a result
of the quality and reliability of the services delivered by the
WSPU. This trust is an example of the added value delivered over
the contract periods where services have been provided by the WSPU.
While somewhat intangible, several interviewees considered that
this has led to the development of greater consensus on certain
issues amongst the Social Partner network, an issue that is
considered further in the following section.
3.1.2
Facilitating the
interface between the Social Partners and the Welsh Government and
assisting in the development and maintenance of the Social Partner
network
Activities to
support this objective should be seen in the context of the
Business Scheme and the statutory requirement for Welsh Ministers
‘to take account of the interests of business in the
exercise of their functions’.
Developing the capacity of Social Partners to engage with the Welsh
Government including in the light of the review of the Business
Scheme is therefore a key function for the WSPU to deliver under
the contract provided by the Welsh Government.
20 out
of 38 respondents (53 per cent) ‘strongly agreed’ that
the services have contributed to better engagement between Social
Partners and the Welsh Government while a further 12 (32 per cent)
‘agreed’ with this statement (see Annexe 1, figure 4).
Survey respondents and interviewees considered that the
WSPU’s role as an interface has allowed Social Partners to
build consensus on certain issues. This process is helping them to
establish common ground, creating a forum for them to express their
views and allowing Social Partners to develop a collective response
to Welsh Government policies.
“The WSPU
facilitates a more balanced response to the Welsh Government from a
range of Social Partners. They enable Social Partners to develop a
single response on some issues.” (Social Partner survey
respondent)
Data collected
during this evaluation echoes evidence from the 2010 study, which
reported that the engagement services provided by the WSPU had
served to ‘galvanise’ social partners, enabling a more
collective and coherent approach to engagement with the Welsh
Government. A number of interviewees
during the 2013 evaluation noted that Social Partner engagement
still needs to be facilitated and given direction, a function
performed effectively by the WSPU in the view of the majority of
those who contributed to the survey.
“This
information and the support and advice given by WSPU has not only
increased our own interaction with Government and the Assembly but
crucially, has facilitated our engagement with other social
partners in Wales. WSPU have been excellent at keeping us abreast
of the priorities and issues affecting the social partners and
assisting our understanding of Government priorities and
processes.”
(Social Partner
survey respondent)
A number of Social
Partners (primarily from smaller organisations) considered that,
without an organisation delivering the services provided by the
WSPU, there may be a tendency to only listen to the ‘big
players’ (both business representative organisations such as
the CBI and Institute of Directors and trade unions via the Wales
TUC).
Representatives from
these smaller organisations considered that these ‘big
players’ often have already well-established links with the
Welsh Government and are seen to have an advantage in terms of
lobbying. For them, the platform provided by the WSPU gives them
more equal access and a voice in a growing Social Partner
network.
“The WSPU
levels the playing field and enables smaller organisations to get
more deeply involved.” (Social Partner survey
respondent)
“As we are
such a small organisation we’re often not in a position to
set the agenda but the WSPU allows us to punch above our
weight.” (Social Partner interviewee)
The existence of an
organisation such as the WSPU was also considered by Social
Partners to be a key element in ensuring Social Partners are able
to engage more directly with policy makers. Survey respondents and
interviewees outlined that WSPU acts as a ‘gateway’ to
key contacts within the Welsh Government and also links Social
Partners to other partners of interest. WSPU’s awareness of
the current policy context was mentioned during interviews as being
a key strength and an asset for members.
Organisations
provided specific examples of the greater potential to engage more
directly with policy making delivered through the WSPU. One
organisation outlined that their membership had direct interaction
with the Welsh Government regarding the Sustainable Development
Bill. Another organisation became involved in the Review of EU
funding and submitted evidence as a result of an intervention from
WSPU.
The WSPU also
facilitated one organisation’s meeting with the
Children’s Commissioner for Wales to discuss a Bill about
marketing to children and supported another’s campaign for
the reinstatement of the Procurement Supplier Board.
“We feel
much closer to policy makers and the Welsh Government as a result
of the WSPU’s services.”(Social Partner
interviewee)
3.1.3
Operating
effectively with a wide range of partner organisations
Social
Partners reported that the services currently provided by the WSPU
enabled their organisations to operate more effectively and better
serve their members. 22 out of 38 respondents (57 per cent)
‘strongly agreed’ that the services added time and
resource capacity to their organisation while a further 13 (34 per
cent) ‘agreed’ (see Annexe 1 figure 4). The value of
these services to Social Partners, based on the evidence presented,
is that they provide access to key reports and information promptly
and regularly.
This was
considered especially important by smaller organisations without
dedicated information gathering resources. 22 out of 38 respondents
(58 per cent) ‘strongly agreed’ that the WSPU staff
respond quickly and efficiently to requests for information (see
annexe 1 figure 5). Once again, this is seen as a key aspect of the
services provided by the WSPU, adding time and capacity for the
Social Partners, something that is also reflected in all survey
respondents outlining that these services are easy to
access.
“WSPU provides
strong lines of communication that free up time and capacity for
more productive activities. Sourcing Welsh Government information
would take up a considerable amount of my working time if this
service was not available.”
(Social Partner
survey respondent)
“Monitoring
all of the relevant output to business from the Welsh Government is
an impossible task for individual business organisations, but
crucial to planning work streams. With WSPU information and advice
it is possible for business organisations to keep an eye on the
whole, whilst choosing the right consultations to direct limited
resources into.”(Social Partner survey respondent)
Services
provided by the WSPU also promote links between a wide variety of
organisations across sectors in Wales and this network has
developed over the years. Specific examples given by Social Partner
representatives included one organisation which is now linked more
closely with Business Representatives as well as third sector
organisations such as NEA Cymru – a fuel poverty charity as a
result of the WSPU’s facilitation.
Another
organisation noted that the WSPU have acted as a cross-departmental
link to the Welsh Government for them because their sector cuts
across economy, housing, energy and social affairs. This gives them
‘a broader, more rounded understanding’ of Welsh
Government affairs.
“WSPU is very
systematic in this respect, very logical – when you receive
information from them you know it’s coming for a reason and
will be of interest to your organisation and your partners /
members.”(Social Partner survey respondent)
The WSPU is also contracted to
assist the secretariat of Commerce Cymru (formerly Business Wales)
and support its operation. Representatives from the WSPU outlined
that the organisation provides the full secretariat function for
Commerce Cymru, arranging the meetings, taking minutes, arranging
for speakers, and working in close consultation with the Chair. The
WSPU noted that it also co-ordinates Commerce Cymru
input to meetings of the Committee for Economic Renewal Working
Group, working with Welsh Government representatives in agreeing
agendas and that social partners produce papers when
required.
3.1.4
Management and accountability
The
way in which the WSPU’s contractual requirements are
delivered and managed was also considered as part of this
evaluation. Social Partners who responded to the survey outlined
high levels of satisfaction with delivery arrangements with 87 per
cent ‘strongly agreeing’ or ‘agreeing’ that
the services currently provided by the WSPU are the most effective
way of supporting social partner engagement in Wales (see Annexe 1,
figure 6).
Interviews with
the WSPU staff outlined that they plan their work based on the
needs of the Social Partners and their contractual role in
implementing the Welsh Government’s Business Scheme. The WSPU
noted that its team had developed expertise over successive
contract periods; the team’s knowledge and skills were
endorsed by Social Partner survey respondents and interviewees and
by several Welsh Government officials.
WSPU staff
outlined that they believed there to be effective internal planning
processes to guide their work and underlined the importance of the
role of WSPU’s Board of Directors in ensuring accountability
and monitoring quality control. WSPU’s Board of Directors
consists of representatives from Social Partner organisations,
several of whom have been board members for up to 10 years.
Social Partners therefore have ownership of the organisation and
they are responsible for overseeing the management of the
Unit’s work.
Both Board Members and the WSPU
staff noted the good communication and feedback structures in place
to support regular Board Meetings and monitoring systems. The WSPU
staff also reported that progress meetings with the contract team
at the Welsh Government had increased in frequency over the last
contract period, thereby enhancing accountability to the
client.
Welsh Government officials were
asked for their views on the effectiveness and value of
WSPU’s services. Officials who were aware of the services
delivered by the WSPU considered them to be important and
recognised the potential benefits to both Social Partners and Welsh
Government policy leads.
Those with less knowledge and
awareness also felt that, in principle, there was a case for
supporting engagement with Social Partners. They recognised that
compiling, distilling and disseminating information to
organisations in a systematic way can deliver efficiencies and can
help ensure coordinated engagement between the Welsh Government and
Social Partners.
Officials also saw the value of
the services the WSPU currently provide in terms of bringing Social
Partners together and encouraging them, where opportunities allow,
to speak with a coherent voice. As one official commented,
“otherwise social partners might face uncoordinated and
ill-targeted engagement.” It was also acknowledged by one
official that the WSPU provides a more level playing field for
smaller representative bodies. While they outlined that the
“door was always open” to these organisations
they accepted that their lack of resources meant that the WSPU was
currently a better channel of engagement for them.
Several officials did note,
however, that they already have well-established links with Social
Partners and that they often liaise directly with them. These
interviewees were therefore keen to emphasise that the services the
WSPU provides has enhanced rather than replaced the
relationships they have with representative bodies such as the CBI,
Wales TUC, FSB Cymru and the IoD. For example one official noted,
as part of his work leading on entrepreneurship and business
support, that he already has direct links with business
representatives.
“I already work with
business organisations, why do I need and intermediary between me
and intermediary bodies? I’m not clear how it (the WSPU)
would add value to my job.” (Welsh Government
official)
As outlined in Section 2.2 of
this report, the research found relatively low levels of awareness
levels regarding current services provided by the WSPU amongst
Welsh Government officials. However, one official noted that
the summaries of Assembly business are also useful
“internally for officials across departments”.
Given the range of activity taking place across the institution,
one individual noted that the summaries:
“help me
understand what is going on across different Welsh Government
departments and enables me to make links to my areas of
work. As the Welsh Government covers such a wide range
of policy areas, having a resource that helps raise awareness
across departments is very useful.” (Welsh Government
official)
The individual conceded,
however, that they were arguably not the intended target audience
for WSPU’s summaries. This does, nevertheless, illustrate the
potential for the information and research services currently
supplied by the WSPU to be retargeted where appropriate, and where
resources permit, to meet the needs of the Welsh
Government.
Welsh Government officials who
felt in a position to comment on the value and effectiveness of
services endorsed the view of Social Partners that the WSPU
provides a good information service to organisations. Some however
questioned to what extent the capacity of Social Partners to engage
with the Welsh Government had been raised.
Officials acknowledged that, as
the balance of services delivered by WSPU currently stands, Social
Partners are more likely than Welsh Government departments to see
the benefits of WSPU’s activity. Indeed, several officials
questioned whether the model of delivery is working as well as it
could in terms of providing benefits for individual Welsh
Government departments and across the administration as a
whole.
3.2.1
Summary conclusions from this section
|
-
There are high
levels of satisfaction among Social Partners who contributed to
this evaluation regarding the value of the services currently
provided by the WSPU;
-
Almost all Social
Partners agree that the WSPU provides an impartial and
comprehensive research service; the Unit is seen as a trusted
and authoritative source of information;
-
The services
currently provided by the WSPU have contributed to providing
additional capacity for Social Partners, particularly the smaller
organisations, to operate and engage more effectively;
-
Social Partners
consider that the WSPU has contributed to better engagement between
Social Partners and the National Assembly and Welsh Government by
acting as an interface between them;
-
The WSPU has also
served as a vehicle to bring diverse organisations together,
establishing common ground, and contributing to developing a united
voice for the Social Partners on some issues;
-
Social Partners
consider the impartiality and independence of the WSPU to be
crucial;
-
Effective management
structures have been put in place by the WSPU and the Board of
Directors ensures accountability and transparency;
-
The evaluation found
a range of opinion among Welsh Government officials on the value
and effectiveness of the services delivered as part of the contract
let by the Welsh Government: broadly speaking, there was a
recognition of the value of services but that more work needs to be
done to ensure that the benefits are enjoyed by Welsh Government
departments as well as by Social Partners.
|
This section of the
report examines the extent to which the WSPU has met the aims and
objectives of the contract as well as assessing the cost
effectiveness of their services and whether the service is valued
by both Social Partners and the Welsh Government.
From the evidence
collected from Social Partners and Welsh Government officials the
WSPU can been seen to have successfully met the aims and objectives
of its contract with the Welsh Government. The WSPU has provided a
monitoring and information service over the past three years which
is considered by Social Partners to be of high quality and of real
relevance to their needs, and which has contributed to adding to
their capacity to engage with the Welsh Government.
The WSPU has met its
contractual requirements in terms of the quality and range of its
information and monitoring services. These services have been
delivered on a regular basis, and cover a wide range of policy
issues. The WSPU has provided briefings and news as well as
summarising consultation documents through email, its website and
Twitter. Evidence shows that these services have given partners the
capacity to ‘determine quickly and easily whether or not they
wish to respond’, and promoted engagement with a wide range
of Welsh Government policies and initiatives.
The WSPU’s
provision of tailored research upon request has allowed for further
clarification and advice for the Social Partners, allowing them to
successfully engage with policy development and Welsh Government
consultations. The WSPU’s provision of these services in easy
to access formats has allowed the further dissemination of
information, leading to wider engagement. The services provided by
the WSPU have therefore contributed to the maintenance and
development of the network of Social Partners allowing all voices
and sectors to be heard – both within the network and in
terms of engagement with the Welsh Government
The services
currently provided by the WSPU have also contributed to delivering
additional capacity for Social Partners, particularly the smaller
organisations, to operate and engage more effectively. Social
Partners consider that the WSPU has contributed to better
engagement between Social Partners and the Welsh Government by
acting as an interface between them. The WSPU has also served as a
vehicle to bring diverse organisations together, establishing
common ground, and contributing to developing a united voice for
the Social Partners on some issues.
Part of this process
of establishing common ground has been through the WSPU’s
effective delivery of its expected additional roles, namely
supporting the operation of Business Wales; acting a secretariat
for Commerce Cymru; assisting the secretariat of the Council for
Economic Renewal (formerly Business Partnership Council); and
acting as a liaison point for WEFO. These roles illustrate
additional activities that support and complement the primary
services currently delivered by the WSPU. The links to the Council
for Economic Renewal offer particular potential to build on
existing services and enhance Social Partner-Welsh Government
engagement. This is further explored in the ‘future
services’ section of this report.
The WSPU has also
succeeded in maintaining a position of objectivity and
independence. Almost all Social Partners agree that the WSPU
provides an impartial and comprehensive research service and the
Unit is seen as a trusted and authoritative source of information.
Welsh Government officials also recognised the value of this
impartiality. Evidence suggests that this independence has allowed
the WSPU to operate effectively with a wide range of partner
organisations, thereby assisting in the development and maintenance
of the Social Partner network.
Evidence suggests
that the WSPU delivers the requirements of its contract with the
Welsh Assembly Government to a high quality. In terms of the cost
effectiveness of the services the evaluation has found that
effective management structures have been put in place by the WSPU
and that its Board of Directors ensures accountability and
transparency.
The nature of the
services provided by the WSPU are more factual and targeted
providing information and continuity, and have a specifically Welsh
focus. They thus complement rather than duplicate activities
undertaken by similar organisations or the Welsh Government. There
is evidence to suggest that the continuity of personnel at the Unit
has brought about added value as a result of well-established
working relationships, contributing further to the cost
effectiveness of the current model.
Without sufficient
benchmarking data or comparable services across other UK countries
it is not possible to provide a firm conclusion as the value for
money provided by the current services delivered by the WSPU.
However it is clear that the services are valued by the Social
Partners who responded to the evaluation and that the WSPU has
successfully delivered on the aims and objectives of the contract
on budget. This therefore can be seen to be a cost effective
approach and one that has provided additional value as evidenced by
the conclusions above and the experiences of customer organisations
outlined below.
There are high
levels of satisfaction among Social Partners who contributed to
this evaluation regarding the value of the services currently
provided by the WSPU. The majority of Social Partners also
considered that the current delivery model for services was the
most effective way of ensuring ongoing engagement. The Welsh focus
of the services provided by the WSPU; their impartiality and
independence; and the level of trust developed across the network
as a result of their provision were considered to have provided
additional capacity and engagement opportunities for the Social
Partners.
The majority of
Social Partners consider therefore that the WSPU has contributed to
better engagement between Social Partners and the Welsh Government
by acting as an interface between them. For Welsh Government
officials, however, more focus was needed in regards of this
facilitating role to ensure that the Welsh Government also sees the
benefit of services. While these has been delivered according to
the contractual terms on a request basis, a more proactive role
from the WSPU or another organisation delivering these services in
future would be beneficial.
The high value
placed on the services by the Social Partners and the potential for
rebalancing the services to improve engagement with the Welsh
Government suggest that there is a rationale for continuing the
services. A refreshed Business Scheme plus a contract focused on
proactive engagement with the Welsh Government as well as continued
high quality services to the Social Partners will be key to
maintaining the value and effectiveness of this
engagement.
As one contributor
to the evaluation pointed out, the value of the WSPU, or any other
organisation delivering similar services in the future, will only
be met if there is a strong and sustained commitment to engagement
from both the Welsh Government and the Social Partners. The
foundations have been laid by recent contracts and services
delivered by the WSPU and evidence suggests there is a further
opportunity and will from both sides to build on this progress. The
next section of the report considers future priorities to support
this process.
4.3.1
Summary conclusions from this section
|
-
Evidence collected
during this evaluation indicates that the WSPU has successfully met
the aims and objectives of its contract with the Welsh Government.
The WSPU’s monitoring and information service is of high
quality and of relevance to the needs of Social Partners. It has
supported Social Partners in their efforts to engage with the Welsh
Government.
-
In view of the lack
of directly comparable services, it is difficult to carry out a
value for money assessment of the services provided by the
WSPU. However the model currently delivered is seen by
service users as being cost effective, delivering added value to
Social Partners.
-
The WSPU has
contributed to better engagement between Social Partners and the
Welsh Government.
-
Based on the
evidence presented as part of the evaluation, there is a strong
argument for the continuation of the services provided by the WSPU
(see future services, below).
|
This section summarises Social
Partner and Welsh Government officials’ views on the
priorities in terms of supporting Social Partner engagement over
the short and medium term future. This section also presents an
initial discussion of other potential methods of delivering the
services currently delivered by the WSPU and the implications of
re-prioritising or discontinuing certain activities and
services.
There is very strong support
amongst Social Partners for the continuation of dedicated services
of the type currently funded by the Welsh Government and delivered
by the WSPU to support engagement. The majority of survey
respondents also considered that the current type of services are
the most effective way of continuing to support engagement between
Social Partners and the Welsh Government.
In summary, survey data (Annexe
1, figures 6 and 7) reveals that:
·
36 out of 38
respondents (95 per cent) ‘strongly agree’ or
‘agree’ that there is a continued need for dedicated
services to support social partner engagement in Wales; 2
respondents neither agree nor disagree.
·
33 out of 38
respondents (87 per cent) ‘strongly agree’ or
‘agree’ that the services currently provided by the
WSPU are the most effective way of supporting social partner
engagement in Wales; 5 respondents (13 per cent) neither agree nor
disagree.
·
17 out
of 37 respondents (46 per cent) consider that the services provided
to support social partner engagement in Wales could not be provided
more effectively in another way. A further 17 (46 per cent) neither
agree nor disagree with this statement, while 3 respondents
agree.
·
Of the services
currently provided by the WSPU, discontinuing the weekly
monitoring and information service would
have most negative impact on Social Partners.
Survey respondents and
interviewees commented that discontinuing the services currently
provided by the WSPU would be likely to reduce Social
Partners’ current levels of engagement with the Welsh
Government. Many respondents felt that discontinuing the services
would also remove the added time and resource capacity individuals
and organisations gain through the services the WSPU currently
provides.
“The loss of
these services would mean I would need to spend a considerable
amount of time looking for this information myself which would have
a severely detrimental impact on the amount of time I have
available for other areas of my work. Individuals in other
organisations would do the same leading to a massive duplication of
effort and reduced capability across organisations.”
(Social Partner interviewee)
It was also considered that the
discontinuation of services could result in a more disjointed
relationship between Social Partners, their affiliated
organisations and the Welsh Government. Several interviewees
considered that the levels of trust that have been built up between
Social Partners themselves, and the Welsh Government, could
potentially disappear. For them, this has been an additional
example of the value developed through the engagement
process.
“Without
this information and these services, I have no doubt that our
interaction with Government and the Assembly would substantially
reduce and this would impact on the Government's own consultation
and face-to-face interaction with organisations.” (Social
Partner survey respondent)
In terms of potential future
options for delivering these services several Social Partner survey
respondents outlined the Welsh Government could deliver elements of
the service in-house. However, these individuals considered that
this process was unlikely to make the service any better or more
efficient than it already is.
Some interviewees additionally
noted that Social Partners could pay for the WSPU services (or
similar) however they questioned how many organisations would be
prepared to do so. It was also questioned whether all Social
Partners would access information through the same provider if the
WSPU or a similar intermediary organisation did not
exist.
“As the Welsh
Government is under a legal obligation to deliver this engagement I
think that the WSPU is one of the few solid, practical embodiments
of that obligation.” (Social Partner interviewee)
“WSPU plays
an important role in supporting social partner engagement with
Welsh Government but the quality of this work is dictated to an
extent by the commitment of Welsh Government departments. Some
areas of government are better than others at engaging so it
follows that the WSPU service would be enhanced greatly by a more
joined-up and consistent system of engagement from the Welsh
Government.” (Social Partner survey
respondent)
Interviewees
working for UK or international organisations noted that, as far as
they were aware there is no equivalent service in Northern Ireland,
Scotland or England.
Several
organisations noted that they have contracts with Dodd’s
Monitoring, Graylings and We Work with You to source information
services. They explained that these have more of a UK focus and
that the services currently provided by the WSPU were focused
almost entirely on the Welsh policy context and therefore much more
relevant to their needs.
“WSPU gives
us a much more Welsh focus and an understanding of the Welsh
mind-set which is crucial when identifying relevant information and
advice.” (Social Partner)
The Welsh Government officials
interviewed by the evaluation team emphasised that continued and
improved engagement with Social Partners is crucial. It was
recognised that while Social Partner engagement had not been a
clear priority for all departments in the early years of
devolution, there is now a need for all senior officials to ensure
that there are systems in place to ensure the voices and views of
business and trades unions are heard. One official summarised by
saying:
“The Welsh
Government as a whole needs to understand the opportunities and
barriers to success and to take informed decisions regarding policy
development that takes account of the needs of business.”
(Welsh Government official)
It was suggested that there is
scope in future for the more proactive departments (in terms of
their links with Social Partners) to assist departments in helping
to liaise with external organisations. There is also a potential
role for the WSPU (or an organisation contracted to deliver similar
services in the future) to help identify and disseminate effective
practice in Social Partner engagement.
Relatively little comment was
made by Welsh Government officials on alternative models of
delivering the services currently provided by the WSPU. This
was due, in part, to a limited knowledge on the part of many of
current contractual and working arrangements. The option of taking
some services in-house was mentioned by one official, with
departmental Stakeholder Engagement Teams offering a possible
substitute model.
Alternatively, it was suggested
that services could be contracted out separately, split between
information services and more targeted capacity building and
engagement activities. On balance, civil servants tended to
express a similar view as Social Partners by noting that the
WSPU’s independence from Welsh Government probably gave it
“credibility and trustworthiness” with one
noting that a partnership which represented a variety of Social
Partner organisations was “valuable and an important
network in its own right”.
Discussions with a number of
officials did touch on ways in which future services to promote
Social Partner engagement could be more strategically focused; some
Welsh Government officials felt strongly that the focus should be
now be placed on providing additional capacity to organisations to
engage with departments as part of the process of developing policy
and designing programmes.
“There is
still progress to be made to deliver more value for the Welsh
Government [from these services]. At the heart of this is the role
of WSPU and its potential value to Welsh Government officials and
departments. This needs to be communicated far better and there
should be better working protocols and the WSPU to take a more
proactive approach – observing, analysing and facilitating
rather than simple monitoring.” (Welsh Government
official)
Both Social Partners and Welsh
Government are therefore in agreement regarding the importance of
continued services to promote engagement. There was also general
agreement amongst those interviewed and surveyed that the
independence and impartiality of these services is a paramount. As
outlined in the previous section there were few concrete
suggestions regarding potential changes to services provided by
either the Social Partners or Welsh Government officials.
Nevertheless it is possible to outline several potential future
options to sustain and enhance the services currently provided by
the WSPU.
·
Maintaining and
enhancing the core elements of the information
service.
For Social Partners this is the most valued element of the current
services. It was suggested by both Welsh Government officials and
Social Partners that a first stage in the process of building
capacity is ensuring that organisations have access to information
about developments in key policy areas. Both parties also
considered that a renewed focus on early engagement regarding
policy development could form part of these services. The timing
and focus for disseminating this information is therefore crucial,
ensuring that Social Partners are able to make a meaningful
contribution at a sufficiently early stage and allowing the Welsh
Government to be fully aware of Social Partner views. Social
Partners reported to being very satisfied by the quality and
timeliness of the services currently provided by the WSPU; however
for future contracts there is also potential to ensure that these
services promote a more proactive, two way process of engagement
between the Social Partners and the Welsh
Government.
·
The Review of the
Business Scheme recommended that “the Council for Economic
Renewal meetings should be focused on issues requiring decision-making and
action. Representation at the Council for Economic Renewal
and Working Group should be reviewed… and more provision
made for sub-group meetings covering specific topics for discussion
or information.” It would seem sensible for the WSPU, or any other
organisation delivering the services, to build on its existing
functions and to play a lead role in supporting more focused
meetings of the CER. This could involve preparing
and disseminating
research papers / briefings linked to issues under discussion at
full meetings or sub-group meetings. This would provide an
opportunity to draw on the expertise of WSPU staff. In so
doing, WSPU or any future service provider could take a more active
role in supporting Social Partners to prepare for CER meetings,
working with members to ensure the most appropriate and informed
representatives attend. This process would also link to the calls
from several Social
Partners and Welsh Government officials who considered there to be
room for improvement in terms of using the Council for Economic
Renewal as a vehicle for Welsh Government-Social Partner
engagement.
·
This also mirrors the calls from some Social
Partners for more targeted and strategically-focused research
support services. There are resource (time) implications for
staff associated with this. While 25 out of 36 survey
respondents (69 per cent) were satisfied with the current level of
service provided by WSPU some respondents indicated there were
additional areas of information and support that WSPU could
provide. These included: collating and circulating business
organisation events; a directory of civil servants; delivery of
in-depth industry research on various topics; training for staff
about the work/powers of the National Assembly and Welsh
Government; and arranging joint meetings with individual ministers
.Further discussion would be required to determine the anticipated
level of resource required to deliver this service, what impact it
would have on the current suite of information services delivered,
and what would be the potential benefits of these additional
services for the overall engagement process.
·
The Welsh Government
views that the services are required to be tailored more towards
the needs and services of the Welsh Government. One suggestion to
develop this was the formulation of guidance /
case studies for Welsh Government on how to engage effectively with
Social Partners, including an outline of the role and potential
contribution that the WSPU or another future funded organisation
can make in different scenarios and situations. This is likely to
be a ‘task and finish’ exercise to establish some
principles and practical actions that officials can take in seeking
to enhance engagement. It was also suggested that a shift in
emphasis may be required in order to ensure that the benefits of
the services currently provided by the WSPU are distributed more
equally between the Social Partners and the Welsh Government in
terms of promoting engagement. This could involve future contracts
requiring a more proactive and targeted approach to
engagement from service providers with built in monitoring
processes to reflect progress. There was an acknowledgement that
the Welsh Government has a key role to play in this process and in
making clear its own expectations and requirements as part of the
next contractual agreement from 2014 onwards. One of the issues to be resolved
as a matter of priority is achieving a shared vision of
‘capacity building’ in the context of Social Partner
engagement. How should the skills and competence of Social
Partners be supported and what specific activities or services are
required to facilitate this?
5.3.1
Summary conclusions from this section
|
-
An overwhelming
majority of Social Partners who responded to the evaluation
consider that there is a continued need for dedicated services to
support social partner engagement in Wales; they report that
discontinuing the services delivered by the WSPU would have a
negative impact on their levels of engagement with the National
Assembly and Welsh Government.
-
The majority of
Social Partners also considered that the current delivery model for
services was the most effective way of ensuring ongoing engagement.
The Welsh focus of the services, their impartiality and
independence, and the level of trust developed across the network
as a result of their provision were considered to have demonstrated
additional value for the Social Partners.
-
Welsh Government
officials also supported the need for services to promote Social
Partner engagement. Some officials take the view that the services
delivered under the contract by the Welsh Government could place a
greater emphasis on building capacity among Social Partners to
engage with the Welsh Government. This could potentially entail a
shift in emphasis to more tailored and strategic work with Social
Partners, including by providing more targeted support to Social
Partners in planning and preparation for CER meetings.
-
Both Social Partners
and Welsh Government officials considered that there was scope for
either additional services to be provided or for a rebalancing of
these services. The proposals for future services or activities
enclosed in this section could therefore be used as a basis for
further discussion in the context of the wider evidence base
presented in this report.
|
Recommendation
1: An overwhelming majority
of Social Partners who responded to the evaluation consider that
there is a continued need for dedicated services to support social
partner engagement in Wales. Evidence suggests high levels of
satisfaction and that the WSPU has met its contractual
requirements, indicating that the services delivered are well
developed, effective and highly valued by Social Partners. These
services should therefore continue to be funded by the Welsh
Government and delivered in support of the Business
Scheme.
Recommendation
2: Evidence suggests that
there is a case for the Welsh Government to review the overall
profile and delivery of services provided in order to both ensure
Social Partners and its own departments and officials benefit
further from these services. This will ensure that they
balance the need to support the capacity of Social Partners to
engage effectively with the Welsh Government while ensuring added
value for Welsh Government officials.
Recommendation
3: Future service contracts should
therefore place greater emphasis on a more proactive and targeted
approach to engagement from service providers. This should include
regular meetings between the Welsh Government and any future
service provider and agreed monitoring processes to reflect
progress. The Welsh Government has a key role to play in this by
making clear its own expectations and requirements as part of the
next contractual agreement from 2014 onwards.
Recommendation
4: In reviewing the
services, there is a particular need to take account of the
perceived value of the core information services (notably the
weekly summaries of Assembly business) and the resources required
to deliver these services which provide a crucial initial point of
information for many Social Partners, particularly smaller
organisations.
Recommendation
5: Early engagement is seen
as paramount for both Social Partners and Welsh Government
officials who contributed to the review. Future service providers
could therefore place a greater emphasis on building capacity among
Social Partners towards early engagement with the Welsh Government.
This could potentially entail a shift in emphasis to more tailored
and strategic work with Social Partners, including by providing
more targeted support to Social Partners in planning and
preparation for CER meetings
Recommendation
6: Evidence underlines a
specific need to raise awareness of the WSPU and the services it
provides across Welsh Government departments. While actions are
already underway to formalise links between departments and Social
Partners, the WSPU or any future service provider should consider
what additional proactive steps it can take to raise its profile.
This could include developing guidance or good practice case
studies in Social Partner engagement. The Welsh Government should
also play a key role in this process, supporting any future service
provider to engage effectively across Welsh Government departments
and ensuring senior level support for such engagement.
Recommendation 7:
As the WSPU staff
continue to establish contacts with Welsh Government officials
across departments, discussions should focus on the type of
services and practical support any future service provider can
offer Welsh Government officials. This will contribute to ensuring
that the service provider is used as an effective engagement
mechanism, as recommended in the Review of the Business
Scheme.
Recommendation
8: Evidence suggests that
Social Partners value the WSPU’s impartiality and the fact
that the services focus specifically on Welsh policy and
programmes. Any similar future services to support Social Partner
engagement should therefore remain independent of the Welsh
Government and focus on the needs of the Social Partners in
Wales.
Recommendation 9:
Following on from
the recommendation in the Review of the Business Scheme, any
future service provider should use its expertise and networks to
play a lead role in supporting more focused meetings of the Council
for Economic Renewal. The Welsh Government should facilitate this
by working with any future service provider to clarify roles and
functions in facilitating more focused discussions through the
CER.
Recommendation
10: While the WSPU
may be a recognisable brand for the organisations it has served for
over a decade, its identity and profile still need to be raised
among a number of key Welsh Government partners. Looking ahead,
future service providers may wish to consider whether a rebranding
of the services is necessary to achieve this.
Recommendation
11: Any significant changes
proposed to the services provided by any future service provider
should be accompanied by a detailed assessment of current
resources. This assessment should ensure that there is enough
capacity and suitable skills within a staff team to be able to
deliver services to the highest quality.
Figure 1: Are you
aware that the WSPU has the following aims and objectives?
Figure 2: Which of
the following WSPU services and products do you use?
Figure 3: How
beneficial do you consider the following to be?
Figure 4: To what
extent do you agree or disagree with these
statements: The services provided by the
WSPU......
Figure 5: To what
extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
Figure 6: To what
extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
Figure 7: What
impact would discontinuing the following services currently
provided by WSPU have on your organisation?
