Best Returns

Best Value Guidance
for
Library Authorities in England

8 Next steps and future developments

This guidance has been produced in July 2001 on the basis of the best information available at the time.  It is still relatively early days for best value.  Much continues to develop and evolve.  And authorities’ approaches to - and experiences of - best value are proving to be very different.

The pace of change is likely to quicken.  Government has pledged to step up its programme of public sector reform, and to streamline best value inspection.  The Audit Commission has also given a commitment to changing the inspection process, and the former Director of the Inspection Service now heads up the Government’s Office of Public Services Reform.  Meanwhile local authorities are continuing to experiment and learn more about improving services.

This guidance forms part of The Library Association’s approach to supporting library authorities in delivering best value.  The Library Association is committed to up-dating its best value guidance and to helping library authorities to find and share good practice.  It intends to work with SCL, the Audit Commission, Resource and others to develop a best value web-site and good practice networks.  Together these will provide a co-ordinated means of keeping library authorities in touch with latest developments.

9. Acknowledgements