A report issued by the Audit Commission this week says Thurrock Council's libraries, heritage and cultural services are "fair and have uncertain prospects for improvement".

But the council says it disagrees with the findings of the Commission's inspection of the service last year, and that "significant improvements" have been made in a very short time.

The Audit Commission - established to provide the public with an assessment of whether a council is providing best value - gave the service one star, making it a "fair" service.

The Commission report says the council has a wide range of library, heritage and cultural facilities staffed by knowledgeable and helpful people, but the service is "struggling to meet a multitude of aims and resources are thinly stretched".

One of the key strengths identified by inspectors was that the service is developing a number of innovative library projects, including the Chafford Hundred Library and Deaf Information Centre at Grays.

The Commission recommended a marketing strategy to be developed to target users, and that a decision be made on the future of the Thameside Complex - both of which the council has since announced.

Coun Nigel Barron, cabinet member for cultural change and heritage, said: "We disagree with the conclusions of the Audit Commission. The investigation was conducted five months ago at a time when decisions hadn't been taken over the future of the Thameside Complex.

"The authors of the report are therefore unaware of the major commitment we have now made to the future of the theatre and facilities at the Thameside."

Copies of the report are available from Thurrock Council or on the Audit Commission Inspection website at www.bestvalueinspections.gov.uk

Published Friday, March 22, 2002