Commission welcomes progress made by Glasgow City Council

In December 2005 the Commission made its first assessment of the council’s performance towards providing Best Value for local people. The Commission said then that it was encouraged by the rate of improvement Glasgow City had made over recent years. It said the council needed to stay focussed on improvement as it faced significant and complex social and economic challenges.

Reflecting on the latest progress report published today, the Commission says the council has continued to make good progress. The Commission says it is also encouraged by the fact that the improvements have led to better outcomes for the people of Glasgow, particularly in the areas of education and unemployment.

However the Commission notes that some significant issues still need to be addressed, such as the council’s management and development of its employees. Statutory performance indicators and inspection reports show a mixed picture of the performance of services, and the Commission urges the council to address these issues.

Chairman of the Accounts Commission, John Baillie, said:

“Glasgow City Council has continued to make good progress and to address the improvements that were needed. We are particularly pleased that this work has led to better outcomes for the people of Glasgow. The council is now well placed to build on its current performance and we look forward to the council maintaining its momentum and continuing to improve.

“As the Commission noted in its first report on this council, Glasgow City faces significant and complex social and economic challenges. It also needs to address the mixed picture of the performance of its services and address significant issues over the management and development of its own workforce.”

The council’s performance will continue to be monitored through routine audits.