Surrey County Council Downgraded to One Star

5.14.00pm GMT Tue 10th Mar 2009

Far from apologising, the Tories have buried their heads in the sand, pretending that everything is fine

Surrey County Council has been downgraded from 3 stars to 1 by the Audit Commission, the Government body that assesses the performance of local authorities. They have concluded from the most recent inspections carried out last year that Surrey services are performing inadequately and failing its most vulnerable residents.

Despite the Council being well aware, after last Spring's inspections and the damning report on Children's Services, that this was the most likely outcome for its performance assessment, the Conservative administration has continued to boast of being an "outstanding Council making Surrey a better place".

Such pretension would be laughable if it didn't mean that the people most in need of Surrey's services are not accessing them or receiving inadequate services. According to the inspection report "the contribution of local services to improving outcomes for children and young people at risk, or requiring safeguarding is inadequate."

It is very sad that no single Conservative politician at County Hall has owned up to this failure. They have all chosen instead to bury their heads in the sand, pretending that everything is fine. In fact, they are challenging Ofsted's conclusions by calling for a Judicial Review, using taxpayers' money to instruct lawyers instead of improving services.

At the Council meeting in January the Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Surrey County Council Cllr Hazel Watson asked the Conservative Executive Member if, given the outcome of the inspection of Children's services, it is appropriate to describe the Council as "outstanding". She did not get a straight answer, but five paragraphs of jargon and spin.

It will take strong leadership to bring the Council's services improvement to an adequate level as well as investment in preventative measures and making the council services accessible to those in need.

The Council has to spend its money on the things that matter, instead of wasting it on expensive consultants, agency staff and spin.

The Conservatives have run the Council since 1997 and the Council services have deteriorated under their lack of leadership and commitment. The Liberal Democrats are the only ones who have the commitment and will to improve the Council services and deliver real value for money to Surrey's residents.