Best value

Best Value was government policy in the United Kingdom affecting the provision of public services in England and Wales. In Wales, Best Value is known as the Wales Programme for Improvement.

Introduction

Best Value was introduced in England and Wales by the Local Government Act 1999, introduced by the UK Labour Government. Its provisions came into force in April 2000. The aim was to improve local services in terms of both cost and quality:

A Best Value authority must make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness (LGA 1999, section 3[1]).

Effects of Best Value

The range of activities affected includes almost all local authority functions, including for example social services, environmental health, housing and planning.

The first details of Best Value were set out in the ’Twelve Principles of Best Value’ announced in June 1997 (DoE 1997). The bill to provide the statutory framework was introduced in the 1998/9 parliamentary session.