Councils reap rewards of best-value initiative

Local authorities are becoming more efficient as their efforts in pursuing best-value goals translates into better performance, according to recent research.

It notes that by far the most effective way to improve is to have good leadership from officials and councillors. Case studies showed that both senior managers and politicians played a key role in making the case for change and ensuring the policy stuck, even if it was unpopular.

Effective leaders also played a significant role in creating a performance orientated culture.

In its report to the Department for Communities and Local Government, Cardiff University found councils were showing:

• More focus on improvement;
• Clearer corporate priorities;
• More robust performance management systems;
• Better consultation with users and the public; and
• Greater willingness to partner other agencies.

Tellingly, councils that demonstrated these improvements also achieved good ratings in the comprehensive performance assessments introduced in 2002, showing they didn’t just pay lip service to best-value principles but embedded them within their organisations.

District councils were the slowest to progress in best-value practices, particularly in partnering the private sector and in improving their performance management.

But the Cardiff team noted that partnering had begun to lose its lustre even among enthusiastic councils by 2004 because of high-profile failure to deliver strategic service delivery partnerships.

New information and communications technologies were also significant in driving change.

The best-value regime was brought in during 2000 as a way of encouraging challenge, comparison, consultation and competition in the way councils procured products and services. But following a rule change in 2003 many have ‘overlooked’ the requirement to ensure there is competition, the report said. The new rules gave them much greater powers to decide how they conduct reviews and provide information on their performance.

In its conclusion, the report said the best-value review process did not bring about change on its own, especially if people did not want to change. But where they did, their review process showed them the way.

[Contract Journal, 29 November 2006, p 2]