Agenda item

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council sharing the findings of the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Team’s feedback report from October 2023, and providing an update on the implementation of the recommendations.

76.1    The Leader of the Council, Councillor Cook, introduced the report. He advised Members that it sought to share the findings of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Team’s feedback report further to their visit in October 2023 to review the Council’s progress towards the implementation of the recommendations from the Peer Challenge in November 2022.

76.2    Councillor Cook outlined the themes considered by the Peer Team and noted that the Council had also asked them to provide feedback on its response to the cyber incident and work undertaken to tackle inequalities. Councillor Cook further highlighted that the Peer Team had seen evidence of and welcomed the Council’s evolved approach to performance management and had also welcomed the increase in capacity at Senior Management level and Major Project work. He explained that the full Progress Review was included at Appendix 1.

76.3    The Chair referred to the statement in the report that the Peer Team had not yet seen evidence of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee providing critical challenge. He expressed the view that the Committee worked effectively and noted that he had not been approached to give evidence as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He asked what more the Committee should be doing to fulfil this recommendation. The Corporate Director noted that it was possible that the Peer Team felt that not enough time had passed to see evidence of the Committee working in the way it should and suggested that the Chair approach the Lead Peer member for further advice.

76.4    In response to a further question from the Chair regarding external communications, Councillor Cook noted that any dedicated LGA Communications Peer Review would likely come at additional cost for the Council, however the Progress Review report had highlighted that external communications had improved.

76.5    In response to concerns raised by Councillor Hilton regarding the narrative around the Aspire Leisure Trust, Councillor Cook stated that the Trust had been contracted to provide leisure services on behalf of the Council until September 2024, following the options appraisal conducted by SLC consultancy. He noted that the Trust had initially agreed to extend the contract until September 2024, but had changed their position shortly before announcing their immediate liquidation.

76.6    Councillor Hilton referred to the narrative at 3.10.4 in the report regarding Member behaviour. He noted that as leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, he had not received any complaints from Officers regarding the behaviour of any Liberal Democrat Councillors and that Liberal Democrat Councillors behaved politely and respectfully to Council Officers.

76.7    Councillor Wilson expressed his disappointment at the statements around Member behaviour.

76.8    Councillor Pullen noted that he was disappointed by the observation of the Peer Team that some Members behave badly. He stated that he had not been made aware of any complaints about the behaviour of Labour Councillors. Councillor Pullen noted that Code of Conduct protocols had been reviewed by the Monitoring Officer and asked whether these related to Member or Officer Code of Conduct. It was confirmed that both Member and Officer Codes of Conduct had been reviewed, and that the Updated Member Code of Conduct had already been considered by General Purposes Committee and Council. It was confirmed that the updated Officer Code of Conduct was due to be considered at the upcoming General Purposes Committee meeting and would later be put forward for approval by Council.

76.9    In response to a query from the Chair as to whether there would be any more steps to the Peer Review, Councillor Cook confirmed that the Peer Review process was complete.

RESOLVED – That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTE the report.