Audit Scotland - Comhairle nan Eilean Siar building on earlier progress

28 May 2014 10:02 AM

Significant improvements have been made in the running of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, says the Accounts Commission.

The Comhairle has been the subject of three Commission reports since 2006 relating to its statutory duty of Best Value and developing a culture of continuous improvement.

A new report published today says the Comhairle has responded well to the Commission's last findings in December 2012. It has used its corporate improvement plan to drive the improvements required and to monitor progress. As a result, a more effective culture of performance management and self-evaluation is embedded across the organisation, and an increased pace of change is evident, especially in key areas such as asset and workforce management. Other improvements include a decrease in sickness absence and a substantial rise in the proportion of staff receiving annual performance appraisals.

The report notes however, that there are still areas for further improvement, including the way it evaluates the satisfaction of customers and citizens. The Comhairle has recognised this and put plans in place to make progress on these issues.

Accounts Commission Chair Douglas Sinclair said: "There has been significant improvement at the Comhairle and that is very encouraging.

"What it needs to do now is sustain that momentum in the longer term and make the culture of continuous improvement a permanent one."

For further information contact Chris Holme Tel: 0131 625 1653 cholme@audit-scotland.gov.uk Notes to editors

1. The Controller of Audit has prepared this report for the Accounts Commission for Scotland. All Audit Scotland reports published since 2000 are available at www.audit-scotland.gov.uk

•   The Accounts Commission is the public spending watchdog for local government. It holds

  councils and various joint boards and committees in Scotland to account and helps them improve. It operates impartially and independently of councils and of the Scottish Government, and meets and reports in public

•   Audit Scotland is a statutory body set up in April 2000, under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act, 2000. It provides services to the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission for Scotland. 

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