FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW OF COUNTY HALL (05/02/02)

Conservative County Councillors are calling for a fundamental review of the way County Hall provides its services.

The current bureaucracy and costs are allowed to escalate partly due to the failure of the Best Value system that has replaced competitive tendering (CCT).

Conservative leader, John Smeaton commented, ‘Best Value is supposed to be about ensuring the efficiency of Council-provided services. However, the system is a godsend to procrastinators and can result in a five-year delay to improving service provision.

Were we to conduct a best value review of Best Value, we would discover that it was in fact increasing inefficiency and costs. There has been over £3/4 million pounds spent on it so far with negligible savings.

Conservative Group Chairman, Alan Ham, added, ‘It is frustrating. We as a group must insist that the Council cuts red-tape and costly administration. We must get back to basics and provide quality public services while maintaining an acceptable level of Council Tax.’