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Public hearing 4 th quarter Provincial Budget Report on conditional grants and capital expenditure. Select Committee on Finance Presentation by Northern Cape’s Department of Agriculture and Land Reform 4 May 2006. Overview. Expenditure summary - overall departmental budget
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Public hearing 4th quarter Provincial Budget Report on conditional grants and capital expenditure Select Committee on Finance Presentation by Northern Cape’s Department of Agriculture and Land Reform 4 May 2006
Overview • Expenditure summary - overall departmental budget • Expenditure summary - conditional grants • Expenditure trends per month • Budget vs. actual • Monitoring and Evaluation • Findings of quality assurance exercise • Challenges • Strengths • Programme of Action • Way forward
Monitoring and Evaluation • Project Coordinating Committee established, meetings held quarterly • Assesses project proposals • Recommends for approval • Assesses and evaluates progress • Project leaders appointed for implementation of various projects • Co-ordinator assigned to coordinate implementation • Quality assurance conducted on CASP, Landcare and Food security projects
Findings of Quality assurance exercise • Projects implemented according to approved business plans • Procurement procedures were followed • The conditional grants bringing meaningful change in the lives of beneficiaries • Able to implement best farming practices • Employment created • Sustainability of the projects dependant on • Other funding for production inputs in order to avoid debts • Implementation of mentorship programme • Conflicts in few projects – must be resolved before expenditure occurs
Challenges • Northern Cape Province struggling to recruit and retain good/relevant scarce skills • Few field officials to provide after-care and implement new projects at the same time • Delays in the implementation and expenditure (only started to spend in the 2nd quarter) as a result of • Lack of Agricultural engineers and Industrial Technicians (competition with industry and recruitment by Private sector) • Too many projects in 2005/6 (29 projects in 2005/6 as compared to 9 projects in 2004/5)
Challenges • Late delivery of material by the appointed suppliers • Few BEE companies participate and in some cases we have identified fronting • Some suppliers not following specifications e.g. delivery on non-SABS approved water pipes and thus, • Project being suspended until supplier delivers appropriate material or • New suppliers being appointed • More demands by other land reform beneficiaries the more they see implementation and changes in the approved projects
Strengths • Department managed to retain certain skills in the last three years • In an attempt to improve on capacity and proper planning we have strengthened partnerships with • Other departments, as an example establishment of the Land Reform Coordinating Committee • To discuss on various land reform projects • To share information on priority areas related to CASP, Landcare, Food Security • DBSA, IDC, ARC, FARM Africa and commercial banks • Ensured that projects are discussed at municipal level with signature of municipal manager before tabled for approval at provincial level
Programme of Action • Submission on project proposals for 2006/07 were finalised in September 2005 • Approval by provincial DoA done by October 2005 • Presentation to national Department of Agriculture done by November 2005 and already approved • Outstanding projects for 2005/06 to be completed by June 2006 • Tender approval for 2006/07 by mid-June 2006 • Implementation for 2006/07 projects to commence end-June 2006
Way forward • Personnel • Departmental organogramme re-aligned based on clear operational units, line of authority and accountability • Complete provincial scare skills analysis and introduction of strategy to attract scarce skills • Appoint more field officers (aim for at least one Extension officer per municipality) • Appropriate deployment of scarce skills • In collaboration with DoA and Provinces, finalise the remuneration scale for scarce skills in order to reduce movement of officials between provinces
Way forward • Projects Planning • Review project proposals in line with ASGI-SA and IDP’s • Already reduced the number of projects for 2006/07 • Ensure that planning is completed prior to April • Tenders for all projects to be approved by end of 2nd quarter • Implement quality assurance to avoid fruitless expenditure
Way forward • Reconciliation will be performed between In Year Monitoring (IYM) and the Infrastructure Model (IRM) • Budgets and expenditure to be captured on BAS under correct items and according to the Appropriation Acts • Provincial Treasury developed a model that will be used to complete the quarterly reports • Distinguish between Infrastructure Maintenance and Capital spending on Infrastructure • Will ensure that the Department and Provincial treasury report on similar infrastructure figures