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Issue - meetings

Corporate Peer Challenge Follow Up

 

 

Meeting: 17/02/2026 - Cabinet (Item 24)

24 CORPORATE PEER CHALLENGE FOLLOW UP pdf icon PDF 124 KB

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

 

The Council undertook a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) between 4 and 7 November 2024, where we were visited by a peer team supported by the Local Government Association. The peer team produced a feedback report, which was reported to Cabinet on 14 January 2025. Subsequently an Action Plan was developed to respond to the recommendations and was approved by Cabinet on 23 March 2025, with an update on progress reported to Cabinet on 23 September 2025. The peer team undertook a one day follow up visit on 15 December 2025 and have issued a follow up report, which is attached at Appendix A.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

 

(1)   Noted the findings of the CPC follow up report.

 

(2)   Noted the progress against the CPC action plan.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council responds to the matters identified within the CPC follow up report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.

Minutes:

Audio recording – 5 minutes 16 seconds

 

The Chair invited Councillor Claire Winchester, as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to present the referral on this item. Councillor Winchester advised that there had been discussions around:

 

·       How steps had been taken to address the points raised in the Corporate Peer Challenge review, and that good progress had been made to address these.

·       How this was a significant piece of work which had the potential to be of lasting benefit for everyone involved.

·       Agreement that this was a pragmatic response to reflect on and the need to prioritise the last few decision points in the report.

·       Officer and Member relations and what could be done to improve them.

·       The advantages of providing questions in advance of meetings where possible and the importance of Member briefing sessions to increase communication.

 

Councillor Val Bryant, as Leader of the Council, presented the report entitled ‘Corporate Peer Challenge Follow Up’ and advised that the peer team had undertaken a one day follow up visit in December 2025 and they had recognised the good progress the Council was making.

 

Following a question from Councillor Donna Wright, Councillor Val Bryant explained that Recommendation 4 – Partnerships, would be followed up by Councillor Daniel Allen as he was Leader of the Council at the time of the Corporate Peer Challenge.

 

The following Members took part in the debate:

 

·       Councillor Daniel Allen

·       Councillor Ian Albert

 

Points raised during the debate included:

 

·       Thanks for all the work undertaken by Officers, Cabinet and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee during the Corporate Peer Challenge.

·       Staff were a key resource for the Council and therefore additional resources had been set aside for the next two financial years to support staff during the Local Government Reorganisation.

 

Councillor Daniel Allen proposed and Councillor Sean Nolan seconded and, following a vote, it was:

 

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

 

(1)   Noted the findings of the CPC follow up report.

 

(2)   Noted the progress against the CPC action plan.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council responds to the matters identified within the CPC follow up report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.