Agenda item

Dennis Skinner (Head of Improvement) introduced the report on performance against the deliverables identified in the 2016/17 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DCLG on sector led improvement. Forty-eight out of 50 deliverables had been achieved; the two outstanding ones were around fraud workshops delivered by CIPFA, which would now take place in 2017/18, and the uptake of the National Graduate Development Program (NGDP).

Dennis pointed to the positive outcomes in para 2.6 of the report, in particular that a basket of performance metrics used by councils continued to improve, levels of resident satisfaction had been maintained and that ninety per cent of council leaders and chief executives surveyed believed the LGA’s support had had a positive impact on their authority.

In terms of 2017/18, DCLG had approved a grant of £21m and an updated MoU had been agreed.

Discussion

Members discussed:

1)    The uptake of Corporate Peer Challenges (CPC). It was noted that half the CPCs delivered in 2016/17 were to “first time” councils;

2)    Whether we could also take the views of Opposition Leaders on the LGA’s support offer;

3)    Whilst public satisfaction had been maintained it was not yet at a level that many in the private sector would be comfortable with and whether there was more the LGA could do in this area, recognising the difficulties and challenges of working in the public sphere where much was delivered through partnership;

4)    The requirement within the MoU to help the sector achieve £210 million of savings, ongoing monitoring of these savings and consequences if they are not achieved.

Decision

Members:

1)    Noted the report and the MoU for 2017/18

2)    Agreed the report on sector-led improvement in 2016/17 for publishing.

Action

Officers: to augment the SLI report for 2016/17 and future productivity programme reports to the Board with a table showing projected savings.