Falkirk Council Best Value – podcast transcript

Anne: This is Anne McCubbin here to talk with Fraser McKinley and Caroline Wilson about our Best Value report on Falkirk Council. Fraser, what are your main findings?

Fraser: Falkirk Council shows good solid performance overall. It’s doing particularly well in some important areas such as strategic planning and really trying to understand what services its communities want and need. They also work very well with partner organisations. There are, however, some areas where there’s room for improvement particularly in some services that are provided, the need to address some senior management vacancies and matching their financial plans to their longer term strategies.

Anne: So what’s the council best at?

Fraser: The council does well in areas such as strategic planning and works very well with partner agencies it also engages really with the local community to ensure they’re providing the services they want and need. It also manages its performance well and has delivered a number of major projects and initiatives which have contributed to economic development and regeneration in the area, for example the development of the Falkirk stadium. 

Anne: And Caroline, what needs to improve?

Caroline: The council could make further improvement by ensuring that poorer performing services improve more quickly, in reducing absence rates amongst its employees and adopting a longer term approach to financial planning. Overall service performance is mixed and the council knows where performance is poor and now needs to take appropriate action to bring about improvements in these areas. The council also needs to address vacancies it has at senior management level and to review how it approaches scrutiny. 

Anne: You mentioned services performance there, what needs to get better?

Caroline: There are a number of service areas where improvement is required for instance aspects of housing and social work services. The council’s aware of these areas and is working to make improvements.

Anne: And finally Fraser, what happens next?

Fraser: The signs are that the council is committed to Best Value and improving services we believe that they will work to address the report findings and our local audit colleagues in Falkirk will be monitoring action over the next year and ensuring that work continues on an on-going basis.

Anne: Fraser and Caroline, thanks very much.