Baillie defends Best Value audit plans

15 Jun 09
The head of Scotland’s local government watchdog has denied that proposed revisions to Best Value audits would result in ‘subjective’ judgements of councils’ performance.

By David Scott In Edinburgh

12th June 2009

The head of Scotland’s local government watchdog has denied that proposed revisions to Best Value audits would result in ‘subjective’ judgements of councils’ performance.

In an interview with , Accounts Commission chair John Baillie said assessments would be made in a consistent way and judgements would be firmly based on evidence.

Baillie disclosed that the commission had ‘shied away’ from a grading arrangement based on a points or star system.

‘We are of the view that that seems to encourage “gaming” and league tables, where people will deliberately contrive their conduct to meet a good score rather than provide a good service,’ he said. ‘We would prefer something that was more responsive to the individuality of councils.’

Baillie was giving details of how the proposed second phase of Best Value audits would operate, as a series of Scotland-wide consultation meetings with individual councils began this week.

These follow responses to the consultation document about the proposals, which include a ‘more proportionate and risk-based’ audit, the introduction of clearer judgements on council performance and more partnership working.

Auditors will determine whether each council is placed ‘strongly’, ‘well’, ‘uncertainly’ or ‘poorly’ for improvement or whether as an organisation it is improving ‘strongly’, ‘well’, ‘adequately’ or ‘not improving adequately’.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers in Scotland criticised the consultation document for ‘lack of detail’ about how these judgements would be formulated. They warned that, without clear and transparent criteria, there was ‘a risk that such judgments could become subjective’.

Baillie told PF that judgements would be based on evidence, consistently arrived at and made against given criteria.

He added: ‘I think, inevitably, if you come down to judgement, there will be a degree of subjectivity. But the subjectivity will be well and truly governed, as are the criteria, by a consistency of approach and by our working practices to make sure that the consistency of judgement is there.’

The chair said pathfinder audits to test the system were due to get under way in five councils later this summer. These are Highland, Angus, Scottish Borders, Dundee City and East Ayrshire.

Commenting on plans for public service reform, Baillie said: ‘We take scrutiny reduction very seriously. It is an opportunity to remove some areas of work that perhaps were being done twice by different agencies.’

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