Taking a progressive approach to best value could mean a move from the more traditional approach of writing quality manuals to the implementation of process management tools. Gill Sainsbury looks at Chelmsford Borough Council's experience.

The best value initiative recognises that local government must strive towards providing the services and quality of life the majority aspire to in local communities. Best value demands that local government can demonstrate it is providing excellence in local services at reasonable cost. However, in many instances, the practical tools for achieving this may be lacking.

Best value can only be achieved through the establishment of measurement protocols and benchmark standards, accompanied by the introduction of best practice guides, careful planning and effective implementation. At Chelmsford BC, the best value team concluded that in order to achieve quantifiable results, a break with tradition was called for. It was felt that, while the enhancement of existing working practices and increased communications would undoubtedly help in ensuring that the principles of best value were understood by all, the results might be difficult to measure. And with best value, measurement of results is crucial.

Thus the council looked towards the implementation of process mapping software, which breaks down the key processes of an operation into individual, minute activities across people, facilities, information systems and equipment. It highlights and helps to identify what are, and what should be, the key sequences of events required to achieve a specified outcome. Process mapping helps users to understand how a service works, which in turn means it can be challenged. It also helps users to compare their performance with other providers and consult with other users on how to improve the provision of services in the future.

In effect, process mapping assists a service to deliver on the four "C"s (challenge, compare, consult and compete) that are at the heart of best value. According to Sue DeVal, leader of Chelmsford's best value team: "We recognised very early on that if Chelmsford was to deliver on best value, we needed to think outside the box. With few established benchmarks by which we could judge improvements, we knew we had to find a way to identify how to measure our success and scientifically prove how effective our improvements are."

At the heart of the decision to introduce process mapping to help identify new systems for service delivery and to develop a specification and evaluation process, was the council's recognition that it is important to understand how a process works before it can be improved. Today, process mapping is installed in every service undertaking best value reviews at Chelmsford and its use formally written into the council's procedures.Since environmental services introduced process mapping into waste management, the results have proved positive and have led to the introduction of a number of measures that will assist in monitoring continuous improvement.

CHALLENGE
First, the department used process mapping to challenge its existing procedures - to find out if it was delivering services in the most effective and efficient way possible. Jane Smith, environmental services best value officer, explains: "We were aware that systems and processes had built up in an ad hoc fashion. Some had been developed in isolation, without co-ordination with other areas of the service, so there was little or no cohesion. When we introduced process mapping, this was the first time that we had really broken down our procedures and systems into their component parts and the results were an immediate guide to where improvements could be considered."

This quickly brought to light a number of areas where activities were being duplicated and where procedures were taking place that were not adding value to the final outcome, and could therefore be eliminated without being detrimental to the quality of the ultimate service delivery. For example, although the service as a whole was aware that both the litter enforcement officers and the cleansing inspector (based in different locations) were involved in dealing with fly-tipped waste, it was not clear where the areas overlapped; the former being tasked with finding the perpetrators and the latter with arranging for waste removal.

The process mapping procedure clarified where tasks were being duplicated and highlighted areas where simple actions - including procedural changes, unifying documentation and expanding training in evidence gathering - would streamline operations. This resulted in the elimination of duplicate site inspections and increased the potential for successful prosecutions. Importantly, by making these changes, the council also hopes to improve its performance in the time taken to remove fly-tips.

COMPARE
The council is currently comparing the services it delivers with those of other local authorities, in order to ensure that the benchmarking it undertakes is valid. For example, in mapping the system for the collection of domestic refuse, the process highlighted at what stage, and by whom, performance indicator records (such as missed bins) should be kept and how loops might be closed to ensure a rapid response to complaints.

CONSULT
While understanding and refining existing procedures is a great start, this is not enough. In order to deliver best value, it is essential to be confident that not only are things being done correctly, but that the right things are being done to meet the expectations of the local community. Process mapping has helped Chelmsford's waste management service to identify effective and timely ways to gather feedback by monitoring complaints and putting into place mechanisms to deal with the issues. As a result, it is confident that, as far as complaints are concerned, it will be able to accurately identify why something went wrong and how to stop it recurring in the future. Importantly, if it becomes apparent that an existing process is inadequate, process mapping allows the department or service to test changes and different methods in a "virtual" environment, without disrupting current levels of service, until an improved solution is found and implemented.

COMPETE
Delivering best value is intrinsically about local authorities demonstrating competitiveness. The challenge is there to prove that all alternative methods of delivering services have been reviewed, and that there is confidence that the most efficient, cost-effective working practices are being implemented, without detriment to the overall quality of services offered. Quality of service must meet the expectations of the local community and they, in turn, must be confident that local authorities are continually re-evaluating services and striving to make further improvements. Ms Smith notes that: "It is still early days in terms of measuring the success of the changes we have made as a result of the process mapping exercise. However, we can be confident that we are now in a position to deliver measurable results and have the tools to adjust the way we do things quickly and at minimal cost or disruption to the public. Anyone undertaking process mapping should start it as early as possible in the review procedure to ensure maximum benefit from its findings."

The elimination of duplication and unnecessary procedures increases efficiency and makes service delivery speedier. Any tool that successfully highlights improvement areas and areas of excellence that can be promoted to reassure the local community that economical, high quality public services are being continually delivered is beneficial. Finally, process mapping can also improve the working environment for employees by clarifying individual responsibilities and identifying training opportunities so that staff potential can be maximised.

The author would like to thank Micrografx, which provided the process mapping software for Chelmsford BC. For details contact Micrografx Ltd, on Tel: 01483 747526 ext 207 or E-mail: uksales@micrografx.com

Readers may be interested in purchasing Waste management: legal requirements and good practice for producers of waste, a new title available from the publications department for £49.95 each plus P&P. Tel: 020 7827 5882.