Plans, performance information and accountability: The case of best value.
Please note: This page may contain data in Norwegian that is not translated to English.
Author
Boyne, George & Julian Gould-Williams, Jennifer Law , Richard Walker
Year
2002
Publisher
Public Administration, Volume 80, Number 4, Winter 2002 , pp. 691-710(20).
Type of publication:
Tidsskriftsartikkel
Link to review:
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/padm/2002/00000080/00000004/art00004
Language of publication:
Engelsk
NSD-reference:
2473
This page was last updated:
2007-07-30 13:36:32.343
- Kvantitativ
- Kvalitativ
- Intervju
- Dokumentstudie
- Storbritannia
- 2.1 Formell styringsdialog
- 2.3 Styringssystemer og -verktøy
- 3.1 Forvaltningsrevisjon og interne evalueringar
- 3.2 Eksterne evalueringar
- Forskning
- Effektstudie/implikasjoner/resultater
- Kartlegging/kunnskapsgrunnlag
- Strukturelle og styringsmessige effektar
- Verdimessige effektar
- Staten generelt
Summary
The current UK government emphasizes the importance of mechanisms of accountability that involve the planning and public reporting of performance. One example of this is the Best Value performance plan. However, there has been little evaluation of the quality of the information provided in this type of document. This paper draws on literature on stakeholding and user needs to identify the data required for accountability. It then assesses whether the plans produced by Best Value pilot authorities in Wales provide appropriate information. The analysis shows that very few of the plans contained the relevant material. Interviews in the pilot authorities highlighted two key reasons for the poor level of data: a lack of performance indicators prior to Best Value and limited staff expertise in performance measurement. The evidence suggests that documents such as performance plans currently make little contribution to the accountability of public organizations.