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Boston Borough Council - 'One of most improved councils in country'

Boston Borough Council has gone from being one of the worst local authorities in the country to one of the most improved inside just nine months.

Monumental efforts by staff have seen the council turn Audit Commission appraisals of its performance and improvement on their head.

Chief Executive Richard Harbord described the latest results as “outstanding” and thanked staff for their time and commitment saying what had been achieved had been beyond his expectations.

He said this meant the threat of Government intervention had been lifted, there had been no Audit Commission qualifications in any category, all were now “adequate” and the council had received a completely clear Value For Money judgement.

"To move from where we were nine months ago to where we are now is excellent. It is virtually unheard of and means we are one of the most improved councils in the country this year" Mr Harbord told a gathering of all staff.

The new coalition Government is scrapping the Audit Commission, but Mr Harbord said the independent improvement board, which had been formed to advise the council after the commission found the council to be performing “poorly”, will continue in an advisory role until May.  He urged staff to carry on the good work. "We are not now starting from a low point but we’ve a long way still to go. We need to carry on working to get better and better."

Leader, Councillor Richard Austin, described the news as “wonderful” and congratulated all staff and especially thanked the chief executive and senior officers who had driven the improvements through.

Last year the Audit Commission recorded failings against the council and issued a damning report for Value For Money and use of resources. The council’s future hung in the balance with the ever-present threat of being taken over by officials from Whitehall.

By the end of the year the threat of intervention had grown and warnings were being sounded that it would take years for things to improve.  Intense improvement activity took place between January and March, when Audit Commission inspectors began their next examination.

Article Published: 14/09/2010

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