Best Value
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What is Best Value?
Best Value is all about making sure that we spend money in the best possible way. We have to make it clear:
- How we will give more say to service users
- What we are going to do
- How much we are going to do of it
- To what standard we intend to do it
- How we intend to do it better
- Where we are not doing it well and why not
To achieve this we have to do two things:
- Best Value Reviews - reviews of what we do.
- Best Value Performance Plans - annual reports.
Best Value Reviews
Initially the Government required local authorities to review all their services on a rolling programme over a five year period. This is no longer the case. Now local authorities are required to identify those services which require a Best Value review, following on from discussion with the Commission for Social Care Inspection. The review has to answer a number of questions built around four ‘C’ words:
- Challenge the Activity
- Why is the service being provided?
- How is it being provided?
- Do we actually need to do it at all?
- Is this the best way of providing the service?
Compare with Others
- Are we as good as other local authorities at providing it?
- Do other public bodies do it better?
- How well is it provided by businesses?
Consult with People
- What are the views of the tax payers of Cheshire, the people who get the service and anybody else with an interest in the service.
Compete to Prove we are the best
- Can we show that we are the best provider of the service?
- Could we provide the service better through working with somebody else?
- Could the service be provided by someone else
Reviewing our services is not a new idea for Cheshire and we have been carrying out reviews for many years. Best Value has made our approach a national requirement and has set out clear guidelines as to how the reviews should be carried out.
Severe Disabilities
Mental Health Services for Adults of Working Age - June 2004
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