The current review of best value will not mean a return to crude competition-based tendering, the junior local government minister has claimed. In his first speech in post, Parmjit Dhanda pledged to support councils which use procurement decisions as a way of driving improvements in quality and performance, rather than seeking the lowest price. He said: ‘Best value is still at the heart of the performance framework. The changes mean we are taking away unnecessary processes imposed by Whitehall, and giving local authorities more freedom and discretion.' Speaking at the APSE annual conference, the minister added that the Government was also introducing more duties to consult and involve local people. But director of studies at the Audit Commission, Michael Hughes, warned against turning to competition. ‘If the best value review leads to increased competition, it will be against the evidence of what works. Competition has had benefits, but there are limits,' he said.