In a recent address, John Kleem, project consultant for a national benchmarking project, said that benchmarking will always mean different things to different people.
Involving nine large urban fringe Councils across four States, the project report is due to be released in May. However, John Kleem is concerned that, to date, no attempt has been made to account for democratic choice. That is, it is up to each Council to decide the level and nature of service it wishes to deliver. Councils are elected to express the will of the people so what suits one Council probably will not suit another.
John Kleem believes it is essential that some sort of weighting addressing this issue is built into all forms of best practice through benchmarking.
With benchmarking, a relatively new concept, the national project has clearly demonstrated that it is not simply a matter of comparing statistics, rather a process for borrowing from others who are doing it better, talking and networking. As Dr Robert Camp, Chairman of the Global Benchmarking network has said, “Benchmarking is the practice of being humble enough to admit someone else does it better and wise enough to learn from others and surpass them.”
John Kleem believes there is something within all of us to want to be the best and the national benchmark project has clearly demonstrated this. It has not only created a network of informed exchange but in each of the three quarters where data has been collected, a marked improvement has resulted across all participant Councils.
However, it still remains that Governments at all levels must look at this issue of democratic choice. If people in one community are prepared to pay more for a particular service, then that is their choice.
Setting priorities is at the very heart of our democratic system. Elected members who misread community sentiment must ultimately answer to their constituents.
Benchmarking is undoubtedly a tool for working towards continual improvement, placing Councils in a better position to question policies, resources and level of service based on best practice within the field. Although it can be a proactive means to achieve the competitive edge, if Councils are to be Local Government rather than mere ‘local agencies’, flexibility allowing for local priorities must be built into any benchmarking equation.
