This note sets out the various statutory and non-statutory plans required of police authorities and forces and how the different plans might fit together. This note does not prescribe any one way for doing this . This will be for discussion and decision by the individual police authority and force. It does though give examples based on the practical experience of representatives of police authorities and forces engaged in work to implement Best Value. A police authority must issue its APP, copied to the Secretary of State, before the beginning of the financial year as part of its duty to secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area.
Most plans are the product of joint working by the authority and force.
DETR issued draft guidance on Best Value on 21 September. This has been consulted upon - the deadline for comments was 4 November. In order to determine their programme of Best Value reviews, police authorities and forces may need to undertake a Corporate Review, so that they can develop a clear picture of their strengths and weaknesses, as well as set practical objectives for meeting the overarching aims and objectives. At the end of five years the authority must be able to demonstrate to external auditors that the whole organisation has been reviewed and performance and quality assessed. The audit will check compliance with statutory requirements and assess the robustness of the underlying arrangements for delivering Best Value.