< Previous | Contents | Next >

Tayside Police Primary Inspection 2002

Annex A

A Joint Report on Best Value within Tayside Police

INTRODUCTION

1 Best Value requires relevant public sector bodies to develop a performance management and planning framework which is fundamentally about establishing clear standards and targets for all the body's activities, identifying where and how improvements can be made, and reporting on performance. Four key principles, accountability, transparency, continuous improvement and ownership underpin Best Value. The essential elements are sound governance (customer focus, sound strategic, operational and financial management) performance management and monitoring, continuous improvement through competition, option appraisal and other tools, and long-term planning and budgeting.

2 The design and development of a co-operative model for the future monitoring and inspection of Best Value that limits bureaucracy and duplication in inspection scrutiny was introduced in the HMIC Thematic Inspection Report 'A Value Judgement' published in July 2001. In partnership with Audit Scotland, HMIC have made use of a Best Value protocol and Joint Inspection Team within the Primary Inspection of Tayside Police.

3 This joint report is structured in accordance with headings derived from the Business Excellence Model and reflects the overall structure of the Primary Inspection Report. The protocol uses criteria analogous to those used by Audit Scotland in their approach to assessing the progress of a Scottish Council, namely arrangements for performance management and planning, known as the PMP audit. The aim is that the framework for inspection and self-evaluation prior to an inspection will be sufficient to allow Audit Scotland and HMIC to discharge their statutory duties in a co-ordinated and integrated way.

4 Audit Scotland and HMIC would emphasise that Best Value is not a stand-alone concept but one that permeates all facets of an organisation. This was reflected in the conduct of the primary inspection. Protocols covering Senior Management, Strategic Planning, Community Consultation, and Financial Management were considered alongside the Best Value protocol. Some issues arising from the protocols have already been covered in earlier chapters. For the purposes of joint reporting, however, it may be necessary to re-visit specific issues within this section of the report, and where relevant, appropriate cross-reference will be made to the earlier chapters. Rather than duplicate the necessary information here, a summary or reference will be provided where appropriate. Audit Scotland and HMIC would acknowledge the significant commitment of the force to Best Value building upon the recommendation and good practice identified by HMIC in the Thematic Inspection Report on Best Value.

LEADERSHIP

5 The expectation is that senior managers have translated Best Value into a clear set of expectations for the force which reflect core Best Value principles such as: consulting with stakeholders, providing services to meet customer needs; continuous improvement; getting the best cost/quality balance; equality; and public accountability and responsiveness.

6 Staff should be involved in developing these expectations to ensure ownership. They should be communicated widely to generate awareness of Best Value across the force, expressed in terms that provide a clear direction for staff, and feedback gathered to ensure that the communication has been effective. Finally, elected members should provide consistent support for a methodology for the force that will deliver Best Value.

7 The Director of Corporate Services holds strategic responsibility for 'Best Value'. A Best Value unit has been established led by a superintendent and comprising a Best Value Officer, an Assistant Best Value Officer, and also includes an Accountant and the Force Performance Manager. The Best Value unit reports directly to the Director of Corporate Services.

8 The Best Value unit has the responsibility to oversee the day-to-day management of Best Value reviews, to ensure the reviews meet the Best Value criteria of consult, compare, challenge and compete and that they meet the set timescales.

9 There have been staffing issues within this unit resulting in slippage in achieving its objectives and in terms of what it offers. It is there to offer advice and support to Best Value review teams.

Best Value Awareness

10 A variety of methods have been used to try and stimulate awareness of Best Value throughout the force. These include pamphlets about Best Value, articles in the force newspaper 'Copperplate' and the use of the force Intranet and website to highlight Best Value. The joint inspection team noted that the Force is looking at other ways in which to get the Best Value message over to the staff on the front line, including developing an overall marketing strategy.

11 The joint inspection team would support an increased emphasis on the communication or marketing of what Best Value means to the force. A strong impression was gained from staff, at varying levels, that the scope of Best Value is limited to service reviews and is not considered as a management framework, which encompasses many of the functions already undertaken within the force. This may have been inadvertently reinforced by the specific focus of the Best Value unit towards supporting service reviews.

12 In terms of structure, the involvement of departments and divisions in the development of Best Value is seen as overly narrow being restricted at a senior level to assisting in the identification of areas for review and ultimately to providing staff for review teams. This is an area the force may wish to consider further.

13 The involvement to date of elected members in the development of Best Value has equally been limited. The joint inspection team did note the formation of the Best Value Steering Group, its first meeting and update report presented in March 2002. The Steering Group, which also includes representatives from the Staff Associations and Unison, acts in a monitoring role and is to meet quarterly. There remains scope for greater involvement by the group in influencing the force approach to Best Value.

POLICY AND STRATEGY

Consultation with Stakeholders

14 A Best Value service is responsive to the needs of its communities, citizens, customers and other stakeholders and its plans and priorities are demonstrably based on such an understanding. It requires the identification of stakeholders and their involvement in helping to identify policy and service priorities.

15 A Best Value service will also review its approach to consultation to see how it can be improved. The service is clear about why it is consulting; it employs cost-effective approaches to consultation and reviews the methods adopted. The service can demonstrate links between the findings from consultation exercises and service planning. A Best Value service is proactive in responding to the changing needs of its customers and communities.

16 One of the main aims of a Best Value service should be to reach as many stakeholders as possible.

17 Community consultation is primarily undertaken as a divisional responsibility. This is done in a variety of ways including use of the local media, local partnerships, and contact with elected members, MEPs, MSPs and MPs. Local issues are also fed in to Divisional Commanders through the Community Safety Inspector.

18 Corporate Development co-ordinates public consultation through the Survey Assistant (currently vacant).

19 There is no overarching consultation process or structured framework that feeds consultation issues into the centre and supports the production of force plans.

20 An EFQM based self-assessment programme has been used in areas of the force. Overall, its use has been positively commented upon and the feedback provides a good indication of the issues and problems considered important to staff involved in the exercise and that management need to challenge. The joint inspection team noted that 'improvement plans' had been developed in certain areas, however, this was not universal and the monitoring of implementation was not clearly structured, though meetings to discuss plans had been scheduled.

Service Planning

21 Clear and concise policing plans should set out what the service intends to do, its overall priorities linked with the strategic plan, performance standards and targets to be met and the resources involved in order that progress can be measured and reviewed. They should also be properly costed and budgeted, on a multi-year basis, and be realistic and achievable given the available resources.

22 The force should listen to stakeholders as it formulates its plans to ensure that it is responding to the needs and priorities of its communities. Commitments set out in policing plans ought to be translated into SMART tasks for teams and individuals to undertake and management should ensure that staff understand the plan, associated tasks and their role in the delivery of the service.

23 The annual policing plan and three year strategic plan were in draft at the time of inspection and due for publication in May-June 2002. The annual plan for 2002-03 retains the five force objectives from 2001-02 and divisions were in the process of interpreting the force objectives and tailoring them to local circumstances. It is understood that this year, divisional plans will be published and promulgated to the local community. Comment is also made in this Inspection report in respect of the alignment of force objectives, performance measures and related targets (see paragraph 2.10).

Public Performance Reporting

24 The aim of Public Performance Reporting is to provide the framework for a service to identify the performance information stakeholders need in order to form a view on the achievements of the service and present this in a form that people find useful. The content of public performance reporting should be easy to understand, concise and include:

• Information on what services it provides, what people can expect of them, and how people can get access to them.
• Information on what the service has learned from consultation about what matters to its stakeholders and what it is doing to respond to these concerns.
• Information that shows how the service is working with other bodies to best meet the needs of its communities.
• Information that allows the public to see that the service is focusing on priorities and achieving value for money on behalf of its communities.
• Trend information, comparative information, and performance against targets or benchmarks to help stakeholders assess how well the service is performing.

25 The Chief Constable's Annual Report 2000-01 provides commentary on the performance of the force across a range of operational and support issues and concludes with a section presenting the approach of the force to Best Value in support of its public performance reporting commitment. The joint inspection team noted the intention of the force to provide more detailed information in the 2001-02 Annual Report, which was in the course of preparation during the inspection. In this area, consideration should be given to providing more specific and regular information which meets the needs of stakeholders (to be determined during a consultation process) and not to the annual report as the sole reporting mechanism used.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

Use of People

26 Having developed the Policing Plan and identified the available resources, it is important that there are mechanisms in place for informing staff of what is expected of them, setting objectives and reviewing performance.

27 In common with all Scottish Forces, Tayside Police have an established performance appraisal system, which allows for an individual's contribution to force, divisional, departmental or beat priorities to be reflected in their role requirement.

28 Specific to Best Value, it was noted that:

• the composition of the Best Value unit provided access to skills and knowledge in the areas of self assessment, performance measurement, process mapping, surveys, and costing.
• Reviews already completed or underway have utilised new members of staff to the area under review as part of the review team.
• Team selection is a matter for the team leader, in consultation with the Best Value unit.

PARTNERSHIP AND RESOURCES

Financial Control and Reporting

29 Elected members and senior management should regularly review the financial health of the service. Monitoring reports need to show the budgetary position, allow the reader to see clearly whether it is being controlled and that previously agreed actions have been taken and are having the desired impact in terms of controlling the overall budget.

30 Budget holders should have clear responsibilities and receive training and support to ensure that they have the necessary skills for managing budgets. They should receive adequate and timely information to enable them to manage their budgets and performance and take effective action to deal with under/over-spends (see paragraph 4.55-4.69).

PROCESSES

Continuous Improvement

31 A Best Value service should actively develop performance measures for its own use and review the key processes that determine whether its services deliver customer centred, cost-effective services. There should be a broad and structured approach to learning from other organisations, including comparing the service's performance, what it does, and how it does it. In addition, staff should be encouraged to share knowledge and learn from others.

32 There are many activities the force could promote under this heading e.g. benchmarking, developing performance measures, establishing improvement groups, providing forums for staff to share experiences both within the force and with other forces/organisations, developing databases of good practice and making staff aware of what is available and where they can access it.

33 The joint inspection team noted the following practices taken to promote continuous improvement within the force:

• The force is aligned to Quality Scotland and the Chamber of Commerce, allowing access to a number of organisations to benchmark and compare.

Service Reviews

34 Best Value reviews should rigorously assess what the activity is aiming to achieve, whether it is still required, and whether it will continue to meet future needs. There should be a systematic approach for evaluating options for providing a service, including competition where appropriate, to ensure that customers receive the highest quality of service possible within the resources available.

35 All activities should be reviewed and involve the application of the four 'Cs' (i.e. challenge, consult, compare, compete). Senior management should agree a service review programme which includes topics of a reasonable size that link with the service's priorities as laid out in the in the strategic plan and/or policing plans. Such a programme should have specified targets for completion of tasks in order that the programme can be monitored and corrective action taken as appropriate.

36 The corporate centre should act in a support role in terms of providing advice and guidance with the involvement of staff actually delivering the service in the review team. Guidance should be available on how to conduct a service review covering, for example:

• The application of the four 'Cs' - challenge, consult, compare, compete.
• Undertaking an option appraisal exercise.
• Providing a template for the report.
• Specifying the reporting framework that will deal with the final report (i.e. who will give consideration to the recommendations and decide whether and how they should be implemented).

37 Finally, an organisation needs to consider resources and training with regard to service reviews. A service review which deals with a significant area will require appropriate resources to fully explore the issues and training will be necessary to ensure that the review is rigorous enough to address the four 'Cs' option appraisal and provide an element of independent challenge.

38 Within Tayside Police the initial Best Value Review Programme consisted of 70 Best Value reviews to be completed over a five-year period. Revision of the programme has resulted in a service review plan, which identified 35 areas to be subject of a Best Value Service Review. The force has completed nine service reviews, now reported at action plan stage, with two further reviews nearing completion at the time of inspection. A total of 12 reviews are planned for 2002-03.

39 The joint inspection team understands these service reviews to be now:

• Prioritised dependent on the impact they have on the performance of the service, within a flexible programme. Flexibility within the programme may mean that a change of management may initiate a review. This was exemplified in the area of procurement and anticipated in respect of IT and Communications.
• Undertaken utilising the guidance contained within a 'Best Value Toolkit' covering methodological guidance on benchmarking, process mapping, survey methodology, EFQM and financial information and with the support of the Best Value unit.
• Staffed by a team which is abstracted from normal duties for the duration of the review.
• To be completed within a timescale, recently set at 30, 60 or 90 days.
• To be subject to a post-review process (see Figure 18).

Figure 19: Best Value Reviews Post-Review Process

40 The joint inspection team is aware that these considerations are relatively new, however, early experience, exemplified by the reviews ongoing at the time of inspection, suggests that the given timescales are ambitious and the abstraction of staff from normal duties may not be easily achievable without strong commitment. Though recognising the advantages of flexibility, any further slippage should be avoided and for monitoring purposes there is a need to present clearly the planned programme against milestones for delivery. It is recommended that within the Service Review Programme each review has a defined project plan, which allows for the monitoring of planned and actual timescale from initiation to completion.

41 The joint inspection team noted the proposed introduction of a 'post review process' and would encourage the force to further consider this area as an opportunity to report on the benefits secured by the same review in terms of savings, efficiency gains on improved effectiveness. The role of the accountant within the Best Value Unit is seen as supportive of developing a rigorous approach to costing.

42 In this area, the joint inspection team viewed positively the developmental work underway directed at the future management and co-ordination of the Best Value Team and a newly formed Internal Audit and Inspection Team.

Tayside Police 'Self Selected' Best Value Service Review

43 Best Value reviews should assess what the activity is aiming to achieve, whether it is still required, and whether it will continue to meet future needs. The four 'Cs' should be rigorously applied. In addition, there should be a systematic approach for evaluating options for providing a service, including competition where appropriate, to ensure optimum quality in service delivery within the resources available.

44 Arising from the HMIC report 'A Value Judgement? A Thematic Report on Best Value within the Police Service in Scotland', Tayside Police were requested to self-select a Best Value service review, representative of their overall approach, for consideration during the primary inspection. Tayside Police self-selected 'Data Maintenance Review' as a representative example of their service reviews which was examined in some depth as part of the joint inspection. The review is complete having been undertaken during 2001.

45 This review was instigated to ensure that the departments involved in data management were providing best practice and value for money to stakeholders in accordance with the Best Value ethos. It was undertaken by two members of support staff experienced in the field of operations being reviewed. It is understood the review was initiated following the identification or belief in disparities in staff workload occasioned by the introduction of SMART, the ISCJIS compliant reports transfer and management system. Recommendations were made to balance out the workload. The report is split into two areas, the first focusing on changes to practices and procedures and the second on data maintenance.

46 A comparison of the review against the four 'Cs', which were chapter headings within the report revealed the following:

Challenge

47 The challenge section of the report provides an overview of the introduction of the Standard Prosecution Report Management and Reports Transfer (SMART) system and its 'positive effect' on the force, followed by an update of the position of Tayside Police in respect of the recommendations from the Scottish Police Records Offices.

Consult

48 The consult section consisted of a series of interviews with staff directly involved in this service area and the considered impact of SMART upon the tasks undertaken concluding with observations and recommendations for change.

Compare

49 In addressing comparison, the review team considered the operations of Fife Constabulary and Grampian Police.

Compete

50 The review concluded, on the basis of its comparison with Fife and Grampian that Tayside Police had proven competitive in this field within the Scottish Police Service.

51 The joint inspection team would acknowledge the specific focus of the review and the scope of the 'service' being reviewed. This understandably restricted the ability to apply 'challenge, consult, compare, and compete' in a manner exemplified in the force Best Value toolkit. Nevertheless, the joint inspection team note the positive outcome in terms of staff redeployment and clear benefit arising from the review, with staff costing over £100,000 being re-deployed to other priority areas within the force.

RESULTS

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

52 The aim of performance monitoring and reporting is to link targets and goals set in the Force Action Plan with actual performance in order that progress can be reported back to stakeholders and the next action plan amended accordingly.

53 A Best Value service has a rigorous performance monitoring system in place. It has identified a broad range of measures that cover all important aspects of performance. Information is reported clearly and in a timely manner. Trend information is used to help assess how the service's performance is changing. Comparative information is used to help identify scope for improvement and managers review the information regularly and use it to control performance.

54 In Tayside Police, the joint inspection team noted that a full range of performance information is presented to a wide audience within the force in the form of a monthly performance manual.

Comment is made in this Inspection report in respect of the performance manual (paragraph 6.3-6.5).

< Previous | Contents | Next >