09 November 2001
The pilot project, with Torfaen County Borough Council, will involve a review of corporate governance, and examine how the inspection regime can be reformed to make it less onerous. There has been widespread criticism of the demands that Best Value places on local authorities and the quality of the resulting reports.
News of the pilot follows the commission's own report into its audit and inspection functions, published in September, which promised a fundamental restructuring of the regime.
Foster said the commission was committed to a differentiated inspection system based on the performance of individual councils, with a 'light touch' approach to those doing well. He also suggested that arrangements for English and Welsh authorities could differ. He said: 'The democratic arrangements in Wales provide a unique opportunity and we need to develop an approach to reflect the position there.'
The lessons of the Torfaen pilot would be applied across the system, Foster added, providing 'the basis for working out what a lighter touch inspection might look like and how it would be delivered'.
Torfaen was one of the original Best Value pilot authorities. Aneurin James, chair of the council's Best Value scrutiny committee, said: 'We want to integrate Best Value into our day-to-day management structures.
'We hope this project will help other authorities to grasp the nettle and realise that Best Value will not hinder them but can help them to improve services.'
PFnov2001
