THE WALES AUDIT OFFICE has given Carmarthenshire a clean bill of health and praised the council for its ambitious vision.
The WAO’s fieldwork for the corporate assessment focused on the extent to which arrangements are contributing to delivering improved service performance and outcomes for citizens. The corporate assessment sought to answer the following question: ‘Is the Council capable of delivering its priorities and improved outcomes for citizens?’
Auditors undertook a corporate assessment of the council at the end of last year which is aimed at providing a clear picture of the authority’s capacity and capability to drive continuous improvement. Their report stated: “Carmarthenshire County Council, demonstrating ambition in its vision, with collective leadership and more robust and transparent governance, is delivering improved outcomes for its citizens although some outdated approaches may limit the speed of progress.”
Chief Executive Mark James said: “It is a good report for the council, giving assurance generally that the council is performing very well, and has a good vision and preparedness for the future. Officers are continuing to work hard in the face of declining budgets to ensure the council provides quality services and an exciting agenda to invest and improve further in future.”
The report also recognised that the council, in collaboration with partners, was continuing to improve performance across priority areas; and that the authority had a well-established and effective approach to partnership working.
The report identified six areas upon which efforts for improvement should be focussed, including the development of forward work programmes to ensure that committee members have a published up to date copy of the programme to which to refer. In addition, the WAO recommended that the Council publish a register of delegated decisions (that is, decisions made by officers, or sub-committees under ‘delegated powers’ without reference to full council or main council committees).
The Auditors also recommended that the authority strengthen its tender arrangements, including the reasons for non-compliance with procedures, and setting up and maintaining a Tender Register and Contracts Register. Controversy arose under the Labour-led previous administration, an issue arose with the grant of the Council’s waste contract to a Council-owned company without going through a proper tendering process.
One key element raised in the report, and highlighted by the Council in its own statement, is the Council’s need to review its ICT (Information Communication Technology) provision. The WAO notes that there is ‘an apparent disconnect’ between ICT services and the business of the Council that needs to be addressed.
After Plaid Cymru took control of the authority last summer, it unveiled a 39 Step Plan, formulated following a WLGA review, to increase openness and transparency in the Council’s dealings. That plan included a pledge to ‘develop, agree and promote a set of public service and leadership characteristics and values’.
To the extent to which those aims result in measurable results, the Council can reflect on at least going some way to meet that aim, while acknowledging room for further improvement in its practice and procedures.
Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “The report made for very pleasant reading, it recognised that we have a well-established and ambitious vision which is being driven forward by a strong collective leadership from both the Executive Board and Corporate Management Team. We recognise that there are always things we can do better, and we will have an action plan to address the proposals for improvement. Overall, a very pleasing report which we hope will give the public reassurance that we are performing well and continuing to improve.”
The report will go before the Executive Board at its next meeting and then to County Council on February 10.
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