Audit Commission ranks Epping Forest District Council 2 out of 4 in every category

THE district council has been criticised for a weak track record of improvement after it scored only 2 out of 4 in an Audit Commission report.

Epping Forest District Council achieved the score in every category of the latest report meaning it "meets only minimum requirements. Performs adequately."

The report states "The track record of improvement is weak. Its rate of improvement is slower than some other councils and it only met 58 per cent of its performance targets in 2008/09.

"While there has been some improvement in the last year, this has varied and the service needs to do more to encourage take up of benefits and offer a more accessible service.

"Provision of affordable homes is slow with progress affected by limited availability of sites. Some performance needs to improve and this is leading to some tensions between some senior officers and some councillors."

The report does single out some good achievements by the council including an improved recycling rate and good partnership work.

It states: "[The] Council governs its business, manages its finances and resources adequately. Council Tax is the second lowest in Essex. The Council has a history of managing spending within resources and has increased its reserves in recent years."

Epping Forest's Liberal Democrat group are due to table a motion at next Tuesday's (December 22) full council meeting criticising the council's performance, and calling for greater improvements.

Lib Dem group leader Cllr Jon Whitehouse said: "A council like Epping Forest should do more than meet only minimum requirements. Residents are entitled to expect better.

"I hope we will see urgent action from the council's leadership."

Council leader Di Collins said: "The Audit Commission and the Council don't always see eye to eye on priorities. We are an efficient, low Council Tax Authority. We are debt-free and we provide some excellent services.

"We have argued our case with the Audit Commission. For example, the tailoring of our refuse and recycling service to provide weekly food collections and our refusal to increase Council Tax to the limit of our authority may not have met the approval of the Commission but they are what we believe our residents want."

"High satisfaction levels with fundamental services such as recycling and housing suggest many of our residents agree."