Recommendation 3

We welcome the programme’s devolved design and recognise the government’s view that it appropriately balances national oversight with local flexibility. We are reassured that extensive performance monitoring is part of CtW, and that there is also a comprehensive evaluation programme built into CtW from the outset, providing a mechanism not just to monitor performance and inform learning, but to consider the wider outcomes of the programme. However, the evidence highlights clear risks, with variation in local commissioning and delivery likely to create inconsistent experiences for participants and providers and potentially weaken the programme’s overall impact. The programme’s success will therefore depend less on its design and more on how effectively accountable bodies implement it in practice. We intend to revisit this issue in one year to assess whether the department has achieved an appropriate balance between flexibility, consistency, and timely delivery. (Conclusion, Paragraph 29) 32