Audit Commission recognises improvement at Northampton Borough Council

10.10.46am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 14th Jun 2009

Northampton Borough Council is on the up -- OFFICIAL.

When the Lib Dems took control of Northampton Borough Council in 2007 it was in a mess. So much so that the government had put their own man in as Chief Executive and the council was subject to "managed intervention" from experts appointed by the government.

Just two years later the Council has had its second positive report from the independent watchdog, the Audit Commission this year. This time the have judged our 'Access to Services' as Fair with Excellent Prospects of Improvement.

Welcoming the report Council Leader, Tony Woods, said, "This is great news. In just 2 years we have turned a failing council around so that our watchdog now acknowledges we have 'Execllent Prospects' of improvement.

"The Fair rating means that we still have a way to go. I have always acknowledged that. But it is the speed with which we can now progress that is the important thing for me.

"Excellent prospects recognises that we have put the right measures in place and should mean that residents soon see the improvements they deserve.

"We will continue to put right the problems we inherited from Labour and the Tories even though we know that the money to do so will be very tight in future."