TOPIC	POSITION
Public Transport	Audit Commission inspection April 2002. Overall assessment: good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Highway Network Management	Audit Commission inspection April 2002. Overall assessment: good service with promising prospects for improvement.
Special Educational Needs Transport	Review completed January 2003 following consultation on recommendations.
Youth and Community Education	Review completed March 2003 following consultation on recommendations.
Learning Disability Services.	Review completed January 2003 following consultation on recommendations.
Specialist Teaching Service	Progress on this review has slipped. The review is now due for completion and report to members during 2003.
Crime and Disorder	Progress on this review has slipped. The review is now due for completion and report to members during 2003.

In addition to the inspections following best value reviews referred to above, the following areas were subject to inspection last year:

TOPIC	POSITION
Corporate Performance	Audit Commission inspection as part of comprehensive performance assessment. Corporate assessment – ‘fair’; service assessment – ‘excellent’; overall assessment – ‘good’.

TOPIC	POSITION
Libraries	Audit Commission inspection. Overall assessment: good service with uncertain prospects for improvement
Education	Full OFSTED inspection of the Local Education Authority.
Children’s Services	Social Services Inspectorate inspection.

11.2 Our approach to Reviews

Last year we indicated that we would wish to use the outcome of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment and the combined Audit Commission audit and inspection plan to develop our approach to review programmes and the review process. We stated that our initial priority, therefore, would be to complete and implement outstanding reviews. Our action plan for the comprehensive performance assessment reflected this.

Since then the Government has produced revised guidance on best value review programmes. Current Government guidance on reviews states:

"Reviews should not be undertaken simply because authorities have previously given undertakings to assess a particular service in an earlier programme. Similarly, many straightforward improvements can be made without the need for a review. But reviews are likely to be important where:

there is a need to improve performance on a shared or local priority; or
authorities are unclear whether a service is still needed or whether its contribution is as effective as it could be; or
there is a prima facie case for a new service or new configuration of an existing service; or
there is evidence that the costs of a service are significantly out of line with comparable services elsewhere; or
there is a clear opportunity to work with other authorities to deliver common services, through for example, new technology."

We will use these criteria to assist in the selection of topics for review. We will also wish to respond to recommendations of the Audit Commission and other inspectorates where inspections have identified the need for action.

The development of our service planning and performance management framework will enable us to take a more proportionate approach to service improvement and review activity in keeping with Government guidance. For example this might include:

fundamental review (where one or more of the factors outlined above has been clearly identified;
service assessment (where one or more of the factors identified above may be present but there is a need for more in depth investigation beyond the normal service planning and performance management process before determining whether a more major review is required);
revising targets and service delivery through ongoing service planning and consultation and reporting through performance management arrangements.

We will also work with the Audit Commission to identify areas which may be appropriate for inspection, without necessarily undertaking a formal best value review beforehand. This will apply particularly to areas which have not been subject to formal external inspection in recent years or where follow-up work is desirable arising from previous inspections.

11.3 Review and Inspection Activity in 2003/04 and later years

Our review and inspection programme for 2003/04 and outline plans for 2004/05 and 2005/06 apply the criteria set out above. In particular, they reflect the continuing priority to deliver service improvements identified in previous reviews and the fact that significant areas of our services have now been the subject of inspection in the recent past. In consultation with the Audit Commission, proposed inspections are focussed initially on major service areas which have not yet been inspected, with new review work moving into areas of support service activity. Following the OFSTED inspection of the Local Education Authority, major work will be undertaken to reassess and develop our policies on special educational needs and cohesion. We will revise and update the review programme as necessary. Monitoring of progress on achieving the priorities in our Medium Term Corporate Strategy will also be used to assist in identifying areas which may require further development or review activity.

TOPIC	POSITION
2003/04
Better Access to Better Services Initiative	Audit Commission inspection of current service in 2004.
Workstep employment programme	Adult Learning Inspectorate inspection in 2003/04.
Comprehensive Performance Assessment	Audit Commission assessment on Environment Services – June 2003 Audit Commission assessment of corporate performance – November 2003 or November 2004.
Property Holdings	Review on an area by area basis during 2003/04 and 2004/05 to cover asset management and planning processes and joint working opportunities to support Better Access to Better Services Initiative.

TOPIC	POSITION
Vehicle Fleet Operations	Assessment during 2003/04 of vehicle fleet and contracted transport arrangements as an operational follow-up to previous service policy and entitlement reviews.
Procurement	Assessment during 2003/04 of effectiveness of the organisation of County Council procurement activity and delivery of first year actions in draft procurement strategy.
Emergency Management	Multi agency operational assessment of effectiveness of emergency management arrangements to respond to changing Government expectations.
2004/05 (provisional)
Crime and Disorder	Audit Commission Inspection. Best Value review completed during 2003/04.
Waste Management	Audit Commission inspection of current service.
2005/06 (provisional)
Economic Development	Audit Commission Inspection of current service and partnership arrangements.
Libraries Service	Audit Commission follow-up inspection.

In addition there may be a Supporting People inspection to be undertaken by the Housing Inspectorate jointly with the Social Services Inspectorate and the Probation Inspectorate.

Other Audit Commission audit and inspection activity is listed in the Audit and Inspection Plan for 2002/04 which is available on the County Council’s website.

Separate sections of this Plan identify improvement programmes which we will be taking forward on key priority improvement areas and in response to external inspection.

Best Value Contents

Page Last Updated: 30 June 2003