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Evaluation of Responses to Consultation on Best Value in the Wider Public Sector
6. CONCLUSION
The main theme expressed within the responses is that a significant amount of further communication is required in order to provide real clarity for Accountable Officers detailing what is required of them under the Duty of Best Value ( Section 3:Draft Guidance). In summary, the following issues are identified as critical to the successful rollout of Best Value within the wider public sector:
- Further low-level detailed Guidance (possibly of a sector-specific nature) covering the key conceptualisation, ethos, principles and application of a self-assessed Best Value framework.
- Further detail around acceptable use of existing Governance Frameworks to demonstrate a Duty of Best Value.
- Clarity of approach to audit and regulation - plans for the Scottish Executive/Audit Scotland to implement an audit framework/regulatory regime for the rollout of Best Value were vague in the Draft Guidance. Respondents wished to know how adherence to a Duty of Best Value would be tested?
Respondents identified 5 main mechanisms for ongoing support, including an Internet based shared resource, information exchange/forums, central provision of comparative information, use of case studies and learning the lessons from Local Government implementation ( Section 4:Ongoing Support). The following issues were identified as areas of concern for respondents:
- Integration of ongoing support with support mechanisms that exist for related initiatives - to avoid duplication of effort and provide customer facing central point of contact.
- Appropriateness of targeting sector specific groupings versus cross-public sector groupings for ongoing support (i.e. NHS-only or NDPB-only forums and/or integration of bodies in single forums).
It is also identified as absolutely critical that the STUC and Unison Scotland are fully engaged in the rollout of Best Value throughout the wider public sector, and that they have an input into the methods of ongoing support that are established ( Section 5).
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