Best Value Review
The Scottish Government and Scottish local government share a commitment to deliver better quality public services. The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 placed a statutory duty of Best Value upon local authorities in the discharge of their functions. Best Value aims to ensure that management and business practices in local authorities develop better and more responsive public services. Best Value arrangements exist to secure continuous improvement in the performance of functions by public service organisations. Continuous improvement seeks to balance quality and cost considerations, and is achieved with regard to economy, efficiency, effectiveness, the equal opportunities arrangements, and sustainable development.
The Audit of Best Value and Community Planning provides the first overview of a council's performance across services and is designed to identify and agree planned improvements with the authority. The Accounts Commission published the first Audit of Best Value and Community Planning at Stirling Council in March 2005. The report provided information to local people about how well the council is organised to deliver its services. Stirling Council considered the Accounts Commission’s findings as detailed in the report and the Council approved the finalised Best Value Improvement Plan prepared in response to the Commission’s findings in March 2005.
A number of Council Services were found to be performing very well. One of the challenges facing the council is to ensure that it tackles areas of poorer service whilst maintaining success of the best performing services. Services highlighted as very good included children’s services, youth support, libraries, emergency management and council tax collection. Community care, community learning and development and housing voids management were also highlighted as good. The auditors identified refuse collection, roads and grounds maintenance, home care and sports facilities as requiring improvement.
