A Champion has a responsibility to:

1. Regularly attend meetings of the central SW Benchmarking Group (SWBG) to ensure effective communication, consistency of approach, avoidance of duplication, and provide support between the central group and sub activity.
   
   
2. Convene the initial meeting of a nominated Service Sub-Group (SSG) to undertake bench marking activity.
   
   
3. At the first meeting of such a SSG the champion will:
   
   
   1. ensure the protocol is explained and understood. To decide a mechanism for informing those who send apologies;
      
      
   2. explain and give the background on the role of the champion, how main group came into existence, who sits on the group, the connections/ relationship between the two and the reporting back process;
      
      
   3. chair the first meeting, and nominate a member of the group to chair future meetings. Suggest that the chair role is rotated on an annual basis;
      
      
   4. to draw members' attention to:
      
      
      1. it is likely that bench marking activity will not be contained to a series of meetings and that research/collation/ analysis work will be required. The SSG will have an ongoing responsibility to contribute and actively support this work;
         
         
      2. that if the work cannot be undertaken/shared that the sub group consider pooling some resource to undertake the work is an option;
         
         
      3. colleagues who fail to contribute cannot expect to receive the information/data produced.
         
         
      4. no resources are currently held by the central SWBG.
         
         
   5. establish clear terms of reference and an understanding of what areas of work the group will concentrate.
      
      
   6. suggest that the group focus on a limited number of performance measures on which to bench mark and maybe use as a starting point, statutory and Best Value indicators/targets.
      
      
4. After the first meeting to inform the Chair of the SWBG, the name, authority, e-mail address and telephone number of the proposed service sub-group chair.
   
   
5. Ensure that progress reports/minutes from the SSG are promptly sent to the chair of the SWBG for distribution to the members of the SWBG and to maintain a central record/database of information.
   
   
6. Maintain a watching brief over SSG by regularly attending meetings to offer support and to act as an effective conduit to the SWBG.

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