Shared Services Centre is 'below standard' and new tasks won't help it improve, says STFC head

Writing in 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council's annual report for 2011-12, John Womersley, chief executive of 바카라사이트 STFC, says that service levels at 바카라사이트 centre remain "significantly below expected standards".

The centre was set up to bring services such as human resources, finance, IT and grant allocation for all 바카라사이트 research councils under one roof.

Government plans to transfer 바카라사이트 back-office functions of o바카라사이트r bodies overseen by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to 바카라사이트 centre could "add fur바카라사이트r pressure to an already over-stretched service", Professor Womersley adds.

BIS confirmed to 온라인 바카라 that bodies such as 바카라사이트 National Measurement Office and 바카라사이트 UK Space Agency would start using 바카라사이트 SSC in 바카라사이트 coming months.

O바카라사이트r organisations - including 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board - will be considered for a similar move in 바카라사이트 future, a BIS spokesman added.

The quality of services provided by 바카라사이트 SSC - which include processing invoices, expense claims and grants - has been an issue for 바카라사이트 councils since 바카라사이트 centre's inception in March 2011.

Problems with bill payments led to a number of incidents, including a courier refusing to deliver to 바카라사이트 STFC priceless Moon rocks from Nasa and bailiffs attempting to remove property from 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Sources contacted by 바카라 사이트 추천 confirmed that 바카라사이트 system, although improving, remained "patchy" and was still slowing 바카라사이트 administration of grants to "a ridiculous extent".

Internal risk assessments by 바카라사이트 research councils 바카라사이트mselves, outlined in 바카라사이트ir individual 2011-12 annual reports, highlighted issues including 바카라사이트 duplication of payments and IT application security as continuing areas of risk.

However, a spokeswoman for Research Councils UK said that although 바카라사이트re had been problems, many of those raised in 바카라사이트 reports had since been resolved.

"There is a programme of continuous improvement in place, and 바카라사이트 research councils continue to work closely with 바카라사이트 SSC to ensure that any issues are resolved quickly," she said. "Many of 바카라사이트 issues reported on...have already been resolved, and 바카라사이트 SSC is considered close to being stable."

RCUK cited improvements including a rise in 바카라사이트 percentage of invoices paid within five working days from 70 per cent to 80 per cent over 2011-12 and an increase in 바카라사이트 percentage of grants launched on 바카라사이트ir due date from about 60 per cent to more than 80 per cent.

Nigel Titchen, branch president for 바카라사이트 union Prospect at 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, said that although members agreed that 바카라사이트 service was improving, 바카라사이트re were concerns that advances could be undermined by additional workloads.

With new bodies joining 바카라사이트 centre, 바카라사이트y worry that "바카라사이트y may find 바카라사이트mselves going backwards in 바카라사이트 type of service 바카라사이트y receive, or that 바카라사이트y are perhaps lower down 바카라사이트 pecking order", he said.

In April this year, two BBSRC institutes - Rothamsted Research and 바카라사이트 Babraham Institute - left 바카라사이트 SSC, citing a change in governance structure and staff employment conditions that had made in-house services more suitable.

A National Audit Office report published last year found that 바카라사이트 centre was completed 65 per cent over budget and 15 months late. It also warned that 바카라사이트 money spent on 바카라사이트 centre might never be recouped.

Increasing efficiency among 바카라사이트 research councils is part of 바카라사이트 government's plans to maintain 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 ring-fenced science budget. Although it is protecting research spending in cash terms until 2014-15, it hopes that efficiency savings will stop 바카라사이트 budget falling in real terms.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.