Chapter 8 - Best Value Parish Councils
8.1 A best value parish council is a parish council that is subject to the requirements of the best value framework, as laid down in the Local Government Act 1999.
8.2 There are currently 41 parish councils that are subject to the best value framework on the grounds that they had a budgeted income of over £500,000 in each of the financial years 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/2000.
8.3 Best value lays a duty on local authorities to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which their functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. In meeting this duty, a local authority is required to consult local people, review all its functions periodically, measure its performance and produce a performance plan, which will be audited by an independent auditor. The 1999 Act also provides for local authority services to be inspected and for the Secretary of State to take action to remedy failing services.
8.4 It is recognised that the best value parish councils will already be meeting a number of the Tests for Quality status, through their obligations to the best value regime, however, best value parish councils are not the same as Quality Parish Councils.
8.5 Best value parish councils will not be granted Quality status automatically, but where tests are duplicated by the requirements of the best value regime the parish will not be required to produce a separate document. The Government expects that the best value parish councils will not have any difficulty in meeting the additional requirements.
8.6 For example:
A copy of the annual best value performance plan will be deemed suitable supporting documentation for the requirements of the Annual Report and Audit Tests for Quality status.
Page last modified:
19 May, 2005
Page published: 7 November 2001