Best Value
Overview
"A local authority which secures Best Value will be able to demonstrate a contribution to sustainable development - consideration of the social, economic and environmental impacts of activities and decisions both in the shorter and longer term."
- The Local Government in Scotland Act (2003)
Best Value is the statutory duty placed on local authorities to demonstrate their on-going commitment to providing better services to local people. Sustainable Development is a fundamental part of the Best Value regime, which was established under the The Local Government in Scotland Act (2003).
SSN Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit
The Sustainable Scotland Network, under the umbrella of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, has developed a Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit for local authorities to support their efforts to embed sustainable development at the heart of their operations.
The Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit is available online and provides an overview of the Duty of Sustainable Development, a guide to mainstreaming sustainable development and paths to delivering sustainable development within ten key service areas. Definitions, case studies, advice on measurement and links to further information are provided throughout.
Visit the Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit Website
An SSN Learning Brief is also available, which contains information and recommendations from officers that have applied the Toolkit locally: SSN Learning Brief 2: Best Value & Sustainable Development
How Local Authorities Have Used the Toolkit
The Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit is there to help local authority officers to interpret the ways their work can deliver sustainable development outcomes and to bring sustainable development to the heart of Council business. It has been used widely by local authorities for a variety of purposes, including:
- as a training resource for senior managers and heads of service;
- as a tool for a range of services to assess their own performance and enhance their understanding of sustainable development;
- as a means to audit internal delivery of sustainable development and identify gaps in delivery;
- to inform strategies and implementation plans;
- and to prepare for Best Value audits.
SSN's core member at Falkirk Council has used the Toolkit to inform service-specific training on sustainable development, which then informed development of Falkirk Council's Sustainable Development Action Plan: "the Toolkit helped us to nail down service-level priorities for sustainable development, and to shape these into SMART targets."
Perth & Kinross Council has found the Toolkit to be a valuable resource in mainstreaming sustainable development. "the Toolkit communicates sustainable development to services in their own language. It helped our Heads of Service to make sense of the Duty for Sustainable Development."
For further examples of how the Toolkit has been applied at the local level, visit the Local Application section of the Best Value & Sustainable Development Toolkit website.
Best Value Policy Developments
- The Local Government in Scotland Act (2003) placed a statutory duty of Best Value upon local authorites in the discharge of their functions. It states that a "local authority shall discharge its duties...in a way which contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development."
- Statutory Guidance on Best Value was issued to local authorities in 2004. The guidance develops what is meant by the contribution to the achievement of sustainable development, especially in its Chapter 7: A Contribution to Sustainable Development.
- The Policy Context for Best Value and Sustainable Development can be further explored in this Scottish Government webpage.
- In 2009 the Accounts Commission completed Best Value audits for all of Scotland's 32 Local Authorities. To view these Best Value 1 audits, visit the Audit Scotland website.
- Between March-May 2009 the Accounts Commission held a consultation on its proposals for the further development of the Best Value audits - Best Value 2.
- In August 2009 the Accounts Commission published their report responding to the consultation.
- Best Value 2 is currently being tested at five councils with 'Pathfinder Audits'. View the Best Value 2 Pathfinder Audits.
SSN: Best Value Policy Responses
SSN provides a forum wherein local authority lead-officers on sustainable development can learn about, discuss and agree responses to policy initiatives. Recent work has included:
- Responding to the Accounts Commission consultation on Best Value 2. Download: SSN Response to Best Value 2 - Proposals for Consultation
Further Resources for Best Value
- Best Value, and the Duty of Sustainable Development, also applies to many of a local authority's Community Planning Partners. A parallel document to SSN's guidance for local authorities has been developed for the wider public sector and is available for download here: Public Sector Best Value Toolkit