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Harrogate Borough Council scores as a 'good' performing authority
DATE OF ISSUE : 11 November
2008
Harrogate Borough Council's journey to become an 'excellent'
authority by 2010 has reached the next landmark.
The Government's watchdog the Audit Commission has announced
this week that the council has improved its rating from 'fair' to
become a 'good' performing council.
Inspectors carried out their performance assessment over the
summer months and, as well as commenting on improvements in
leadership, more effective partnership working and a culture of
continuous improvement, they also acknowledged the council's clear
ambition to become an 'excellent'
authority.
Council Leader, Cllr Mike Gardner, has welcomed this external
recognition of improvements made but says there is still more to
do. He said: "Our performance
levels have improved significantly in a number of areas with many
better than the national average, but some have yet to reach that
standard. We will be doing everything we
can to tackle those issues.
"It is our ambition to continue with this steady
improvement. The Inspectors recognised this by
commenting that we have good plans in place to achieve an
'excellent' rating in our next assessment in
2010. We said we wanted to be 'good' by 2008 and
we have achieved that. The council
believed it was important to get a 'good' rating because we want
our council tax payers to feel confident that we are spending their
money wisely to achieve the best services for them that we
can. I have every confidence that we can build
on this improvement and reach our goal of 'excellent' in
2010."
In detailing what has been achieved, the Inspectors made
particular mention of the imaginative and concerted effort to meet
the priority of homes for local people, that the council manages
its finances well and has had successes in addressing traffic and
transport, community safety and caring for the
environment. They also highlighted the
above-average improvements in a range of measures to provide first
class services, particularly access to services in rural
areas.
The performance assessment had positive support from all
parties and the council's key partners. Cllr
Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley (Leader of the Liberal Democrat
Group) and Cllr Andrew Williams (Leader of the Independent Group)
added: "This is a huge district with many
competing priorities. On their tour of the
district, the Inspectors were shown the results of a number of
investments delivered over the past few years that clearly
demonstrate the success of the council's plans and strategies which
have been delivered independently and in partnership with
others.
"The Inspectors were particularly impressed with the community
offices in Pateley Bridge and Ripon, and with work being carried
out in partnership with the Renaissance Town Programme in
Knaresborough and Boroughbridge."
The council will be considering the Audit Commission's
comprehensive performance report and developing an action plan to
address those issues identified for improvement.
ENDS
NOTE TO EDITORS: await copy from
David Rose at the Audit Commission.
MEDIA CONTACT: Lynne Mee,
Communications and Media Manager 01423 556022 or
lynne.mee@harrogate.gov.uk