Waveney District Council has underlined its determination to progress its robust programme of improvement having received details of a report from the Audit Commission.

The ‘Direction of Travel’ assessment considers the progress an authority makes during each calendar year and analyses performance in key areas. The commission are expected to issue the report in March and they believe that, while there has been good progress in some areas, performance deteriorated during 2007. They also suggest that the pace of change has been slow.

The report accepts that recovery plans are in place and that there have been some improvements but that, at the time of analysis, it was too early to see these being sustained. Council Leader Mark Bee accepts the findings - reflecting as they do on a ‘point in time’ - and that Waveney has already taken some tough decisions to turn the authority round.

“As we admitted last year, performance has not been good enough in some key areas and the departure of Chief Executive Glen Garrod before Christmas reflected the need to take the difficult decisions for the benefit of Waveney and its residents,” He said. “The Audit Commission’s report is a tough assessment, and it tells us what we already knew at the end of 2007 – that the pace of improvement needs to be picked up. Changes have already been made and the introduction of Deborah Cadman to the authority as Chief Executive on an interim basis is an indication both of our desire to get it right and the calibre of Senior Management in place to help see this through.”

The Audit Commission’s report raised concerns in areas such as planning, management of resources and performance management. Nevertheless, WDC was praised for its work in waste and recycling, partnerships that have reduced crime and anti-social behaviour and regeneration.

The Audit Commission also believes that Waveney has enjoyed mixed success in making advances in areas that need attention. For example, plans to develop the Waveney Campus had been affected by the public enquiry but our now back on track and plans to deal with sheltered housing provision are progressing well.

Also Customer Services is considered inadequate at the time of the report but the Commission refer to the positive advances of the new call centre and the revamped Southwold local office.

Cllr Bee continued: “I am encouraged by the positives, of which there are several, but the criticisms make us even more determined to get it right. Long before the turn of the year, and the period which this report refers to, action plans have been put in place and they are beginning to realise results.

“WDC will not shirk from making further tough decisions if and when they are required, but I have long since taken the view that enough is enough. Strong action is required and I am utterly determined to have the Audit Commission back here in 12 months time praising the advances that we have made.”

To help pick up the pace of improvement, a team of leading consultants have also been assisting Waveney on their improvement journey. The Change Improvement Team are working with the Council's Policy & Performance Team to help embed a performance management culture.

This includes the bringing together of a large group of volunteer "Change Champions" who are working in small teams to look at what can be done to improve poorly performing Best Value Indicators.

WDC can point to recent performance improvements in a number of areas. For example, two of the key Housing Benefit indicators continue to show significant improvement; average processing time for new claims (78a) has reduced from well over 30 days in April 2007 to 24 days at the end of December and dealing with changes in circumstance (78b) has reduced from nearly 30 days to just over 7 in the same period.

Violent crime (127a) went down in quarter three (October to December) which is also a significant reduction on the same period in 2006. Vehicle crime (128) was also down in quarter three (and again is down on the same period in 2006), following awareness-raising activities by local Crime Prevention Panels. This puts Waveney in the top quartile.

Sickness absence is also down from 2006 (an average of 5.59 days so far for the first 3 quarters) and collection of both Council Tax and NNDR (9 & 10) should see the Council move out of the bottom quartile.

We continue to see strong performance in our waste management and recycling indicators, many of which continue to be in the top quartile.