General Information about HCC approach to Best Value

Section 1 - Introduction

Introduction

· Message from the Leader on Hampshire's vision for the future and the community plan

· Message from the Chief Executive on Hampshire's performance linking to the PSA

Contacts for more information

· Explanation of distribution plans for summary version and how full versions may be obtained.

· Links to libraries, information centres, LIPs and the website.

· Details for those with language or other difficulties.

· Links to contacts in other tiers and neighbouring local authorities, including Fire and Police

About the plan

· Statement explaining what Best Value and the Performance Plan is about.

· Information about how the information in the plan is organised.

· Will explain how people may comment on the plan itself and will report back the findings of last year's survey. Will report the findings of the analysis of last year's response cards, in relation to the plan.

Links to other plans

· A brief explanation of how the BVPP fits within the County Councils strategic and planning framework

· A summary of progress towards the community plan

· An explanation of the PSA and how that will influence our priorities for future performance

New political structures

· An explanation of the new political structures and how they have affected the way we make decisions and target performance

· Information on how the public can contact their local Member

Section 2 - Overview of performance

Summary of performance

· Assessment of our overall performance, against key indicators / targets, possibly also covering current performance against PSA targets (will need to provide balanced view i.e. must include areas of poor performance)

· Comparative assessment against other authorities performance

External assessments of performance

· 2001/02 District Audit report on the BVPP

· any key performance issues from the management letter

· findings, recommendations and our response to inspection reports including:

o Best Value Inspection Service

o LEA OfSTED

o SSI

o Registrar General

o Food Standards Agency

Consultation - what the public thinks

· Covering the results of recent consultation and plans for the future. Specific focus on how the results of consultation have influenced our services

· Will include:

o Hard to reach research

o Business research

o Citizens Panel

o Modernisation survey

o Budget consultation

The financial context.

· A table of income and spending as reported in the Council Tax leaflet to cover 2000/01, 2001/02 and 2002/03

· The main changes in budget for 2002/03 and in actual spend for 2001/02

· Significant capital schemes to be started in 2002/03 and those completed in 2001/02

· A statement of how the County Council is identifying efficiency improvements within Best Value reviews. This will link to the overall approach to efficiency improvements which is adopted within the County Council's budget planning.

· A statement identifying business units and whether their charges to other services have a distorting effect on performance indicators.

· A statement about how the County Council manages its capital assets.

· An explanation of the key elements of the competition policy and how this links to the County Council's framework for procurement and commissioning.

Key corporate themes

· A review of performance against the four corporate themes of crime & disorder, sustainable development, equalities and e-government. This will draw specifically on the impact of our Best Value reviews on performance in these areas

Section 3 - Performance Information relating to the five corporate aims

For each of the five corporate aims we will:

· Report on achievements (or otherwise) against the corporate strategy targets for the aim plus any reason for variations

· Report on achievements (or otherwise) against the statutory performance measures which relate to the aim. These will be selected from the full set, depending on:

o Significant variations from estimates / targets in last year's plan

o Relevance to the Best Value reviews

· Comparative performance information at national and county council levels

· Report on the implementation of year 1 Best Value Improvement Plans

· Report on the outcomes of year 2 Best Value reviews

· Identify clearly our aspirations for year 3 Best Value reviews

· Report on issues identified from the Annual Achievements Report

· Contextual information to provide the size and scope of the service, eg number of schools

Section 4 - The Best Value Review Programme

Five year programme

· The revised programme,.

· The rationale for the changes made, including a statement about the beneficial impact of the changes.

· Conclusions about resources needed for the programme, based on year two experiences.

Outcomes from Year 2 Best Value reviews

· The plan will identify for each review completed in 2001/02 :

o the clear purpose for the service (identifying why it should continue)

o the quality of service currently provided

o options considered for improving the service

o plans for service improvement including key targets for future performance

Section 5 - Full performance measure data tables

Best Value Performance Indicators ( and any remaining Audit Commission Performance Indicators and relevant local performance indicators as appropriate)

· 00/01 - actual performance measures for last year

· 00/01 - forecast given in last years plan

· 01/02 - actual or forecast figures for this year

· 01/02 - target given last year

· 02/03 - a target for future performance based on a combination of historical performance and remedial action taken to bring the service up to required standards.

· 00/01 - comparison with average of all county councils

· 00/01 - comparison with national averages, where known

· Statements covering:

o Significant variations between the figures reported and the estimates / targets given in the previous plan

o County Council intentions not to reach national targets where these conflict with local priorities