An Accounts Commission report published today, entitled Arm’s-Length External Organisations (ALEOs): are you getting it right?, says councils are increasingly using arm's-length organisations as an alternative way of delivering services.

The Audit Scotland annual report sets out our progress under each of our five corporate priorities:

Strathclyde Police Force performs well and communities receive a good policing service. However the force, and Strathclyde Police Authority and its support function, should establish more effective joint working to ensure they are delivering best value. The authority needs to become more involved in shaping priorities for the area and to develop its scrutiny role.

Greater coordination of transport for health and social care, which affects many people across Scotland, could lead to significant improvements and financial savings.

An Audit Scotland report published today, Transport for health and social care, looks at transport arranged by the ambulance service, NHS boards and councils to take people to and from health and social care appointments.

In a report on the performance of Aberdeenshire Council’s benefits service, the Accounts Commission says that the council took insufficient action to address risks identified during audit work, with delays in implementing agreed actions.

The Commission says the council has recently made some improvements but needs to do more to ensure that robust arrangements and oversight are in place and the quality of service improves.

Scotland’s public sector is in the first year of major spending cuts and public bodies must focus on their long-term financial sustainability to ensure effective public services in the future.

An Audit Scotland report published today, Scotland’s public finances – addressing the challenges, says bodies need to have clear priorities, and plan their budgets and workforces to deliver these.

Inefficiency in Scotland's criminal justice system causes delays for everyone involved, including victims and witnesses, and cost at least £10 million in 2009/10.

An Audit Scotland report published today, Modernising the planning system, assesses whether recent reform of the planning system is making it more economic, efficient and effective.

The report finds that, while public bodies involved in planning are now working better together, the time councils take to decide planning applications has not reduced and there is a widening gap between the costs of processing applications and the income councils receive from fees. The report says that more detailed information on performance and costs is needed to identify efficiencies.

Auditor General for Scotland, Robert Black, announced today that he intends to retire.

Mr Black has written to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament saying that he wishes to retire from the position which he has held since 2000. Mr Black is Scotland’s first Auditor General.

Mr Black said:

The National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland should do more to consider telehealth when introducing or redesigning services. It provides an opportunity to treat patients in new ways, and to help manage rising costs and demand.