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What is Best Value?

 
Best value is a legal duty introduced by the Local Government Act 1999. It requires Councils to make sure of continuous improvement in the quality and value for money of the services they provide. 

Under the Act, Councils must carry out reviews of their functions to seek continuous improvement.  Under the Government’s best value framework, the Council has to:

  • challenge the work that it currently does
  • compare its performance to the performances of other Councils
  • consult local people about their needs and aspirations
  • ensure that its services are competitive with the best available
The Council seeks to achieve best value for services in a number of ways:

  • having a programme of best value reviews. These look at cross-cutting themes which focus on how functions are experienced from the service-user’s viewpoint
  • having a performance management framework where service improvement is a central element of a manager’s work. This sends the message that continuous improvement is a central part of the Council's processes and not an occasional process which should await a special review
  • having a system of equalities impact assessments and monitoring reviews. These ensure that any aspects of policies, procedures or services which may have a negative impact for a particular group or part of the community are eliminated, minimised or counterbalanced by other measures
  • having a procurement strategy to ensure that Council functions are delivered through efficient, economical and effective services

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