A new report into past failings at Guildford Borough Coucil has stated that the authority has a "strong foundation for progress" but that "significant issues remain".
Concerns were flagged in May over weak governance, poor scrutiny and a “quick-fix culture” at the authority that had potentially allowed millions of pounds to be defrauded from taxpayers. Investigations into unnecessary work being ordered and contract overspends formed part of the review by the Society Of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE).
The council apologised to residents unreservedly and promised to adopt every one of the 70 recommendations put forward by SOLACE. After appointing an Independent Assurance Panel, the authority has had monthly check-ins to see if it is on target.
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Andrew Flockhart, Chair of the Independent Assurance Panel, said: “Significant issues and risks remain, which the council must continue to address.” He added that although “substantial progress” has been made, the Improvement Plan stretches over a three-year period and it is “essential” the council stays on track.
In May, the SOLACE report showed the council fell into a £13.5m overspend on contracts on testing and inspecting the housing stock. The council had agreed to a three-year contract with a value of £5.4m but in less than three years it ballooned to £18.9m spent, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Earlier this year the council referred itself to the Social Housing Regulator (SHR), after it found “serious failings” with electrical safety certificates and health and safety regulations.
The panel’s report warned the challenges facing the council included an “unfit for purpose” Housing Software system, managing people’s expectations and coping with the significant workload.
The Housing Software system was found to not integrate effectively with other systems in the council, causing staff to do basic daily tasks manually as a ‘workaround’. The independent panel said there is a “pressing need” to find an IT solution to this issue.
Only six months into the improvement plan, the report noted it will take time before improvements are seen by Members and residents and “expectations will need to be managed”. It stated: “There is a risk that the resource being expended may be viewed as not delivering on tangible results. In turn, this may have a de-motivating effect on staff.”
In what was later dubbed a “strategic oversight”, Guildford Borough Council also failed to record statutory Tenant Satisfaction Measures to see how those in social housing think the council is doing. The panel warned in the report that any additional improvement measures to come from that SHR will add to the council’s “significant workload”
Ultimately the Independent Assurance Panel found the council’s improvement plan “fit for purpose” and it had made a “good start”. The panel’s chair commended the council for starting to build robust structures and systems for the running of the council, as well as strengthening staffing arrangements.
Leader of Guildford Borough Council, Cllr Julia McShane, said the last six months have been “incredibly tough” but she is “really pleased” with the progress the council has made. “We know there’s still work to do. This is a three-year improvement programme, and our focus remains on continuous improvement.”
Cllr McShane added: “We won’t rest until we’ve built a resilient, well-managed council that we can all take pride in. One that truly serves our community.”
The report will go to full council and be discussed on December 3. Guildford Borough Council has pledged to provide updates from the panel on the Improvement Plan’s progress every six months.
