Best Value Service Reviews

The council is required to undertake a continuous programme of service reviews covering all of its services. These reviews should look at whole services from the customer's point of view not that of the council (and not be restricted by the artificial boundaries of whose function it is). Councils are required to review those services where there is the greatest scope for improvement first. Councils must show that they have applied the "4Cs" of best value to every review:

  • Challenging why and how a service is being provided;
  • Comparing our performance with others' (including organisations in the private and voluntary sectors);
  • Consulting with local taxpayers, customers, staff, Unions and the wider business community; and
  • Embracing fair competition as a means of securing efficient and effective services.

At the end of each review the council must produce a Service Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP), setting out how the service will be delivered in future, by whom (in-house; out-sourced; voluntary sector; joint provision etc) and to what standard.

The Government has decided that certain service reviews should be scrutinised by an independent inspectorate, so that the public will know whether best value is being achieved. The purpose of this inspection regime is to:

  • enable the public to see whether best value is being delivered;
  • enable the council 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.

Read the reports of all completed Best Value Service Reviews, and inspectors' reports where applicable.

Performance management

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434451

email:
performance@salisbury.gov.uk...

Postal address:
Democratic Services
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2117
Salisbury
SP2 2DF