Charging, Remission and Subsidy Policy
This policy outlines the procedures and principles by which we secure partners and services to ensure transparency, accountability and value for money.
This policy outlines the procedures and principles by which the Hub Lead Organisation(Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership) will appoint and secure partners and services under the oversight of the Hub Board. It ensures transparency, accountability, and value for money in the commissioning process to support the delivery of the Hub's programme of activities and strategic functions.
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Identifying partners
Derbyshire Music Hub commits to expanding and diversifying the partnership, ensuring that new organisations have the opportunity to work with the Hub and that an appropriate range of partners are commissioned to support delivery.
Commissioning process
Derbyshire Music Hub website provides an ongoing open portal, welcoming expressions of interest from organisations that can help to deliver our Local Plan to meet the three aims and five strategic functions of the National Plan for Music Education (NMPE).
Expressions of interest clarify strengths and experience and are progressed to dialogue outlining how our Hub must evolve in response to the developing needs and context of the Hub area followed, if there is a fit, by observation of activity by a member of the Quality Assurance Reference Group.
Where the quality is judged to be good or better it will be recommended for the appropriate Area Leader to negotiate 3-way funding to pilot the speculative product.
Organisations only wishing to work with the Hub from time to time will be commissioned for each activity/project. Agreed contract for services proceeds according to Derbyshire County Council financial regulations to Purchase Order.
Organisations seeing potential to be involved beyond one-off projects and very localised delivery may choose to progress to the formal Strategic Hub Partner application process, submitting details about their governance, the activities/products they provide, plus what they can contribute to the aims and strategic functions of the NPME.
Reviewing and renewing the partnership
Hub Partner applications are an agenda item at termly HLO Group meetings with discussions leading to recommendations for Hub Board approval.
The HLO Group also reserves power to target expressions of interest/applications on a responsive basis for diverse commissioning to ensure the Hub evolves in response to the developing needs and context of the Hub area.
Agreed activity, as described in the Strategic Hub Partner application process, is incorporated into bespoke Hub Partner agreements. Representation on the Hub Partner termly Reference Group is an expectation.
The HLO Group will review Strategic Hub Partner contributions annually and make renewal recommendations to the Hub Board in readiness for the next school year. Attendance/apologies at Hub Partner Reference Group, engagement with ACE annual return, quality of output and impact will all be taken into consideration when making renewal recommendations.
Activities and proposals
The Hub Partner Reference Group will update Needs Analysis and promote Project Proposals(online secure portal) in response to developing need.
Project Proposals from partners will be reviewed within a month at Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership Leadership Group to ensure value for money and, wherever possible, include 3-way funding.
Self-commissioning by the HLO
Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership will seek annual Hub Board approval to continue
providing instrumental/vocal tuition via accredited self-employed instrumental tutors, county-level ensembles and school curriculum support within the Hub area.
Capital Grant procurement method statement
The DFE’s mandatory Musical Instruments, Equipment and Technology Framework will be used for all Capital Grant purchases. Being a local authority service, this will avoid the need to negotiate local procurement regulations which have previously posed significant barriers to legitimate purchases. We are confident that the framework will encompass all our purchasing plans. We won’t be exploring alternative procurement routes.
Our purchasing arrangements will be compliant with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended or replaced from time to time (PCR). We will seek competitive tenders for all purchases of eligible instruments, equipment, and technology should we buy any items costing £12,000 (including VAT) or more, selecting the option that provides best value for money.
Quality and performance monitoring
Quality Assurance permeates Hub provision. Derbyshire Music Hub champions high standards in music education, believing that Derbyshire pupils deserve access to high-quality provision and in the knowledge that fewer problems occur when the quality of delivery is at its best.
Hub partners believe in and demonstrate the importance of music education; providing access to quality music teaching and events, assisting school leaders to identify what needs to be in place for delivery of a high-quality music offer.
All Derbyshire Music Hub provision is quality assured before it even starts to go out in the name of the Hub. Every prospective instrumental teacher has their teaching observed and lessons must be good or better to achieve accredited teacher status. The same applies for every prospective Hub delivery partner organisation. Prospective Hub Partner organisations are encouraged to observe existing provision, so that they are aware of expectations – it works both ways.
Once working with the Hub, all go through a mentoring period, with two or three observations or paired delivery. Written feedback after each of these mentoring sessions includes a narrative about what is going well and a couple of things to think about next. At this point the work is incorporated into the annual quality assurance cycle, with formal reporting on the quality of what was seen, alongside encouragement to reflect and self-evaluate, aligning with YouthMusic’s Quality Framework – Do, Review, Improve.
We are currently developing plans to measure the effectiveness of your deployment of the Capital Grant in meeting the needs of Derbyshire’s children and young people.
Hub Board oversight
A commissioning subgroup will meet as required to report back to the Hub Board and in advance of annual Hub Partner renewal approvals.
This Commissioning Policy will be reviewed each spring term, in advance of the main annual round of commissioning.