The report comes after a period where the Council’s operations came under intense scrutiny. An inspection by Estyn of the Council’s Education Services identified significant weaknesses and the Council was also criticised for its decision making processes in relation to the development and closure of Hyfrydle, a residential facility for children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders. The Wales Audit Office report found that the Council based its priorities on a high level assessment of need but did not define in sufficient detail what it hoped to achieve and therefore has been unable to plan effectively. The report says that while the Council’s arrangements are capable of supporting gradual changes and improvements, they will not deliver the transformation that it aspires to and requires.

Despite the weaknesses identified by the inspection the Auditor General made the decision not to recommend that Welsh Assembly Government Ministers take further action.

The Wales Audit Office inspection team have been encouraged by the reaction of the Council Leader and Corporate Executive Team to the findings of the inspection, which includes the development of an action plan which will be started following a Council meeting today (25 November) where the findings of the Wales Audit Office report will be presented.

Among the report's recommendations are calls for the Council to:

• improve its joint working with key stakeholders to improve public services in Denbighshire;
• Clearly define the outcomes it is trying to achieve through its priorities and how these will be delivered;
• put in place performance management arrangements that ensure the reporting of the collective effectiveness of the Corporate Executive Team as well as the effectiveness of individuals; and
• complete the review of support services including identifying financial savings.

The Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman, said today:
" My report points to an extended period where the Council has not always operated effectively at a strategic level and also to the present corporate governance arrangements, which we saw as unlikely to deliver significant improvement. I am hopeful that the Council will respond positively to the report and tackle the issues highlighted in a determined manner. I am encouraged by the initial response to my report.”

Notes to Editors:

• The Auditor General inspects local authorities to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the Wales Programme of Improvement. This inspection focussed on the role of the Council’s corporate governance in delivering improvement in services. In undertaking the inspection, the inspection team have taken into consideration recent issues such as the Hyfrydle closure and Estyn report, although there was fundamentally no change in its approach.
• As a result of such an inspection, the Auditor General has the power to recommend to Welsh Ministers that they should intervene formally at the Council. In this case the Auditor General decided against recommending formal Ministerial intervention.
• The Wales Audit Office is independent of government and is responsible for the annual audit of some £19 billion of annual public expenditure. The Auditor General for Wales is responsible for appointing auditors to local government.
• The Wales Audit Office was created on 1 April 2005 following the passing of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004, which expanded the functions of the Auditor General for Wales and enabled the transfer of staffs from the Audit Commission in Wales and National Audit Office in Wales to his employment.