You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Aberdeen Council told to ‘improve’ housing services
The Scottish government’s Accounts Commission has told Aberdeen City Council that it must improve its housing performance.
In a report released last week the Accounts Committee stated that the council had improved significantly over the past five years, however performance in housing and education had lagged behind the uplift in other areas.
According to the report, Aberdeen ranks among the lowest in Scotland for satisfaction in schools, with poverty-related attainment one of the widest in the country.
Performance across many of its housing services also falls well below the national average. The report says the council is already acting to address these issues but it is crucial that improvement happens faster.
READ MORE
Elma Murray, interim chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Aberdeen City Council has made major strides to become an award-winning council. The council has an innovative outlook in delivering a new economic vision for the city, working well with its partners to achieve this.
“But the council will continue to face significant financial pressures, made more pronounced by COVID-19. The pandemic is exacerbating inequalities for many across Scotland, and we urge the council to ensure it can support and improve the lives of those vulnerable communities in Aberdeen.”
The Accounts Commission report comes weeks after housing officers at Aberdeen Council voted in favour of strike action.
Unite Scotland members voted to support industrial action in May with 79 voting in favour of strikes, the turnout was 65%. Support for some form of industrial action short of a strike was 92%.
Commenting on the report Jenny Laing, Aberdeen City Council leader said: "The Accounts Commission commended the council on performance gains made since its last Best Value assessment in 2015, attributing this to a "major transformation programme”, a clear approach to financial management, close working between officers and Elected Members, and a readiness to consult with communities."
On housing, Cllr Laing added: "Despite decreasing performance in housing repairs and antisocial behaviour we remain above national average in these areas, while our performance in homelessness services is sector leading. However, we cannot be complacent, and are working closely with staff on a service redesign that will bring much needed benefits for our tenants and our own teams."
Sign up for our Council Focus newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
