Introduction

The Wexford CDB is essentially about two things: "process" (i.e. new ways of doing things and particularly about improving our partnership) and "product" (i.e. what is actually achieved for Wexford and its people). Right through the Strategy, but in greatest detail in Sections 7, 8 and 9, the CDB has nailed its colours to the mast in terms of specifying both what it wants done and what it wants achieved as a result.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN RESPONSE

The first task for the Board is to make sure the Strategy - in the form of its 229 Strategic Objectives - is actually implemented. Because so many agencies and organisations are involved, implementation will be complex. A detailed Implementation Action Plan will therefore follow the publication of the Strategy. At the same time the CDB will develop appropriate approaches to monitoring
and evaluation. Again, put simply, by monitoring we mean a regular, ongoing check on how the Strategy is progressing whilst by evaluation we mean much less frequent but more in-depth assessment of what the Strategy is actually achieving ... ie the difference that is being made to Wexford and its people. Both approaches will complement each other and will aim to address the core elements of the CDB's Evaluation Template.

THE CDB'S EVALUATION TEMPLATE

CRITERIA	ISSUE/QUESTION TO BE ADDRESSED

Effectiveness	Have we achieved valued Outcomes ... have we produced positive results for Wexford and its people
Efficiency	How much effort has it taken to achieve those results have we made best use of our resources?
Adequacy	Have the outcomes/results we achieved actually resolved the initial problem(s) addressed?
Equity	Have the costs and benefits of what we have done been distributed fairly and suitably among different groups?
Responsiveness	Do our results/outcomes satisfy people's needs as they see them?

In developing and implementing this template the CDB will recognise that:

the key outputs identified and indicators used will almost certainly
change over time
new key outputs and indicators will have to be introduced during
the life of the Strategy: back in Section 4, for example, we
acknowledged that we need more data on social exclusion issues
Co-ordinating Partners will play the pivotal role in terms both of
monitoring performance and evaluating results.

In the light of the final point above it is not the CDB's place to be
prescriptive in terms of how Coordinating Partners and their
"colleague agencies/organisations" actually carry out their
monitoring and evaluation functions. The Board however does
expect that a balance will be achieved between internal (or "self")
and external (or "independent") evaluation. These balances will be
apparent in the various evaluation plans that will be developed. At
the strategic level the CDB will establish three groups, one for each
of the Strategy's three headings, i.e. the Economic; the Social; and
the Cultural. These will draw together the work of the Coordinating
Partners and provide the basis on which the Director of Community
and Enterprise, or a group's own nominee, will report to the County,
Development Board. The Board itself will report annually to the people
of Wexford on the progress being made.

The following diagram describes the entire implementation, monitoring and evaluation/review process:

Click on image.

Wexford Fact: In 1999, one in every 20 new houses built in Ireland was
built in Co Wexford