Aberdeen social work praised for move back from brink

Aberdeen City Council has been praised for turning around its performance – just a year after being condemned by inspectors for its precarious finances and weak services.

The Accounts Commission has commended the city for taking “prompt and decisive” action in the wake of the damning verdict it delivered last year.

The president of local authority umbrella body Cosla, Pat Watters, said the people of Aberdeen could now be proud of their council following what he described as a “quite remarkable transformation”.

The Accounts Commission watchdog body intervened at the height of last year’s financial crisis and held its first public inquiry into the running of a Scottish city council before ordering the recruitment of troubleshooters and an overhaul of its structure.

One year on, it publishes its follow-up report today and says the council’s financial position remains “challenging” in the new age of fiscal austerity but that “very promising” progress has been made.

Chairman John Baillie said: “The council has made a good start in addressing our findings on the initial best-value audit report and we commend the progress made across a range of activity.

“We are encouraged by the prompt and decisive action taken by the council and consider that it now has a very promising base for further improvement.”

Mr Watters, a member of the panel of advisers brought in to help turn the council around, was glowing in his praise.

He said: “These are very positive findings which accurately reflect the transformation at Aberdeen City Council.

“Due to a great deal of hard work and effort from both members and officers, the turnaround has been quite remarkable and, in all honesty, quicker than perhaps expected.

“The most pleasing thing about the transformation is that it is the people of Aberdeen, the service users, who are the main beneficiaries – they now have a council they can be proud of, working on their behalf.”

The Social Work Inspection Agency also publishes its follow-up report today, having made 23 recommendations for change last year.

It found “strong evidence” of progress at the council department, although staff morale remained low, despite employees welcoming the overhaul instigated by troubleshooter Philip Cotterill.

Chief social work inspector Alexis Jay said: “We found strong evidence of the impact of the new leadership at political, corporate and social work levels and were encouraged by the progress made in addressing the recommendations of our initial inspection.

“We expect this improvement to be sustained and have set out clear priorities for the council to achieve better outcomes for those in the city who rely on its social work services.”

Last year’s inspection by the agency led to one of four highly critical reports on the running of the council, which combined with a wave of public protest over £60million of budget cuts to engulf the authority in controversy.

The furore led then chief executive Douglas Paterson to announce his early retirement on the first day of the Accounts Commission’s hearing in May, 2008.

Financial troubleshooter Robert Coomber took over as interim chief executive before being replaced by Sue Bruce in December.

She took steps to return the council to a more traditional structure, which will officially come into effect on Saturday.

The Accounts Commission particularly welcomed moves made to shake up the local authority’s management and committee structure, action the watchdog had recommended.

Mrs Bruce said: “This is just the start of the journey but we are on track now to make significant progress in the months and years ahead.”

Despite the improvements, the chief executive was in agreement with the Accounts Commission when it warned there was still much to do.

She said: “We are realistic and we fully agree with the Accounts Commission that we have further work to do.

“But I am certain that, with the new corporate management team on board, our new governance structure in place and with the commitment of our hard-working staff, this council is going to drive up its performance in the areas where we need to improve.”
Board

A board comprising the leaders of the four political party groups represented on the council was formed on the recommendation of the Accounts Commission.

It issued a joint statement yesterday welcoming the watchdog’s findings.

“Politically and corporately, the council is absolutely committed to building on the firm foundations we have now established,” it said.

“We are sure we will now go from strength to strength, on a sustainable financial footing, and ensure the people of Aberdeen receive the top-class services they have a right to expect.”