Piloting policies before adopting them more widely can be very helpful: in Where a policy is cross-cutting in nature, it may be desirable to use partnership It is also important to establish from the outset what information delivery If guidance on the imp

10.5 Piloting policies before adopting them more widely can be very helpful: in

identifying issues which arise in delivery; in gauging the responses of service users; and in assessing how well they are likely to achieve their intended outcomes in practice.

10.6 Where a policy is cross-cutting in nature, it may be desirable to use partnership

arrangements to plan its delivery at local level, for example bringing officers from relevant statutory bodies in different sectors together with voluntary or community sector representatives. In any such structures, it is important to have clear lines of accountability. It is likely that one statutory body will need to take the lead role in terms of providing secretariat support and as the main channel for resources.

10.7 It is also important to establish from the outset what information delivery

bodies or the department need to collect in order to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of policy. The data collected should be based as closely as possible on the outcomes sought from the policy, and should include baseline data against which the impact of the policy will be judged in due course. Monitoring data which are simply activity measures can lead to misdirection of effort.

10.8 If guidance on the implementation of policy needs to be revised on an

ongoing basis in order to improve delivery, that should be done. However, it is important to bear in mind that the statutory basis for delivery of many policies comes through primary or secondary legislation. Amending these if they are not right first time is cumbersome, time-consuming, expensive and may be politically embarrassing for Ministers, and it is particularly important to consult on them proactively at draft stage with delivery bodies and those at the front line of delivery. 53 10 Front line staff and those receiving public services have an invaluable role to play in formulating and shaping policy direction, and providing feedback on how effectively the policy objective is met in terms of meeting the needs of service users. Engaging with service users

10.9 It is vital too that consideration continues to be