Social services departments are being chosen as key targets for Best Value principles, according to a survey which shows they are the most popular choice of London boroughs, shire counties and unitary authorities.

The study of how councils are grappling with Best Value by the Local Government Association also reveals that most predict it will be easier to improve services and increase user satisfaction than to improve staff morale or enhance public understanding of the council's work.

The surveys were completed by officers with lead responsibility for Best Value in 249 authorities in England and Wales, with a response rate of 63 per cent.

Authorities were asked what they believed to be the most important outcomes of Best Value.

Increased user satisfaction was ranked as most important by 86 per cent of respondents followed by the provision of higher quality services at 82 per cent.

Just under half said it was very important that Best Value lead to increased job satisfaction and more effective working with other agencies.

Senior officers and front-line staff had a more important role to play in making Best Value successful than elected members, said respondents.

Other vital success factors were listed as adopting a "corporate approach", effective performance reviews and linking Best Value to strategic planning.

Almost all the respondents expected to take great strides in implementing Best Value over the next year. Nearly one fifth plan to adopt the scheme throughout the authority.

The report states: "The survey findings suggest that there is already a great deal of activity both within and outside the formal Best Value pilot programmes set up by central government."

Partnership deal for voluntaries

Guidelines to improve relations between the voluntary sector and the government will be issued over the next few days. A "compact" for England and another for Wales will establish partnerships and future commitments. Local compacts between councils and the voluntary sector will follow.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations' chief executive, Stuart Etherington, said charities were looking for a "new dimension" to their relations with government. "The compact has to nurture partnership but it should also reassure the sector that its independence and diversity will be secure," he said.

Welsh voluntary organisations want more involvement in formulating and delivering public policy. The Welsh National Assembly is to have a voluntary sector scheme. Graham Benfield, Wales Council for Voluntary Action director, said: "Inclusiveness has been a buzzword of the devolution process and we're starting to see what it will mean in practice."