LGA peer review

LGA peer review 2021

Peer review by members of the Local Government Association. (PDF 564 KB)

LGA peer review – action plan

SRO: Laura Sales

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Strengthen the relationships between Councillors and senior officers.	Work closely with member engagement panel to identify issues	Engagement panel underway
Establish rhythm for decision making - both councillors & officers to support pace.	Increased frequency of briefings/including operational briefings	Increased briefings underway
Clarify shared responsibilities across the councillor and senior officer cohorts.	Undertake regular awareness raising for staff and members regarding information rules and timescales.	Dec 21 Check progress Feb 22
Reflect on how councillors and officers can best work together.	Undertake member survey - action plan based on results	Survey by End Dec 21.
Ensure all councillors receive timely responses and can access suitable information.	Drop-in sessions/for senior officers on key dates (e.g. full council day/cabinet dates?) Monitor and implement response timescales	Dec 21 onwards
Increase member development opportunities.	L&D/Democratic Services review needs and develop internal programme and an approach to disseminating external opportunities.	Dec 21 review Feb 22 implement
Refresh of the approach to Overview and Scrutiny.	O&S Member working group to consider options - with appropriate officer support?	Establish Dec 21 Report April 22

SRO: Mike Kirby

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Communicating new corporate priorities - internal and with partners.	Communications strategy important - campaign/artwork/corporate wallpaper	Dec 21
Develop collaboration as a leadership trait.	Staff development programme/build into L&D programme/specify requirement.	Finalise Dec 21 Review April 22
Develop clear, system wide, evidence-based priorities for Lancashire.	Use LCC corporate priorities as a starting point for dialogue	Feb 22 Review April 22
Advance work on climate change as a corporate and Greater Lancashire priority	Recruit staff resource to co-ordinate activity Map existing activity Address gap analysis	Recruitment ongoing Feb 22 map April 22 roll out
Establish mechanisms to engage residents (with partners) - release community capacity.	Identify range of options and implement as appropriate	Options Feb 22 Implement April 22
Develop skills to drive community engagement/partnership	Staff development programme/build into L&D programme/specify requirement. Also need to address community capacity.	Finalise Dec 21 Review April 22

SRO: Louise Taylor

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Recognise the importance of place-based priorities and outcome focus.	Develop clarity of information at an appropriate place-based level to inform policy development and decision makers.	Options April 22
Develop an approach to locality working. Approach to tackling health inequalities - link to neighbourhoods/locality working. Build on opportunities to work with districts (& other partners) on health inequalities and prevention.	Engage with Districts and ICS etc. to best understand optimum locality opportunities. Assess evidence base and gaps. Consider necessary research needs Lancashire Wellbeing 2030 – Programme Blueprint Link into policy agenda.	Engagement Feb 22. Develop methodology April 22 Wellbeing Blueprint Cabinet discussion December

SRO: Angie Ridgwell

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Enhance district/county working and refocus and re-energise relationship with neighbouring unitary councils.	Work through Lancashire leaders Work with Lancashire Chief Execs Develop County deal Map/prioritise engagement Maintain joint Covid efforts and engage on recovery Evidence/knowledge base sharing/agreement (see local priorities and outcomes) develop options to enhance joint working. Joint work on climate response Joint community engagement work	CD reports Dec 21 Covid response/recovery ongoing – timescales based on situation. Mapping Feb 22
Enhanced relationships with health/blue light services	Shape ICS engagement	Review milestones: Dec 21 Feb 22 April 22
Building better relationships with 3rd sector	Scope and shape 3rd sector opportunities	Scope Feb 22
Town/parishes relationship	Refresh parish compact?	Scope Feb 22 Draft April 22
Take considered, collegiate and tangible steps to demonstrate the Council’s commitment	Ongoing pandemic response/recovery work. Use Anchor institution process Collaboration to deliver Household Support Fund	Pandemic ongoing Anchor underway, review Feb 22. HSF collaboration ongoing - funding agreed- review Dec 21
Co-designing an ambitious vision for Greater Lancashire	Develop an overarching Strategic Plan for Lancashire	Greater Lancashire Plan 2022

SRO: Phil Green

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Work in partnership to develop and deliver the Greater Lancashire Plan. Improve East – West connectivity. Articulate the link between carbon reduction aspirations and economic growth.	Delivery of Lancashire's economic priorities through the following workstreams: County Deal Greater Lancashire Plan Levelling Up (including LUF Bid) Shared Prosperity Fund / replacing EU Funding Connectivity through LTP and review. Ensure carbon link picked up in plans and links to climate change activity/ LCC Environmental priority.	County Deal/GLP- summer 2022. Levelling Up Fund Round 2 - Bid 2022 – TBC. Expect delivery to be required to be complete by 2024/25 Shared Prosperity Fund –awaiting further details LTP timescale
Align health and economic growth outcomes.	Link to locality approach	Link to locality approach
Work with business to identify skills gaps in the county and improve the skills base accordingly	Develop approach to engagement and action plan based on evidence.	April 22

SRO: John Morrissy

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Drive transformation programme. Define and communicate programme Develop clear message on agile working. Be flexible - maximise outcomes for residents and productivity.	Refresh and implement new communication plan	Underway – finalised by end Nov 21
Develop clear message on agile working.	Clarity that staff are welcome to access buildings	Underway, finalised by end Nov21
Ensure we reflect member needs/ service requirements /workforce needs & not ‘one size fits all’.	Ensure we have identified and met service needs/have a timeline to do so.	Ongoing; confirmed picture of service needs and plan by end Dec 21
Empowerment of Directors/heads of service to lead	Leadership development programme -develop/implement model and expectations - allocate key/high profile activity for leadership/ensuring political engagement?	Draft proposals Jan 22 Underway; outline of additional proposals Jan 21
Improve staff engagement	re-energise staff engagement process. Identify service engagement champions/enhance working relationship with unions?	Meet key leads Dec 21; design and relaunch scheme Feb 22
Encourage innovation.	Suggestion schemes/formal way of encouraging innovation ideas- publicise successes and name/recognise those behind innovation ideas.	Relaunch staff suggestion scheme Feb 22; create pilot change hub Feb 22
Ensure digital integral to design and implementation.	See digital actions	See digital
Align strategy, policy & transformation capacity.	Policy resource needs identified and approved	JE process underway – recruitment by Feb 22
Identify and prepare for the capacity and capability requirements.	Link to 2022/23 budget process.	Review Dec 21

SRO: Mike Kirby

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Making best use of the estate – links to how we use buildings and quality standards. Address 'Preston centric' issue.	Property review/rationalisation with clear messaging. Ensure right footprint for localities. Consider fewer but better buildings.	Resource review ongoing 1st options April 22.
Ensure the county wide estate is accessible and used to improve outcomes for residents.	Ensure 'Inviting' space for community & staff. Clarifying approach to hosting community hubs/co-location project? Link to anchor institutions. Commission independent review(s) of approach	Initial options Feb 22 Review process April 22.

SRO: Glyn Peach

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Maximise the role of digital in future plans. Ensure it has the right profile in the Council to help make this happen. Ensure digital and technology leadership is integral to the design and implementation of the ways of working programme.	CDO to be on Steer Co / the principal board, for all major corporate programmes. CDO to be SRO for all major corporate programmes where digital and or digital adoption and change is the major component. Maximise service/digital links created by new service structure. Identify clear service needs/ensure 'art of possible' mutually understood. Role of Digital board- relaunch post covid.	Member engagement underway Enhanced member support now live – and under ongoing review. New digital structure has enabled improved engagement with services. Digital board relaunched.
Address digital needs of members	Enhance digital support/services for members Engage with members to understand aspirations	Group established. Ongoing rollout. Review Feb 22
Success of digital initiatives	Invest in effective and timely L&D Understand and develop plan for how we engage with communities via digital including skills.	Scope internal L&D approach Feb 22 External research and approach April 22.

SRO: Neil Kissock

Detail of comment	Proposals	Timescale
Consider structural requirements re s.151 officer role/Chief executive.	Needs political consideration.
Secure delivery of already identified and approved savings.	Review progress- action plan for each 'at risk' saving.	Clear timeline for budget making process
Provide options to resolve anticipated future funding gap/provide administration with flexibility to address policy priorities.	Develop methodology for ‘service challenge v.2’- targeted interventions rather than whole organisation.	Clear timeline for budget making process
Address financial impact of climate change agenda – including energy cost and carbon implications	Consider as part of budget process. Link to work on environment/decarbonisation and application of Transport Asset Management Plan and Property Asset Management Plan	Work underway on TAMP and PAMP- review reporting arrangements and consider linkage into CCPI reporting – Feb 22.