In Scotland, local authorities have a duty by law to demonstrate Best Value and continuous improvement when delivering their services.
The arrangements for ensuring Best Value are co-ordinated by Corporate Support who co-ordinates and participates in the identification and conduct of Best Value service reviews across all of our departments. The service reviews are an integral part of our Strategic Plan and Performance Improvement Framework.
These reviews have contributed to our financial efficiency savings whilst ensuring that services are capable of meeting the needs of users within available resources. The role is a key element in the achievement of our strategic objectives set out in our Strategic Plan.
We use several tools to show the Scottish Government, and local residents, that we are meeting these important objectives as outlined below.
Corporate governance
We use this system to show that we have firm control of everything we do, based on three fundamental principles:
- openness
- integrity
- accountability
Good governance includes:
- good management
- good performance
- sound financial management
- listening to what local residents have to say about our services and providing good outcomes for all citizens and service users
Local code of corporate governance
We have approved and adopted a Local Code of Corporate Governance based on the best practice available in Scotland.
Corporate Support develops and implements the Local Code. We review our Corporate Governance arrangements every year to make sure that our approach is strong and effective.
The outcome of this review is reported to our Governance and Scrutiny Committee.
View the latest report including our Local Code of Corporate Governance (PDF 770Kb)
You can also see an update of last year's action plan and details of this year's action plan along with the our Annual Statement of Assurance.
Self evaluation arrangements
Our performance development team within Corporate Support, is responsible for Council wide and service self-assessments.
The East Ayrshire Self-Assessment Model (EASAM) is a bespoke self-assessment model developed by East Ayrshire Council. It is based on the seven Best Value themes contained within the Scottish Government ‘Best Value: Revised Statutory Guidance 2020’.
The EASAM model ensures that we continue to comply with the Best Value Audit characteristics contained within the Local Government in Scotland Act (2003).
Performance reporting
We have made a commitment to provide regular reports on our performance.
We deliver a wide range of services and report on performance in a variety of ways at different times throughout the year through East Ayrshire Performs Reports.