Contact: Duncan Savage ext 7479

1 Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this report is to:

· Seek Member approval of the outcome report for the service review of :

· Transport

· Seek agreement to the recommendations that should be made to the service committee

· Identify any issues to be referred to Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee

· Agree outcomes that should be reported in the Best Value Performance Plan.

2 Background

2.1 This review is part of year 1 of the programme of reviews agreed by Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee on 9 December 1999.

2.2 The outcome report consists of the following elements:

· Outcome report - a narrative report based on the format recommended in the Toolkit

· Action plan - a table showing key outcomes, performance targets, actions, costs and timescales.

2.3 Members should consider the outcome report attached within the wider context of the Best Value review programme and services provided by the department, particularly when considering outcomes that may have a financial or operational impact on other services.

3 Challenging the Outcome Report

3.1 Before approving the outcome report for each service review, the Panel must challenge it to ensure that the Best Value process has been rigorously applied. The Panel should consider whether the review has:

· met national and local requirements

· met its objectives as set out in the project brief

· identified all the possible options for service improvement

· considered all the advantages and disadvantages of each option

· identified sufficient evidence to support the recommended option(s)

· addressed the concerns of the community and members

· an action plan that, if implemented, will deliver targeted, measurable and continuous improvement in service delivery

4 Issues to be referred to Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee

4.1 Are there any issues which cut across departmental or organisational boundaries, which would be best reviewed as a whole?

4.2 Are any of the review outcomes significant enough for referral?

4.3 Has the review process identified any learning points which should be referred?

4.4 Are there any proposed changes to the review programme?

5 Recommendations to the service committee for implementation

5.1 What recommendations should be made to the service committee for implementation?

6 Outcomes for inclusion in the Best Value Performance Plan

6.1 What outcomes should be reported in the next Best Value Performance Plan?

7 Information provided to support the report

7.1 Each report should contain sufficient evidence to support its conclusions and recommendations. Further evidence may be held on the review working files which members may inspect on request. Members may identify gaps in the evidence and ask for additional evidence to be provided.

8 Recommendations

8.1 It is recommended that:

· The outcome report for the Transport review is approved

· The recommendations of the review should be reported to Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee:

· Social Services Committee should put in place arrangements to monitor the implementation of the agreed action plan

· The outcomes of the review should be reported in the Best Value Performance Plan.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. the list excludes:

· Published works

· Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information, as defined in the Act.

Documents upon which the outcome reports of the following Best Value Service reviews are based are held on file by the Director of Social Services:

· Transport