Local government – as part of the modernising public services – is expected to improve continuously with the changing patterns of need and expectation in our society. There are drivers for change and improvement, and checks in the system of governance, to ensure that performance meets national and local standards and expectations. Local government is highly regulated – given that it is financed by public funds and provide services required by statute – and is held accountable to the communities it serves through the justification of its decisions, through democratic processes, and the publication of performance information.
Drivers for change and improvement include:-
- the Wales Programme for Improvement (WPI) (the successor to Best Value and the Welsh alternative to the Comprehensive Performance Assessment in England)
- self-assessment tools and techniques
- assessment and improvement tools (e.g. EFQM, IIP, Charter Mark)
- strategic, financial and business planning
- risk management
- business re-engineering
- peer review and assessment
- performance measurement and management
- networking, comparison and benchmarking
- the effective use of performance indicators and target setting
- internal scrutiny
- external inspection
‘Checks’ in the system include:-
- the national performance accountability framework which comprised community strategies and statutory plans, policy agreements, the performance measurement framework, the Wales Programme for Improvement, internal and external regulation)
- internal performance measurement, management and scrutiny
- public disclosure of information
- accountability to the public and partners through the publication of information, consultation and engagement, and the right of redress
- legal challenge and redress
- accountability to government departments for delivery against national strategy and targets
- Public Services Ombudsman Wales
- external audit
- external inspection
For more information contact: Daniel Hurford