Barnet UNISON Service Improvement Plan

Barnet UNISON Service Improvement Plan

5 January 2015.

“A best value authority must make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.”

(s3(1) Local Government Act 1999)

The parts of the Duty can be summarised

as:

i. Continuous improvement in functions

ii. Having regard to a combination of:

a. Economic value

b. Efficiency

c. Effectiveness

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 also places obligations on local authorities in England and Wales to consider how to improve social, economic and environmental well-being.

However, it does not change the Duty, it simply adds to it.

The new statutory guidance for England talks about social value in terms of procuring or commissioning goods and services, perhaps deliberately overlooking in-house service provision.

“…authorities should consider overall value, including economic, environmental and social value, when reviewing service provision. As a concept, social value is about seeking to maximise the additional benefit that can be created by procuring or commissioning goods and services, above and beyond the benefit of merely the goods and services themselves.” (Best Value Statutory Guidance (Sept 2011) [I don’t understand how this quote exemplifies the paragraph preceding it]

 

Barnet UNISON argues that social value should also be considered when looking at in-house services.

To view service improvement plan click here