Auditor General seeks continued improvement in government’s public performance reporting

VICTORIA — The Auditor General Wayne Strelioff today released his fourth annual assessment of the quality of government’s performance reporting, entitled “Building Better Reports: Our Assessment of the 2003/04 Annual Service Plan Reports of Government.” The annual reports of 34 ministries and Crown corporations, as well as the government-wide Strategic Plan Report, were included in the assessment.

“Because there is more to measuring the success of government than focusing on just the financial bottom line, I believe high-quality annual reports are essential for understanding the overall performance of government” said Strelioff.

None of the reports Strelioff assessed provided a complete picture of performance. However his office observed steady, albeit measured, progress in overall quality this year. “Some reports are approaching a standard I hope all organizations will achieve” said Strelioff, “but there remains considerable room for improvement in most reports.”

This year’s report includes the assessments of each ministry and Crown corporation, which were discussed individually with the management of all 34 organizations. “Organizations are showing a lot more interest in our assessments this year” he said. “I’m glad to see an increasing level of interest in our work and in the quality of performance reporting in general.”

Strelioff said “In my report I’ve noted a number of specific areas where organizations can improve their annual reports. But I must also acknowledge that, in general, performance reporting in British Columbia is ahead of the curve. Not many other jurisdictions in Canada produce the same quality of information that we do here.”

“I am encouraged by the progress to date, and I hope government will continue to improve the quality of performance information it provides to the people of BC” he said.

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2005/06 Report #4 – Building Better Reports: Our Review of the 2003/04 Annual Service Plan Reports of Government.

This report is available:

Toll free enquiries by dialing Enquiry BC at 1-800-663-7867 (in Vancouver 604 660-2421) and requesting a transfer to 387-6803.

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