16 July 2004
Local authorities are facing a major increase in performance indicators to assess whether they provide Best Value.
Thirty-two new indicators have been proposed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Twelve will be deleted, 30 amended, and 57 unchanged.
In the past four years, the ODPM has cut the number of PIs from 130 to 99. Roger Sykes, head of research at the Local Government Association, said councils would be alarmed at the prospect of numbers going up again.
He said: 'We have consistently said to the government that, if PIs are to be used to measure performance, they must remain much the same over a period of time.'
Ten of the new indicators would be in corporate health, including the quality of e-services.
In housing, where six new indicators are proposed, maintenance would be assessed, along with the time taken to re-let properties. Two new indicators are proposed for homelessness, along with a range in other services, including the percentage of smoke-free buildings and measures to control pollution.
PFjul2004
