The latest Accounts Commission report highlights our sound track record of strong financial management, delivering planned savings and endorses our commitment to continuous improvement.
The latest report by the Accounts Commission Best Value: Scottish Borders Council highlights our record of delivering planned savings and endorses our commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration.
Key findings
The report also commended our forward-thinking management strategies and willingness to work collaboratively with other councils and organisations to enhance our service delivery.
Other key findings included our new Transformation Programme which aims to deliver recurring savings and our effective and resilient response to challenges posed by the geography and ageing population of the region.
We very much welcome the Accounts Commissions report and are pleased with the positive feedback. Our commitment to innovative financial strategies and collaborative working has been crucial in delivering planned savings and improving services for residents.
Councillor Euan Jardine, Leader of Scottish Borders Council
“I’m extremely pleased with the findings of the Accounts Commission, it represents a thoroughly independent assessment of the council’s financial management and performance, ultimately benefiting the residents of the Scottish Borders.
“The report recognises the incredible hard work done by the Council, proactively, over the last two years working on strong foundations to remain sustainable. Councillors and officers across the council worked collaboratively to address unprecedented challenges and have engaged with officers to implement financial support and planning. The subsequent visit to the Scottish Borders offices by the Accounts Commission was a significant event for the council.
“However, we must not be complacent, we must build on our achievements and take note of any improvements, with a firm focus on placing communities at the heart of everything we do for greater engagement and transparency.”
Councillor Jane Cox, Executive Member for People, Governance and Change
"The Council is committed to building on these successes and will continue to work closely with our Community Planning Partners to deliver the best possible future for the Scottish Borders and its people.”
Transforming services and making savings
We have a proven track record of proactivley seeking to transform services for many years, while coping with significant restrictions on public expenditure and the impact of COVID 19.
Since 2013/14, we have delivered £84m of savings in a planned way, avoiding the scale of reactive cuts seen in other councils and keeping the council tax lower than in other areas. The council tax in the Borders remains the fifth lowest in mainland Scotland, and we have balanced our budget each year to ensure we live within our means.
We will shortly be seeking feedback on our forthcoming financial strategy for the next year when we will try to protect services and avoid cuts to budgets wherever possible.
Councillor Leagh Douglas, Executive Member for Finance, IT and Corporate Performance
"As highlighted by the Accounts Commission, the council, despite facing many challenges, has a sound track record of strong financial management, we have achieved this through implementing various transformational initiatives, some of those include our self-replenishing change fund which reinvests savings into new projects ensuring continuous improvement; we have used reserves to sustain local services and support key projects and improved back-office functions, making savings and protecting our front-line services. We have addressesd workforce challenges using digital technology to enhance productivity and address recruitment and retention challenges, ensuring a stable and effective workforce.
"These are just a few examples which show our commitment to achieving continued financial sustainability, and we are working hard to continue in this vein as we set our financial strategy for the forthcoming year."