Scottish Borders Council provides good services and is well placed for future improvement

The Accounts Commission says Scottish Borders Council works well with other organisations, is improving well already and knows what more it needs to do to improve. It now needs to develop its systems for managing its performance.

Scottish Borders delivers good quality services which have improved in recent years and are well-regarded by the local community. The council works well with its partners and together they are achieving good outcomes for the community in areas such as health improvement, jointly-provided social care, community safety and child protection.

Chair of the Accounts Commission, John Baillie said:

“Scottish Borders Council has strong leadership and effective governance, as well as clear strategic direction and a good awareness of its own capacity and need for improvement.”

“Services are generally of good quality, and we particularly welcome the good and improving service delivery within social work and education services. The council has a clear programme for improving how it conducts its business, although progress against this has been slower than anticipated. The council should make further progress with this programme and also develop its corporate processes to help it maintain standards and drive improvement.”

The council has set a very challenging efficiency savings target. To help meet this, it should develop fully its mechanisms for testing and scrutinising value for money across its services and firmly establish its processes for managing performance. Some important areas highlighted in the 2007 Best Value audit, such as regulatory and technical services, roads and asset management also still need attention.

Two new judgements have been introduced to the audit: on the direction and pace of change, and on the prospects for future improvement. The judgements for Scottish Borders Council are that it is improving well and is well placed to deliver future improvement.