Residents benefit from better 'best value'

Royal Borough residents are benefitting from an impressive increase in value-for-money council services, a report released this week reveals.

The council is meeting 61% of its targets, up from 51% last year, according to the borough's Best Value Performance Plan for 2007/08.

In addition, the number of targets not achieved fell by two-thirds over the year 2007/8.

Cllr David Burbage, leader of the council, said: "This report is great news for residents as it shows just how seriously we take our commitment to providing quality, good value services for taxpayers."

The council fell just short of its targets in 27% of cases and didn't meet 12% of them, compared to 11% just short and 38% not met the year before.

Progress has been achieved across the council, with specific areas of improvement including:
· Percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* - C
· Preventing homelessness
· Direct payment of benefits
· Percentage of household waste composted
· Speed of planning application decisions
· Library service standards.

Cllr Burbage added: "I am delighted that we have achieved such a marked improvement across the board.

"As an example in real terms, in 2006/7 the percentage of home composting was at 8.1%; now it's at 10.1% as a result of the council's introduction of free home composters. In other areas such as streetcare we have maintained our already high levels of performance.

"Where we didn't meet the targets, we will redouble our efforts to provide even better quality, best value services. For example, we fell just short of some of our community safety targets and will be working closely with the police to improve this. The new Local Area Agreement was recently signed which highlighted tackling crime and fear of crime as one of our priority areas."