Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People), that would also be considered at the meeting of theCouncil on 15 January 2019, that provided details of the outcome of the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge. The full Feedback Report and the Council Response to Peer Team Recommendations were attached as appendices to the report.

The LGA was the national voice of local government, working with Councils to support, promote and improve local government. A major part of the LGA support was the offer to each Council to have a Corporate Peer Challenge every four or five years.

In 2018 it was agreed that Coventry City Council would host an LGA Corporate Peer Challenge.The Peer Challenge took place from 9th to 12th October 2018. The visit focused on how we understand our place and set our priorities, our leadership and governance, financial planning, and our capacity to deliver on what we set out to achieve. These areas are considered by the LGA in all Local Authorities that they visit to conduct a Peer Challenge.

We also asked the Peer Team to look at our approach to housing and homelessness, our readiness for UK City of Culture 2021, how we make the most of social value in our capital projects and our One Coventry approach. These areas were specifically chosen on the basis that they would benefit from some external challenge and feedback on both current and future delivery plans.

A high-level feedback session was held on the final day, in advance of the feedback report being produced. In summary, during the course of the Peer Challenge week, the Peer Team found that:

• pride and passion of employees and partners for their work and the city really stood out
• Coventry City Council was seen as a good partner and a key player within a wider cultural and economic geography
• this was now a ‘point of step change’ for the city and the Council
• there were some areas where further work was needed, these were described in the ‘Key recommendations’ section of the LGA’s feedback report

Following the Peer Challenge visit, the Council had reflected on the Team’s findings and suggestions in order to determine its response to the recommendations that had been made. It was the responsibility of the Extended and Corporate Leadership Teams to have oversight of, and accountability for, delivery of this work.

The Cabinet received and agreed a recommendation of the Chair of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee in relation to the outcome of the Peer Challenge that, as well as being monitored through the One Coventry Change Board and Strategic Management Board, the improvement plan associated with the Peer Challenge was also monitored by Scrutiny on a regular basis next Municipal Year. He indicated that the Scrutiny Boards had already done work in some of the areas highlighted in the report, such as Homelessness, Digital and the City of Culture, and would wish to continue to be involved in the addressing the recommendations from the LGA.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Supports the work of the Extended and Corporate Leadership Teams to evidence delivery of actions outlined in Appendix B to the report, in response to recommendations made by the Peer Challenge Team.

2)  Agrees the recommendation of the Chair of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee in relation to the outcome of the Peer Challenge that, as well as being monitored through the One Coventry Change Board and Strategic Management Board, the improvement plan associated with the Peer Challenge is also monitored by Scrutiny on a regular basis next municipal year. 

3)  Request that the Council notes the contents of the Peer Challenge Team’s Feedback Report, associated Council Response document and support the work of the Extended and Corporate Leadership Teams response to recommendations made by the Peer Challenge Team.