Published on:
27
September 2024
Clackmannanshire Council has been praised by local authority watchdog, the Accounts Commission in a report published today.
Positive areas of work commended by the Commission include:
The report also highlights our Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) which sets out community empowerment as a strategic priority. And the Commission also welcomes the Council’s approach to engaging with our local communities.
The report was considered at the meeting of the Accounts Commission earlier this month.
Council Leader Ellen Forson said: “It was great to hear the Accounts Commission say that our report is probably one of the best reports they've seen at its public meeting on 12th September. For Scotland’s smallest mainland authority to show we continue to punch above our weight on so many fronts was really good to hear. It’s fantastic to have our hard work and all the progress we have made acknowledged by our watchdog.
“I’m also keen to point out that, while we have made significant progress, we are not complacent. We absolutely realise the significant challenges ahead, particularly in respect of financial sustainability as the Accounts Commission has highlighted. We also recognise that many of these challenges lie outwith our control. That is why we have prioritised transformation and collaborative working, with the aim of achieving financial stability, for the past six years, and will continue to do so in the future.”
The Council has taken £70m worth of savings since 2010 against a current revenue budget of £161m. The drive for service and financial sustainability is a key driver of our Be the Future transformation programme, which was agreed at Council in 2018.
The report highlights our successful partnership working in the Family Wellbeing Partnership (FWP). Through the work of the FWP, resources and staff are moving closer to communities, integrating services, and involving and empowering individuals in the design and delivery of services. With investment of more than £2.5m since 2020, including from the Scottish Government and the Hunter Foundation, new ways of working are being developed, and creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.
This shift in delivery and approach is already strengthening collaboration with community organisations and partners and is enabling Clackmannanshire to continue to support its communities and improve outcomes for local people. Columba 1400 continues to work alongside the Council and its communities to drive a leadership culture where people do things differently.
The report goes on to describe the Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal community wealth building initiatives and the award-winning multi-agency rapid intervention service model, STRIVE as further examples of successful partnership arrangements.
The Council has a number of innovative partnership and collaborative arrangements with public, private and third sector organisations to counter the challenges associated with being the smallest mainland local authority, which can present capacity issues. This approach is embedded in Be the Future Target Operating Model, where the Council recognises that services need to be delivered through a range of different approaches.
Chief Executive Nikki Bridle echoed the Leader’s comments and added: “My thanks go to our staff, our communities, our partners and our collaborators for their hard work and support in helping us to get to where we are. I very much look forward to continuing to work together on our shared ambitions and priorities for Clackmannanshire. There is no doubt we are working in a very challenging context and we remain resolute in seeking to address these challenges together.”