Best Value Reviews are undertaken by the local authority but their final report is likely to be audited by external auditors (to verify that it meets requirements), and then subjected to further scrutiny by external inspectors.

The Government has decided that each authority should be scrutinised by an independent inspectorate, so that the public will know whether best value is being achieved. The purpose of the inspection is to:

• Enable the public to see whether best value is being delivered
• Enable the inspected body to see how well it is doing
• Enable the Government to see how well its policies are working on the ground
• Identify failing services where remedial action may be necessary
• Identify and disseminate best practice

During Best Value inspection, inspectors will be looking to answer some key questions; these are likely to be along the lines of those presented below:

Are the council's aims clear and challenging?

Inspectors look to see how a Council has agreed the key aims for the services being inspected, how clear these aims are to the people that receive the services and whether these reflect the corporate aims of the organisation as a whole.

Do the services meet these aims?

Having considered the aims the Council has set for the services, Inspectors make an assessment of how well the Council is performing in meeting these aims. This includes an assessment of performance against specific standards and targets and the Council's approach to measuring whether it is actually delivering what it sets out to do.

How does performance compare?

In order to judge the quality of the service it is important to compare the performance of the Council against other suppliers across a range of sectors. The aim is not exact comparison, but an exploration of how similar services (or elements of services) perform in order to identify significant differences, the reasons for them, and the extent to which improvements are required.

How good is the improvement plan?

A best value review should produce an improvement plan that sets out what needs to improve, why, and how that improvement will be delivered. It should contain targets that are not only challenging but also designed to demonstrate and ensure the continuous improvement necessary to put the service amongst the top 25 per cent of councils within 5 years.

Does the best value review drive improvement?

The best value review is the mechanism for ensuring authorities deliver continuous improvement in the services they provide.

Will the authority deliver the improvements?

Inspectors look for evidence that a council will deliver what it has set out in the improvement plan. They look for a track record of managing change within the Council and, ideally, within the service itself. The plan should also have sufficient support from councillors, management, staff, service users and other stakeholders, particularly those responsible for delivering.