Best Value
The Government has placed a duty of best value on local authorities (LAs) to deliver services to clear standards of cost and quality by the most economic, efficient and effective means available. Best value is a challenging new performance framework that requires authorities to publish annual best value performance plans and review all their services every five years.
From 1st April 2000, best value authorities are conducting best value reviews for all their functions over a five-year cycle. The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) has the responsibility for inspecting all reviews of benefit services to determine whether authorities have complied with the requirements of the best value legislation and associated guidance.
Authorities must show that they have applied the 4Cs of best value to every review:
- challenging why and how a service is being provided
- comparing their performance with others (including organisations in the private and voluntary sectors)
- competition embracing fair competition as a means of securing efficient and effective services; and
- consulting with local taxpayers, customers and the wider business community.
Authorities must demonstrate to local people that they are achieving continuous improvement in all of their services. The Government has decided that each authority should be scrutinised by an independent inspectorate, so that the public will know whether best value is being achieved. The purpose of the inspection and of this report is to:
- enable the public to see whether best value is being delivered
- enable the inspected body to see how well it is doing
- enable the Government to see how well its policies are working on the ground
- identify failing services where remedial action may be necessary; and
- identify and disseminate best practice.