An inspector calls...

As Kent County Council begins to shift into fourth gear for its corporate assessment inspection by the Audit Commission in January, it was interesting to hear a different take on performance management.

I had an interview with Bill Leighty, ex-Chief of Staff for Tim Kaine, governor of Virginia, voted the "Best Run State in the Union" for several years now.  We've asked Virginia to undertake their own inspection of how good they think we are.

Did Bill ask about all the usual 'tick box' questions about how many miles of road, how many complaints we dealt with, or how many school meals we served?

No. Instead, just one key question - "what would you say is the single most important measure of your success here at KCC?". I thought hard, then answered "Whether that elderly lady crossing the street outside thinks she's getting great services and good value for money".

We're all working hard for our Audit Commission inspection, but I often think this Government has moved too far away from what really matters - the people who elect us, and whose taxes pay for the services we provide.