Get with the program: David Skidmore examines how computer software is helping local councils meet Best Value requirements

摘要

Town halls across the UK have had to deal with radical changes to the way services are provided. Many local council officers were pleased to move away from managing contracts through compulsory competitive tendering and - following the Local Government Act, 1999 - to select services that offer Best Value. Under Best Value, there are a number of elements that must be assessed, including environmental performance and how satisfied residents are with services. In order to judge these components, localauthorities need to collate a large amount of data and this is an area where computer software has a major role to play. Not only can software be used to produce reports but it is also able to provide opportunities for broadening the scope of contract management. "Contracts are a means to an end, not the reason for a project," says managing director Sid Sullivan of Middlesex-based SGS Environmental & Management Consultancy. "Those responsible for contracts and their management should consider what theyare contributing to the satisfaction of customers' needs. Management should be a process of continual improvement into which there must be feedback from the end user."