Agenda item

The Committee will received an update in respect of progress in responding to the recommendations contained in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Report 2024, with reference to the report considered by Cabinet on 2^nd December 2025. The report also references the progress review report produced by the LGA further to the second visit in September 2025.

Contact: Stephen Bonnell – Head of Policy Partnerships and Corporate Planning.

The Committee received an update, from Councillor Carole Pattison, Leader of the Council and Stephen Bonnell, Head of Policy, Partnerships and Corporate Planning in respect of progress in responding to the recommendations contained in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Report 2024, with reference to the report considered by Cabinet on 2nd December 2025. This also referenced the progress review report produced by the LGA further to the second visit in September 2025.

The following points were highlighted:

·       The LGA had noted the progress that had been made in delivering the recommendations set out in the related action plan and that working relationships had further matured and brought stability, clarity, grip and more energy to the Council. It had also stated that there was greater confidence, tempered with realism, from the collective senior political management team about how current and future challenges would be addressed.

·       14 of the 42 actions had been completed, 27 were ongoing and on-track.

·       The timescale for the action concerning review of the Capital Programme had slipped to allow account to be taken of the impact of the Government’s Fair Funding Review, further detail on which was expected prior to the end of the year, and clarity in relation to the digital transformation work. Timescales for the delivery of a Kirklees Economic Summit and the review of economic partnership arrangements had been re-profiled to reflect the results of engagement undertaken with partners and ongoing work to support events focussed on investment in the district.

·       The key successes to date including the culture refresh, approval of the Inclusive Economic Strategy and the publication of a ‘budget book’.

·       The ongoing work, key activities and next steps.

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

·       In respect of which actions were the most challenging to implement. these included the review of the Capital Programme due to both the complexity and the current uncertainty around funding. The review of economic partnership arrangements was affected by economic growth which was influenced by a wide range of factors both nationally and locally.

·       The collaborative working of the senior management team and the Cabinet was commended. In terms of the approach across the whole organisation/workforce it was considered that there was awareness of the Council’s priorities; the end of year celebration event for staff, which tied in with the ‘Our Council’ principles, had been very positive and the culture refresh ‘our council’ reflected the whole Council approach. It was recognised that different forms of communication worked for different groups of staff and varied forms of communication were used to relay the messages.

·       A staff survey had recently been undertaken and, further to this, employee engagement sessions were being planned to give staff the opportunity to talk issues through in a safe space and enhance the information that had come out of the survey. There was an intention to maintain an on-going dialogue and the employee networks were helpful in highlighting any issues. In areas where the response had been low action plans were being developed to ensure inclusion.

·       There was confidence that the necessary resources were in place to progress all the actions; this had been considered in the development of the action plan.

RESOLVED -

(1)      That the Leader of the Council and the Head of Policy, Partnerships and Corporate Planning be thanked for attending to update the Committee.

(2)      That the update report be noted, the progress made against the actions be welcomed and a final update be provided to Scrutiny in 2026/27.