Agenda item

The Committee will give consideration to a progress report on Council activity relating to the key recommendations outlined in the 2019 Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Report.

Contact: Michelle Hope, Programme Manager, Policy, Partnerships and Corporate Planning

The Committee gave consideration to a report in relation to Council activity relating to the key recommendations outlined in the 2019 Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Report.

Andy Simcox, Service Director for Strategy and Innovation and Michelle Hope, Programme Manager, Policy, Partnerships and Corporate Planning introduced the report which set out the progress in respect of each of the recommendations and, where appropriate, the adjustment of actions in the context of the pandemic and recovery.

Questions and comments were invited from Committee Members, with the following issues being covered:

·       Recommendation 6 had referred to a sharper delineation of the roles of Cabinet Members and senior officers; whilst the report addressed officers’ actions it did not give a Cabinet response. It was suggested that this could be discussed with the Leader of Council when he next attended the Committee.

·       In response to a comment in respect of appetite for risk and taking opportunities being considered on a systemic basis; this was acknowledged and it was suggested that opportunities should be catalogued and consideration given to how this informed the Council’s ambition and decision-making. This was an issue that could be appropriate for consideration by the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, and this would be discussed with the Service Directors for Legal, Commissioning and Governance, and Finance.

·       Comments in the report in respect of the appetite for a review of the electoral cycle were queried, as a number of Members had supported this, and this was taken on board.

·       In relation to Recommendation 1, the improvements achieved in terms of communications were recognised and welcomed. The development of a long-term sustainable relationships with residents was very important, both on the ground as well as through digital communications. There was a need to improve in terms of the promotion of good stories.

·       In respect of the proposals for flexibility of staff roles, it was important that front-line staff were also included. This had been acknowledged as an important issue (that had arisen from the ‘listening circles’) and work was to be undertaken to understand the different types of frontline staff and what flexibility would mean to them, and to consider improvement of their working conditions.

·       The Place Standard engagement work was good but it was considered that there was still some confusion for residents and Councillors about place-based working and how all the different elements fitted together.

·       There was a need to engage with Councillors more effectively, it was important that, as place-based working progressed, corporate communications should work with Ward Councillors in respect of the activity going on in their areas.

·       The Communications Strategy was being refreshed and input from scrutiny at an early stage would be welcomed, alongside engagement with other stakeholders, partners and communities with the aim of establishing how to achieve further reach within communities. The comments about place-based working and working with Ward Councillors would also be considered within this work.

·       More councillor involvement was needed in the setting up of hubs and setting priorities for local areas.

·       It was considered that the recommendation in respect of strengthening the corporate centre linked in with place-based working; an example was given of a ward meeting held in respect of highways issues which had been very productive; this kind of initiative required support from the corporate centre.

·       The IT systems in respect of missed bins were now fully aligned and this indicated a good direction of travel.

·       The Corporate Parenting Board was considered to be a good example of improved decision-making and the extension of this approach would be welcomed.

·       It would be interesting to see if the decision to bring the management and maintenance of the Council’s housing back in-house was working effectively in the long-term and if the opportunities around place-based working were being maximised to deliver the expected outcomes. It was suggested that the Economy and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel could pick up this issue.

·       In respect of strengthening the corporate centre it was explained that resources had been put into a number of services, and this would also be considered within the current budget process, in order to develop capacity to deliver the ambitions of the Council Plan.

·       It was suggested that a report should be brought to scrutiny in respect of progress on the Technology Strategy.

·       There was a need to promote achievements and fully engage all Councillors.

·       In terms of the Place Standard engagement it was important that this included wider communities and minority communities and did not focus on ‘the usual suspects’.

·       To strengthen capacity consideration should be given to using peer support from Councillors and communities, particularly in terms of health and wellbeing and being an inclusive employer.

·       The benefits of working with the community alongside community leaders had been demonstrated during the response to the pandemic and there was significant learning to be taken from this process

·       It was important that the reasoning behind Recommendation 8, in respect of the establishment of a single Clinical Commissioning Group, did not get lost in the discussions about the future of health and social care.

Resolved -

1)    That it be agreed that future reporting against the 2019 Peer Challenge will be incorporated within the reporting against the 2021/23 Council Plan, with an annual progress report being brought to this Committee for information and that different elements will be taken forward, as appropriate, by relevant Panels with the Chair of Scrutiny maintaining an overview.

2)    That officers take account of the comments made by the Committee in moving forward with the work to respond to the key recommendations raised by 2019 Peer Challenge.