Oxford City Council's regeneration service is 'good' and has 'promising' prospects for improvement, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.
On a scale from zero to three stars the Audit Commission inspection team gave the service a 'good', two-star rating. This is because the Council has worked well with partner organisations to secure real improvements in quality of life for people within its most vulnerable communities. It is also laying the foundations for future prosperity though new employment and training opportunities in the city centre and around the rest of the city.
Robert Hathaway, Audit Commission senior manager, said:
'The Council has identified priority neighbourhoods for regeneration such as Barton and Blackbird Leys. It has worked well with its partners to provide new homes, environmental improvements and better facilities. It has helped provide new training opportunities and support for local people in these areas. The challenge for the Council is to work harder and faster with partners to meet increasing demands, and to deliver value for money.'
Strengths include:
- A wide range of physical, economic, social and training projects has improved the quality of life and opportunity in priority regeneration areas
- There is a strong local presence including community development workers who work with local people to help plan and carry out neighbourhood regeneration programmes.
- The Council is working hard to improve employment opportunities across the city and lay the foundations for future prosperity
- Partnership working at city and neighbourhood level is good and improving
Areas for improvement include:
- developing a more strategic approach to regeneration so that partners such as the County Council and Primary Care Trust work together in a more connected way and maximise value for money
- working with partners to help more people improve their skills and get back into work
- providing local firms with more opportunities to get involved with regeneration projects
To help the Council and its partners improve services, the Audit Commission made recommendations including:
- take a more strategic and structured approach to regeneration, building on the city's Regeneration Framework to fully involve partners at all stages and focus work on specific neighbourhood needs to achieve greater value for money; and
- ensure that the planning and housing teams are merged effectively to create an integrated regeneration directorate within the Council.
Copies of the report are available from Oxford City Council or from the Audit Commission website
Notes to editors
The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
Our work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that we have a unique perspective. We promote value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.
As a force for improvement, we work in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people.
Further details about the role of the Audit Commission can be obtained from www.audit-commission.gov.uk
For further information, or for an embargoed copy of the full report, please contact:
Callum Collins, Senior Regional Communications Manager (Southern)
Tel: 0117 901 8883