ITEM BV12

Chief Executive’s Office
County Hall, New Road
Oxford OX1 1ND
Tel: 01865 792422 
Fax: 01865 247805
DX 4310 OXFORD
www.oxfordshire.gov.uk
Dr Richard Shaw
Chief Executive

Direct line: 01865 815314 
e-mail:  john.leverton@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Members of the Executive
Chair and Deputy Chair of Best Value

cc  CCMT			
My ref:		Your ref:		Date:	14 August 2002	

Dear Member

Implementation of Best Value Reviews

I am writing to outline the procedure which the Leader of the Council would like to follow so as to ensure that points arising from the Best Value Review implementation monitoring process are carried forward.    Already a number of implementation reports have been presented to the Best Value Committee, and some have been considered by the relevant Scrutiny Committee.   This has resulted in certain comments being directed at the Executive.  Whilst welcoming the introduction of the reporting system as an indispensable part of the Best Value Review process, the Leader feels that the implementation reports and points arising from them should be dealt with in a more direct manner in the context of the service concerned, rather than via a formal submission to the Executive.

The intention therefore is that implementation reports and any points raised on them by the Best Value Committee (and if applicable by Scrutiny Committees) should be referred direct to the appropriate Executive Members to discuss with the relevant Directors/Heads of Service, for them  to identify what consequential action may be needed in response.   If as a product of this a need is seen for the Executive to consider a substantive issue arising on an implementation report, it will of course be open to the Executive Member(s) to refer it accordingly.  Otherwise,  Directors and Heads of Service will be expected to initiate any action that has been identified in discussion on the report with the Executive Member(s).

This process will start with the reports which passed  through the Best Value Committee in June and July (see table overleaf).   Any comments by the Committee can be picked up in advance of publication of the formal minutes through the Decisions … Decisions …  list system, supplemented as applicable by the Scrutiny Outcomes notes when published.  We will aim to identify in the Action column the appropriate Executive Members and Directors/contact officers;  it is expected that the latter will ensure that the issues are positively taken up, whether at a routine briefing meeting with the Executive Members or by some other means.

Yours sincerely

John Leverton
Head of Committee Services

Implementation of Best Value Reviews
Best Value Committee, June/July 2002

Implementation Review	BV 
Cttee	Scrutiny 
Cttee	Directorate	Contact	Executive Member	
Arts &  Recreation	19 June	L&C 
16 July	Cultural Services	Richard Munro, Director (01865 810191)	Learning & Culture	
Care Management & Physical Disabilities	19 June	S&HC 
10 July	Social Services	Alan Sinclair, Head of Service (Disabilities) (01865 815753)	Community Care & Health	
Social Inclusion	19 June	CG 
18 July	Strategy	Bruce McLaren, Social & Economic Development Officer (01865 810816)	Deputy Leader of the Council	
Domiciliary Care for Older People	24 July	S&HC 
25 Sept?	Social Services	Lorna Brown, Assistant Director, Community Care (01865 815828)
	Community Care & Health	
Special Needs Transport	24 July	L&C 
10 Sept?	Education 	Sian Rodway, Senior Education Officer (01865 815142); Jerry Auton, Special Transport Services Manager (01865 711865)	Learning & Culture	
Schools of Concern	24 July	L&C 
10 Sept?	Education 	Geoff Jones, Senior Adviser, School Provision (01865 428117)	Learning & Culture	
Personnel	24 July	CG 
19 Sept?	Strategy	Sue Corrigan, Head of County Personnel (01865 810280)	Deputy Leader of the Council