From: "John Reynolds" To: "Lolworth Parish Council" ; "Irish Nick-Dry Drayton" ; "Girton Website" ; "Girton Parish News" ; "Girton Parish Council" ; "Dry Drayton Website" ; "Dry Drayton News" ; "Binnie Harvey-Boxworth" ; "Bar Hill website" ; "Bar Hill News" ; "Bar Hill Parish Council" Subject: Audit Commission Praise Date: 28 January 2008 17:37 COUNTY COUNCIL GIVEN TOP MARKS BY SPENDING WATCHDOG Resource management and the way Cambridgeshire County Council controls its budget has been given top marks by the Governments spending watchdog, the Audit Commission. The County Council's annual assessment of its use of resources from the Audit Commission puts the County Council among the top performing authority's in the country with an overall score of 4, the highest score achievable - a judgement which shows the Council's performance was 'well above minimum requirements - performing strongly.' Top scores (4) were recorded for Financial Management and Financial Standing, while Financial Reporting, Internal Control and Value for Money were all rated at 3 - which equates to a performance that is 'consistently above minimum requirements - performing well.' County Council Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Councillor John Reynolds, said: "I am delighted that the Audit Commission report acknowledges the authority's close control of financial matters, governance arrangements and value for money across the board, which has been achieved by close working between elected Councillors and staff at all levels of the organisation. "We continue to operate within an extremely tight financial climate, but despite this the score shows we are among the best Councils in the country when it comes to financial management and that close control allows us to release the maximum funding to front line services wherever possible." John Reynolds