Best Value Law and Practice

Challenge, Consult, Compare, Compete Best Value: an important step for the modernisation agenda, and an equally important step for anyone embarking on the new regime. In a process that seeks to define a local authority's most important role, Best Value: Law and Practice will guide you through the potential maze of all the Best Value requirements. This work explores the entire process of Best Value, based on the legal framework and the best practice now developing in response to this important new duty. From preparation to implementation, over 1400 pages offer practical guidance on how to yield the most positive results, in the most cost effective and efficient way. Covering everything from the statutory regime to how to comply with all the criteria, Best Value: Law and Practice examines how to achieve continous improvement by offering real solutions to real problems. * Covers all the relevant issues which arise in the tendering and contracting of local authority services covered. * Explains the use of benchmarking and its role in Best Value. * Advises on the tactics which can be adopted by local authorities when dealing with the government Auditors and Inspectors. * Identifies all the key stages in the process such as the conducting of fundamental performance reviews and the preparation of the Best Value performance plan. * Examines the views of other stakeholders in Best Value, such as the private sector, the trade unions, and the councillors, covered by guest chapters on those areas. * Covers the transition from CCT to Best Value, outlining the differences between the two and in particular the changes made to the CCT regime before its abolition. * Includes flowcharts, tables and visual aids for ease of reference. Achieving Excellence Covering every service of the council, Best Value requires continuous improvement to achieve economy, effectiveness and efficiency. In addition to the procedural advice, Best Value: Law and Practice gives ideas on how to approach: * The Requirements and Review Process. * The Best Value Performance Plan Inspections and Incentives. * Performance Indicators and Standards. * The Beacon Council Incentive Scheme. * The Improvement and Development Agency. * Improving Competitiveness through Benchmarking. * Buying in top-up services. * Partnerships and Joint Ventures. * The Impact of the New Democratic Arrangements on Best Value. * Accounting. * Contract Compliance. Changes and Developments Efficient updating will allow for the expansion of many of the points raised, as the practice of Best Value develops. It is anticipated that two releases will be published each year to help ensure that you are not using out of date material. Whenever you need practical guidance on how to meet the duty of Best Value, you should refer to Best Value: Law and Practice. This work gives you the most comprehensive analysis of the law and practice relating to the Best Value regime and the action necessary to comply with it.

Table of Contents:
Introduction and background. The legal framework. The best value requirements. Improving internal competitiveness. External competition. Challenge and intervention.The modernisation agenda. Finance and accounting for best value. Key legal issues. Function specification for local government. Best value in Scotland. Best value in Wales. Other views of best value. Good practice. Appendices.