Agenda item

Report of the Director of Culture, Strategy and Engagement.  To be introduced by the Leader of the Council.

Response to recommendations from the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge that took place in May 2023.

The Leader of the Council introduced the report which set out the findings of the corporate peer review which had taken place in May 2023. All Councils were given the opportunity to have one of these reviews every 4-5 years as part of a local government-led approach to improvement and mutual support. This review involved senior officers from Councils across the country, led by Althea Loderick, Chief Executive at Southwark Council and a lead Councillor peer, Cllr Sir Steve Houghton, Leader at Barnsley Metropolitan Council.

The peer review had been asked to consider the Council’s relationships with residents and communities, alongside the Council’s approach to ‘getting the basics right’. Both of these were key elements of the Haringey Deal and would be critical to future success.

The Leader expressed that she was really proud of the positive nature of the report and feedback from the peer team. However, there was no room for complacency and the wider financial climate would bring challenges which the review findings would be helpful in taking the Council forward with.

The Leader of the Council continued to speak about having a longer-term vision for the borough, over a 10-year period, which involved implementing all aspects of the Haringey Deal.

It was noted that the peer review team would support evaluation of progress against the action plan next year.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet welcomed the report and positive comments and would respond to the actions identified.

In response to questions from Cllr Connor, the following information was provided.

-      In relation to the new participation framework and scrutiny involvement, the actions were predominantly corporately focused. However, the Assistant Director for Strategy, Communications and Collaboration agreed to take forward an Overview and Scrutiny discussion on this new framework.

-      With regards to having scrutiny oversight of the capital programme and access to information, this was provided for in the scrutiny budget process and scrutiny members would have appropriate access with the usual caveats in place regarding commercially sensitive information. Where this exempt information could not be shared, reasons would be provided.

-      It was clarified that the actions listed in appendix 2 reflected the required collective ownership of the Council in responding to the review and Cabinet Members were assigned to take forward actions irrespective of portfolio areas and to ensure that there was parity in allocations. This would be reviewed and updated as the action plan progressed.

RESOLVED

1.1.      To endorse the action plan as set out in Appendix B, which responds to each of nine recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge report.

Reasons for decision

There is an expectation that all Councils undertaking a Corporate Peer Challenge will commit to publishing the feedback report and produce an action plan, which responds to the recommendations in the report.

The recommendations are important in helping the Council improve, including building stronger relationships with the residents and communities in Haringey and provide better, more efficient services.

The action plan sets out what the Council is doing to respond to these recommendations, including specific actions, when they will be delivered, and who will be responsible for delivering them.

Alternative options considered.

The option not to respond to the Peer Challenge recommendations with a formal report was considered. The decision has been made that it would be better to publish the report, and the Council’s response to it, so that the Council can be held to account on its improvement plans.