Argyll & Bute Council: Podcast script 
I’m speaking with Douglas Sinclair, chair of the Accounts Commission in Scotland, to discuss a follow-up report published today on Argyll & Bute Council.  

Douglas, can you tell me what is this report about? 

The report is a response to serious concerns that the Commission raised in October 2013 about political instability within Argyll and Bute Council. The Commission’s findings at that time raised substantial concerns around the quality of leadership and political management of the council, as well as the difficult relationships between some elected members and officers. 

The council then created a two-year action plan in January 2014 to tackle these problems, and this report and our findings review the progress made so far by the council.

And what are your findings?  

Well, six months on, the Commission acknowledges that the council has started to take constructive steps to address the issues raised through the audit in 2013. There is welcome evidence of a determination to move forward and ensure a more effective system of local government for Argyll and Bute. 

However, the council isn’t out of the woods yet, there’s a long way to go. The situation remains fragile, and the previous tensions that were severely risking the reputation and effectiveness of the council have not completely disappeared.  

So the Commission will continue to monitor development at Argyll and Bute, looking particularly at areas where there’s still room for improvement, specifically scrutiny, political management, and the relationships between councillors and officers.  

So are we saying that the action plan isn’t enough?  

The bottom line is that it’s far too early to assess whether or not the changes that have been set in motion will become permanent in terms of leadership and governance at Argyll and Bute Council. We welcome the fact that the council has responded to the criticisms it faced with a clear timeline for action, and the report acknowledges that a relatively short time has passed since we made our findings and the plan was created, but there are still tough times ahead. 

Also the prospect of significant cuts to funding in the future will be a further test to the political stability and leadership of the council, and whether it is capable of making difficult decisions, without compromising the early progress it has made so far. 

Scrutiny by councillors of decisions made by the leadership must also improve, not least to ensure that the public can have confidence in the robustness of the decisions made by the council.  

So what happens next? 

The Commission will continue to pay close attention to developments at Argyll and Bute and we’ve requested another progress report in 18 months. It’s important that all involved; both councillors and officers, keep their eye on the ball to ensure that the council keeps up the momentum of this early progress, and restores the public trust in its ability to govern and deliver high-quality services for the people of the Argyll & Bute. 

Douglas, thank you.