Best Value is defined as:-

"A duty to deliver services to clear standards, covering both cost and quality, by the most effective, economic and efficient means available."

The Local Government Act 1999, prescribed that all Local Authorities, including Police Authorities, are required to undertake service performance reviews. Best Value Reviews are about improving service delivery and are intended to help provide local people with local policing services which:

meet national aspirations and strategic priorities, as set out in the National Policing Plan;

reflect the needs of the local communities; are fair, non-discriminatory and responsive to diverse needs; and

are high quality and cost effective

During the past year we have completed a further six Best Value Reviews, in the areas of:

Prisoner Handling and Identification Senior Command (ACPO) Police Authority Training Crime Reporting and Recording Standards Unit (Formerly Complaints and Discipline) - incorporating Civil Claims, Data Protection and Information Security

Looking ahead to this year (2004/05) it is our intention to review the following areas of service delivery:

Crime Investigation - Part 2 Operational Policing at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level. Information Services Operational Support Department - Uniform Operations