Knowledge (XXG)

Best Value

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to provide quality services. Compulsion has also bred antagonism, so that neither local authorities nor private sector suppliers have been able to realise the benefits that flow from a healthy partnership. All too often the process of competition has become an end in itself, distracting attention from the services that are actually provided to local people. CCT will therefore be abolished.
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Under Compulsory Competitive Tendering service quality has often been neglected and efficiency gains have been uneven and uncertain, and it has proved inflexible in practice. There have been significant costs for employees, often leading to high staff turnover and the demoralisation of those expected
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In turn these four aspects of Best Value are bound by adherence to twelve principles of Best Value mentioned above. The answer to the question of what method of service delivery, precisely, the government expected to arise from Best Value seemed to centre on local interpretation as satisfactory. The
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Therefore, while the message was unequivocally that compulsory competitive tendering was to be withdrawn, the replacement was to be less prescribed, with the intention that local authorities follow a responsive and locally determined method of service provision within a centrally defined framework.
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The paper does not attempt to define what best value in housing is — that is primarily a matter for individual local authorities in consultation with local people. The primary intention is to explain the process framework within which local housing authorities will need to operate in obtaining
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The second required service reviews within which the authority must demonstrate that in the fulfilment of their duties under Best Value they have: compared their service provision with that of other private and public providers; consulted with local business and community; considered competition in
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government pursued compulsory competitive tendering almost as a dogma, often against the wishes of local government. This led to an uncomfortable stand-off between the two, with CCT regulations being produced in increasing detail, and sometimes extending further than would have been the case in the
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Where a council fails to meet a statutory target, the Secretary of State is at liberty to take action, particularly where an authority is not meeting its duty of continuous improvement. In practice, the Secretary of State can direct the council to take specific action to secure improvement, or, in
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The third defining element introduced a regime of audit and measurement of performance, with the broad expectation that, year-on-year, costs would reduce and quality would increase. Performance would be monitored locally through Best Value Performance Reviews (BVPRs), partly through adherence to
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Many of the BVPIs have been in effect since the start of Best Value in April 2000, but some new indicators have been set, and some existing indicators were revised either to improve their definition or to be aligned with central government policy. Where a BVPI has a target attached to it, these
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of the United States. CCT required public-sector organisations to enable private companies to bid for contracts to deliver public services (such as cleaning, transport, security, and catering) in competition with the public sector's own organisations. The idea was to improve services through
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In the period between announcement and introduction (May 1997 and April 2000) the government sponsored 37 voluntary council 'pilots', 22 of which contained a housing element. The purpose of the pilots was to "test elements of the best value framework, and assess the extent to which actual
334:. Labour's Best Value proved more difficult to define. The notion of Best Value prior to implementation was enshrined within one key consultation document: Modernising Local Government — Improving local services through best value. This set out four defining elements of Best Value. 398:) were introduced. These were a statutory set of 90 indicators developed by government departments to measure the performance of local authorities, that is, all local authorities must measure themselves against BVPIs. The data is collected and audited annually by the 378:
A "short statutory guidance" document was issued in September 2011, dealing with certain "reasonable expectations of the way authorities should work with voluntary and community groups and small businesses when facing difficult funding decisions".
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As far as possible the government has tried to limit the number of changes. In fact, there were no amendments of additions to the BVPI set last year, and government has agreed to make no amendments to the present BVPIs until 2008/09.
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Thus, the rationale for Best Value emphasised three points: the failure of compulsory competitive tendering; the importance of partnership in service provision; and the adverse effect of competition as a prime objective.
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Specifically Best Value would differ from compulsory competitive tendering in three respects: organisation performance, organisation process, and the relationship between process and performance (Boyne 1999, p. 2).
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The first details of Best Value were set out in the 'Twelve Principles of Best Value' announced in June 1997. The bill to provide the statutory framework was introduced in the 1998/9 parliamentary session.
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competition. CCT requirements were relaxed upon the election of the Labour government in 1997, but similar concepts were soon promoted by the Labour government through its 'Best Value' policy.
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The fourth defining element of Best Value outlined the consequence of performance: government intervention in cases of Best Value failure, and reward in cases of success.
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The range of activities affected includes almost all local authority functions, including for example social services, environmental health, housing and planning.
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Each year government departments work with each other to set indicators for the next year. BVPIs are set in line with the financial year (1 April to 31 March).
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improvements in service quality and efficiency have flowed from the new approach". The rationale for the introduction of Best Value was summarised as follows:
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The duty of Best Value in relation to Scotland applies to all public bodies. It is a statutory duty for Scottish local authorities and a formal duty for the
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and Chief Fire Officer. Elsewhere in the public sector it is a formal duty placed on Accountable Officers, such as the chief executives of NHS bodies and
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in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. (LGA 1999, section 3)
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Best Value was not, therefore, about what local authorities should do: it was a framework that prescribed how they should decide what to do.
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locally and statutorily determined Best Value performance indicators (BVPIs), and disseminated annually through Performance Plans (BVPPs).
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private sector. The government was unambiguous about what was required – issue of tender, receipt of tender, selection of provider.
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Revised best value statutory guidance on working with voluntary and community groups and small businesses was issued in 2015.
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The 90 BVPIs covered many, but not all, aspects of services provided by local councils. These were withdrawn in 2008.
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Service delivery outcomes – how well the service is being operated in order to achieve the strategic objectives
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Quality – the quality of the services delivered, explicitly reflecting users' experience of services, and
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targets are reviewed each year, in light of the most recent performance data provide by a local council.
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For councils and authorities to be measured against Best Value, performance indicators, known as BVPIs (
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The first was the duty to secure economic, efficient and effective services continuously (the '3 Es').
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https://web.archive.org/web/20060228014729/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990027.htm
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was government policy in the United Kingdom affecting the provision of public services in
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lack of clear definition, in the context of housing services, was explained as follows:
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In order to provide a balanced view of performance, the BVPIs cover four dimensions:
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provision; and challenged the reasons for, and methods of, provision (the '4 Cs').
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The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of
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Strategic objectives — why the service exists and what it seeks to achieve
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extreme cases, remove the functions concerned from its control altogether.
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Modernising local government: Improving local services through best value
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Smart Contracting for Local Government Services: Processes and Experience
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Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1998a)
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Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997a)
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Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1999)
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Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1998)
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Improving local services through best value: Consultation Paper
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Fair access – ease and equality of access to services
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A Best Value authority must make arrangements to secure
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
513:. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. pp. 98–104. 251:Best Value was adopted in England and Wales by the 710:Best Value in Housing Framework Consultation Paper 656:Department for Communities and Local Government, 647:, published September 2011, accessed 12 June 2024 643:Department for Communities and Local Government, 219:. A statutory duty of Best Value also applies in 675:Managing Local Services: From CCT to Best Value 356: 288: 261: 660:, published March 2015, accessed 12 June 2024 8: 72:Learn how and when to remove these messages 360:best value in housing (DETR 1999, s.1.3). 190:Learn how and when to remove this message 125:Learn how and when to remove this message 167:of all important aspects of the article. 727:"Revised best value statutory guidance" 483: 558: 547: 489: 487: 163:Please consider expanding the lead to 680:Department of the Environment (1997) 658:Revised Best Value Statutory Guidance 639: 637: 7: 542:"Compulsory competitive tendering" 456:Scottish Fire and Rescue Authority 437:Consequences of failing Best Value 25: 396:Best Value Performance Indicators 53:This article has multiple issues. 454:and its Chief Constable and the 328:compulsory competitive tendering 141: 83: 42: 677:London: Frank Cass and Co. Ltd. 673:Boyne G (1999) in Boyne G (ed) 217:Wales Programme for Improvement 155:may be too short to adequately 61:or discuss these issues on the 689:Criteria for project selection 165:provide an accessible overview 1: 645:Best Value Statutory Guidance 235:'s Best Value policy was the 220: 215:, Best Value is known as the 753:Local government in Scotland 682:The Principles of Best Value 748:Local government in England 497:, accessed 29 December 2021 774: 460:further education colleges 330:was superseded in 2000 by 231:The predecessor to the UK 26: 758:Local government in Wales 717:Local Government Act 1999 452:Scottish Police Authority 253:Local Government Act 1999 306:Under the leadership of 27:Not to be confused with 255:, introduced by the UK 237:Conservative Government 557:Cite journal requires 507:Lavery, Kevin (1999). 363: 295: 271: 266:continuous improvement 29:best value procurement 18:Competitive tendering 390:Measuring Best Value 374:Statutory guidance 577:"KPI development" 257:Labour Government 233:Labour Government 200: 199: 192: 182: 181: 135: 134: 127: 76: 16:(Redirected from 765: 734: 733:. 27 March 2015. 661: 654: 648: 641: 632: 629: 623: 614: 608: 607:DETR 1998, s.1.5 605: 599: 596: 590: 587: 581: 580: 573: 567: 566: 560: 555: 553: 545: 538: 532: 531: 529: 527: 504: 498: 493:Audit Scotland, 491: 400:Audit Commission 319:Introduction of 195: 188: 177: 174: 168: 145: 137: 130: 123: 119: 116: 110: 87: 86: 79: 68: 46: 45: 38: 21: 773: 772: 768: 767: 766: 764: 763: 762: 738: 737: 725: 670: 665: 664: 655: 651: 642: 635: 630: 626: 617:SocietyGuardian 615: 611: 606: 602: 597: 593: 588: 584: 575: 574: 570: 556: 546: 540: 539: 535: 525: 523: 521: 506: 505: 501: 492: 485: 480: 468: 448: 439: 392: 376: 324: 304: 276: 245:contract cities 241:Nicholas Ridley 229: 196: 185: 184: 183: 178: 172: 169: 162: 150:This article's 146: 131: 120: 114: 111: 100: 94:has an unclear 88: 84: 47: 43: 36: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 771: 769: 761: 760: 755: 750: 740: 739: 736: 735: 723: 719:available at: 713: 706: 699: 692: 685: 678: 669: 666: 663: 662: 649: 633: 624: 609: 600: 591: 582: 568: 559:|journal= 533: 519: 499: 482: 481: 479: 476: 475: 474: 467: 464: 447: 444: 438: 435: 423: 422: 419: 416: 413: 391: 388: 375: 372: 351: 350: 347: 343: 339: 323: 317: 303: 300: 275: 272: 228: 225: 198: 197: 180: 179: 159:the key points 149: 147: 140: 133: 132: 96:citation style 91: 89: 82: 77: 51: 50: 48: 41: 33:discount store 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 770: 759: 756: 754: 751: 749: 746: 745: 743: 732: 728: 724: 722: 718: 714: 711: 707: 704: 700: 697: 693: 690: 686: 683: 679: 676: 672: 671: 667: 659: 653: 650: 646: 640: 638: 634: 628: 625: 622: 618: 613: 610: 604: 601: 595: 592: 586: 583: 578: 572: 569: 564: 551: 543: 537: 534: 522: 520:9780275964283 516: 512: 511: 503: 500: 496: 490: 488: 484: 477: 473: 472:Privatisation 470: 469: 465: 463: 461: 457: 453: 445: 443: 436: 434: 430: 426: 420: 417: 414: 411: 410: 409: 406: 403: 401: 397: 389: 387: 384: 382: 373: 371: 367: 362: 361: 355: 348: 344: 340: 337: 336: 335: 333: 329: 322: 318: 316: 313: 309: 301: 299: 294: 293: 287: 283: 279: 273: 270: 269: 267: 260: 258: 254: 249: 246: 242: 238: 234: 226: 224: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 194: 191: 176: 166: 160: 158: 153: 148: 144: 139: 138: 129: 126: 118: 108: 104: 98: 97: 92:This article 90: 81: 80: 75: 73: 66: 65: 60: 59: 54: 49: 40: 39: 34: 30: 19: 716: 712:London: DETR 709: 705:London: DETR 702: 698:London, DETR 695: 691:London: DETR 688: 684:London: DoE. 681: 674: 652: 627: 621:The Guardian 612: 603: 594: 585: 571: 550:cite journal 536: 524:. 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Index

Competitive tendering
best value procurement
discount store
improve it
talk page
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citation style
citation
footnoting
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lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview
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England
Wales
Scotland
Labour Government
Conservative Government
Nicholas Ridley
contract cities
Local Government Act 1999
Labour Government
continuous improvement
John Major
Conservative
Eric Pickles
Best Value Performance Indicators
Audit Commission

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