The recent Audit Commission annual audit and inspection letter for 2007/2008 confirms the good progress made in recent years to improve the performance of Oxford City Council.

The letter specifically commends the strong leadership that has lead to a successful transformation programme, and improved value for money, but does highlight the need for the council to continue to implement the change agenda.

The chief executive, senior staff, and staff generally, should be congratulated on this achievement.

But your readers may not fully appreciate that this report is essentially commending the second year of the previous LibDem administration.

As a recently elected member I claim no personal credit for this, but without the difficult decisions and key appointments made under that regime, the council would have been in a far worse position to weather the financial storm still facing us.

The jury is still out on the success of the present Labour administration, which, to its credit, is trying to continue the momentum it inherited in May 2008.

The recent good news on the likely return of more money than had been previously expected from the Icelandic banks is good news, but the failure of the Government to fully fund the national Concessionary Bus Fare scheme has sent a torpedo though our proposed finances, for this year and future years.

As an opposition party we will continue to strive to support the transformation process we set in train. Citizens should be seeing already the success of the creation of the not-for-profit Leisure Trust for our leisure facilities, for example.

The proof of the pudding will be next year’s audit letter. If it is not similarly glowing we will know the current Labour administration has failed. I hope for everyone’s sake this is not the case.

Stephen Brown, LibDem Finance Spokesman, Oxford City Council