Archived decisions

Contact: Terry Rath, Education Officer
Tel: 01962 847457

1. Summary

1.1. This report updates the Policy Review Committee on progress in implementing the action plans of the seven first year best value reviews. The details provided in the appendix to this report will be incorporated into the Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP) for 2002.

2. Background

2.1. Updates of the improvement plans for the seven services have been placed in the members' room. This report allows members to assess the progress made in implementing the action plans. As all the actions in each improvement plan are implemented, the service concerned will no longer be included in this annual report to the Education Policy Review Committee.

2.2. Seven service reviews were undertaken during the financial year 2000-2001, although because of changes to the dates of the Education Committee meetings, most were not agreed by Committee until June and July. The dates the BV reviews were reported to Committee are set out below:

21 November 2000 School Crossing Patrols

23 January 2001 School Admissions

29 June 2001 Home to School Transport

Strategic Management

1 July 2001 Specialist Teacher Advisers

Bilingual Support Service

Outdoor Education

2.3. Only in the case of two of the reviews, those dealing with School Crossing Patrols and School Admissions, which were agreed by the Education Committee a year ago, has there been a full year's cycle from approval to this annual review of implementation. The delay in approving other reviews mean that some of the original target dates for implementation now appear optimistic, and data to review progress against targets is not always available.

3. Implementation

3.1. The attached appendix sets out in a standard format for each service, the main proposed improvements and progress on their implementations. The information in these appendices will be included in the annual Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP) to be published later this year by the County Council.

3.2. The number and level of actions in the different service improvement plans differ significantly both within and between the plans. The table below sets out progress in implementing the action plans. However, these statistics need to be treated with caution and earlier comments about the impact of the delay in approval on their implementation borne in mind. They are only intended to provide a broad picture. Some of the actions not yet fully achieved, have, nevertheless, had significant level of officer time put into taking them forward. An example would be the transfer of the School Crossing Patrols to the County Surveyor's Department originally planned for April 2001 and now intended to transfer in April 2002.

4 Conclusion

4.1. Overall the BV review action plans are being implemented in line with the timescales outlined in the plans. Other activities have had an impact, particularly responding to the OFSTED Inspection on some of the actions in the Strategic Management review. But these have now been rescheduled. Further work has also led to the amendment and reshaping of some actions as the plans respond to wider developments, both corporately and nationally.

5. Future Reports

5.1. In future years it is proposed to involve the members on the BV service review teams in reporting on progress on the implementation of their improvement plan. Before the report is prepared for Committee and the BVPP templates produced, members will review progress with the review team leader.

Recommendations

1. That the Executive Member for Education be advised that satisfactory progress is being made in implementing the first year Best Value Review Action Plan

2. That arrangements as proposed in paragraph 5.1 are put in hand for future years



Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

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.

NB: The list excludes:

1. Published works

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