Podcast transcript

I’m here today talking with Fraser McKinlay, Assistant Director at Audit Scotland, about Audit Scotland’s latest report: the progress report on Best Value & Community Planning audit at Glasgow City Council. 

Fraser, what’s this report about?

This report provides an update to the Best Value report we published in 2006 about Glasgow City Council. It focuses on their implementation of their improvement programme and notes progress in some areas of service performance.

And what have you found?

The council has continued to make good progress with its improvement plan. It can demonstrate some positive outcomes for the people of Glasgow.

However some significant issues still need to be addressed, particularly in respect of the council’s people management. There’s also evidence that some statutory performance indicators and inspection reports show a mixed picture of performance in some services.

So is this a council that’s doing well, or is it one that’s performing badly?

We think Glasgow City Council is well placed to build on its current performance and we’re looking forward to the council maintaining that momentum and continuing to improve.

Outcomes for people in Glasgow in some important areas have still to match the national average. But the gap between Glasgow and the rest of Scotland has narrowed slightly. 

We also found that the council demonstrates good leadership and good vision.

What are the areas that the council has particularly improved in and what are the areas that still need some work?

The council has made real progress in implementing the improvement plan following the report in 2006. 

They’ve either implemented, or they’re on target to implement, 12 out of the 14 themes in that improvement plan. For example the council has improved how it works with partners to address the issues within Glasgow and it has also focused more effectively on performance management and monitoring the outcomes for the people of Glasgow.

There’s also some early indications of improvement in areas like educational attainment and worklessness, since that original report.

But some developments have not yet been fully implemented. In particular they need to do more on their management of people and the development of their staff. However the council does have a people strategy, with a plan in place to address those issues.

Fraser, thanks very much for your time.