Partner Updates - CLD Strategic Partnership Plan (Paul Ashworth / Rhona Grant)
Argyll and Bute Council · 16 April 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership - Management Committee — 16 April 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Management Committee Date: 16 April 2025 Argyll and Bute (CLD) Strategic Partnership and Plan 2024 -2027 1.0 Purpose This report provides the CPP Management Committee with an overview of the CLD Strategic Partnership's efforts to meet HMIe recommendations from January 2024 progress visit and the development and delivery of the CLD Strategic Partnership Plan for 2024-2027. 2.0 Recommendations The CPP Management Committee are asked to note: 1. The CLD HMIe Progress Visit update 2. HMIe Feedback Report (a year on) 3. The Independent Review of Community Learning and Development CLD. Kate Still Report Learning for All for Life 4. Community Learning - Argyll and Bute Council Internal Audit 3.0 Background Argyll and Bute’s CLD Strategic Partnership Plan 2024-2027 continues to develop six key themes: 1. Digital Skills 2. Core skills for learning, life and work 3. Health and wellbeing 4. Your voice 5. The learner Offer 6. Improve how we work as a partnership The CLD Partnership work through various actions associated with each of the themes. Argyll and Bute have a strong track record in partnership working. Effective community learning and development (CLD) relies on a robust multi-agency and multi- sector approach to provide universal services and targeted interventions for disadvantaged individuals and vulnerable groups. Joint ownership of the CLD Strategic Partnership Plan and commitment from all partners is essential to the overall success of the partnership and its broader impact on communities.
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4.0 Detail 4.1 Update on CLD HMIe Progress Visit Following our HMIe progress visit in January 2024, we recognised the need for significant progress in our plans outcomes, ensuring they are measurable and aligned with updated local and national policies. During the past year we delivered a number of CPD/training sessions to stakeholders, and CLD workers on measuring, evaluating, and reporting both quantitative and qualitative data related to specific outcomes and relevant, measurable success criteria. As a result, we received positive feedback from those in attendance in increased confidence and understanding in improvement planning and measuring of data. As part of the training the Partnership now have a Performance Tracker for Partners that encompasses performance reporting on outcomes, performance measures, baseline data, timelines, and a RAG rating system to track risks. The new tracker will support the collective strategic improvement work of the Partnership and ensure transparency as well as enhanced opportunities to evaluate progress and plan necessary interventions. 4.2 HMIe Feedback Report (a year on) As part of the process of the progress visit in 2024 the HMIe Inspectors asked for an update report on what improvements we have made in relation to their recommendations. Based on the information we presented to the inspectors they are confident that we have demonstrated progress since last year’s visit. The Argyll and Bute CLD HMIe Progress Visit Inspection is now officially signed off, with no further actions required and we will circulate the official published report once received. 4.3 Independent CLD Review Kate Still was commissioned by the Scottish Government to independently review the CLD provision across Scotland. Argyll and Bute were selected as one of the authorities for a face-to-face focus session visit with Kate and her team. The following programme took place: • Community Learning: Adult Learning face-to-face focus session visit (took place in Helensburgh Library 08/02/24). • Community Learning and Development Workers - attended online professional dialogue meetings alongside other CLD Practitioners across the regions to meet with Kate Still and her team (took place 14/02/24).
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• The Community Learning Manager attended meetings and gave feedback through the CLD Standards Council and the Northern Alliance. • As part of the independent review Argyll and Bute’s Scottish Attainment Officer was invited to attend a meeting to discuss areas of provision and the Community Learning Service Manager and CLD Education Officer submitted current update data/stats of youth provision in schools across Argyll and Bute and ESOL. The CLD Strategic Partnership Plan 2024/27 has included the actions and recommendations of the review. Moving forward any further updates or directives will be included as and when they emerge. 4.4 Community Learning - Argyll and Bute Council Internal Audit The scope of the audit was to review the effectiveness and equity of service provision across Argyll and Bute that is managed by liveArgyll. The audit took place on 26 September 2024. The audit focused on the delivery of Community Learning and liveArgyll’s management of the partnership plan. The feedback from the internal auditor and the subsequent audit report was that the Council can take a high level of assurance. Overall, a sound system of control designed to achieve the system objectives is in place and being applied consistently. In essence this means the internal control, governance and the management of risk are of a high standard. The full audit report can be found in appendix 1. 5.0 Conclusion The CLD Partnership has made significant progress in aligning its plans with updated measurement and performance criteria, supported by training sessions and a new Performance Tracker. The HMIe feedback confirms successful implementation of recommendations, leading to the official sign-off of the inspection. The independent review by Kate Still, highlighted effective CLD provision, with positive stakeholder engagement. The upcoming 3-year CLD Partnership Plan has incorporated the new recommendations. The internal audit by Argyll and Bute Council assures the effectiveness and equity of service provision managed by liveArgyll, affirming strong internal control and governance. For more information, please contact: Paul Ashworth liveArgyll Services and Support Manager Paul.Ashworth@liveargyll.co.uk
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Appendix 1 Reference Links: 1. Argyll and Bute CLD Strategic Plan 2024 – 2027 CLD Strategic Partnership Plan 2024-2027 032025.pdf 2. HMIe Published Report on Progress Visit and Recommendation Feb 2024 Details | Find an inspection report | Find an inspection report | Inspection and review | Education Scotland 3. Learning For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) Kate Still published July 2024. https://www.gov.scot/publications/learning-life-report-independent-review-community- learning-development-cld/ 4. Internal Audit Community Education Provision Report 2024_25_InternalAudit_CommunityEducationProvision_Report FINAL.pdf