Clackmannanshire Council faces some significant challenges
In its first report on Best Value at Clackmannanshire Council, published today, the Accounts Commission for Scotland says the council faces a number of significant challenges specific to its situation and its progress towards Best Value has not matched its aspirations.
Accounts Commission Deputy Chair Isabelle Low said: “Clackmannanshire Council is the smallest mainland Scottish council with the least staff and the least money to spend. But it still has to provide the same range of services as other councils. It has a number of successful service achievements to its name and has shown that it can work with others, particularly in the development of its community planning partnership.
“But its progress towards Best Value has not matched its aspirations because of its limited capacity, high numbers of priorities and lengthy improvement agenda. More effective leadership by elected members, sharper prioritisation and other improvements to corporate activity and services are needed. And because of scale and capacity issues it is vital that it now places the highest priority on more joint working, sharing management and service delivery arrangements with others, particularly other councils.”
The Accounts Commission’s findings state that to achieve Best Value the council needs to improve aspects of its corporate activity including:
- Effective leadership by elected members
- Sharper prioritisation and clearer articulation of vision, priorities and policies with resource decisions
- Consistent vision in corporate and community plans
- Political structures which give clarity on roles and responsibilities
- A coherent approach to competition in relation to service delivery mechanisms
- Development of a human resources strategy.
The Commission points to successful achievements in services such as child and adult care, recycling and dealing with planning applications and noise complaints. But there are areas where the council needs to improve, including educational attainment, aspects of housing management, respite care, food hygiene and trading standards inspections, cultural and community services and refuse complaints. And it needs to make urgent progress in implementing single status for its workforce and in the collection of council tax.
Isabelle Low continued “We look forward to receiving an improvement plan from the council which addresses the questions raised in the Best Value report and these findings and sets realistic timescales for developing joint working.”
