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Maidstone Borough Council

Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Best Value Review of Waste Services

Report of: Overview and Scrutiny Officer

1.           Introduction

1.1        In March 2008 the Cabinet agreed the programme of Best Value Reviews and identified that the Refuse and Recycling Service would be reviewed in 2009/10.  Refuse and Recycling was highlighted by external auditors as an area of ‘cost’ concern and waste collection was also flagged up in the Price Book exercise[1]. 

1.2        Best Value Reviews involve a robust appraisal of service delivery including fundamentally challenging whether the service needs to be provided.  If this is the case, then reviews need to look at who the competitors are, what do stakeholders think and how do the costs and outcomes compare.

1.3        A revised Best Value Framework was agreed by Cabinet in May 2007. The framework of these reviews is to consider the 4 C’s of Best Value: Competition, Challenge, Consultation and Comparison.  These areas of consideration are designed to ask fundamental questions about activity being undertaken by the authority.  This includes questions in relation to the balance of quality and performance being delivered against cost implications to the authority (i.e. whether value for taxpayer’s money is being achieved).  Part of the Best Value Review process is therefore to look at whether resources could be made to work more efficiently.

1.4        There are three stages to a Best Value Review:

·  Scoping. A report will be produced setting out the context, the remit of the review, what is included and what will be excluded.  The review team will be identified and timescales and key milestones set out.  (Scoping Report to Follow)

·  Appraisal.  The Appraisal stage is where most of the work will take place.  It will close with the production of a findings and options report.  Research will be undertaken and key questions asked such as:

o     Why is the service or funding being provided?

o     Who would do it best?

o     What other service delivery models are available?

o     What are the views of stakeholders?

At this stage outputs should be reviewed and an action plan prepared.

·  Implementation.  The reviews will only be effective if the findings are acted upon.  Central to this will be the establishment of an agreed way forward.  An action plan will be produced and linked to other Council plans and strategies.

2.           Scrutiny Involvement

2.1        As part of the Best Value Review of Waste Services Scoping Report, Officers identified that it could be useful for the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be involved in aspects of the background research to the review, should Members wish to be involved.

2.2        Overview and Scrutiny operates with political impartiality and as a critical friend to the Council.   It is felt that it would be an effective use of scrutiny time and skills to examine aspects of this area that have been identified as needing review.  

2.3        Involving scrutiny would enable expert external witnesses to be interviewed in select committee style interviews by Members and also ensure Member involvement and support.  It would provide cross party buy in from all Members into the review and its outcomes. 

2.4        Possible areas that Scrutiny could be involved in include an in-depth investigation of alternative methods to carry out the waste collection service.

Report to Follow

3.      Recommendation

3.1    The Director of Change and Environmental Services and the Policy and Performance Manager will be in attendance at the Committee’s meeting to present the Best Value Review of Waste Services Scoping Document.

3.2    Members are recommended to consider the scoping document and the level of involvement they would like to take in this review, if any.