​This report has been prepared in response to the Business Plan 2010 and specifically to Objective 9 on page 20 where, after success criterion (vii), the following was inserted:

‘(viii) Review of management structure of ESC Department undertaken by April 2010 to ensure it is fit for purpose and cost effective’

This was later extended to include ‘the management structure of the Youth Service’.

The Director for Education, Sport and Culture declined the opportunity to conduct the review internally, taking the view that to be meaningful any review has to be it has to be considered to be independent."