Covid Recovery strategy activity overview and next steps report

Key report recommendations

The Covid Recovery Strategy Programme Board was established between the Scottish Government and local government in order to oversee the implementation of a programme of work to deliver the commitments and principles of the Covid Recovery Strategy (CRS).

The strategy set out work spanning 18 months with a review date of summer 2023. At this review point, it was agreed that the Programme Board would be concluded and a report developed to identify and capture key learnings from the implementation of the strategy in order to inform future approaches to public service reform.

The report that follows recommends that the Scottish Government and COSLA should seek to:

1. Build on the development of the Covid Recovery outcome framework, to develop new ways of embedding flexible, outcome-based reporting into policy design and delivery that aligns to the objectives set out in the Verity House Agreement to recognise local difference, reduce reporting and increase funding flexibility.

2. Continue to identify and pilot new ways of working at a delivery level that are person-centred, holistic and inform a strategic approach to reform across the public sector with a focus on prevention.

3. Work closely with organisations across the public, private and third sector to identify and remove systemic barriers to the effective delivery of public services, seeking new and innovative ways to overcome these challenges by empowering services to act differently in how they deliver.

4. Identify existing or new forums that will allow for an approach to reform that builds on the immediate response to the pandemic set out in the Covid Recovery Strategy. Through these forums, agree a common vision across the public sector for achieving sustainable public services and establishing the infrastructure that enables us to collectively make progress.