Agenda item

Dr James Downe (Cardiff University) introduced the item. He presented the interim findings of Cardiff Business School’s independent evaluation of the LGA’s Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC). He highlighted the key recommendations as being;

·         The need to widen and refresh the available pool of peers.

·         Making sure all member peers who take part in a CPC also have one in their home councils.

·         Ensuring that CPC reports are more closely aligned to verbal reports given during the process.

·         Tailoring post-CPC follow ups to the needs of the council.

·         The need to place greater emphasis on the impact of having a CPC, including conducting a marketing campaign feature ‘impact stories’ from participating councils.

·         Asking councils who have received a CPC to provide evidence of the impact the process has had on them.

·         Placing greater emphasis on sharing the good practice highlighted by the CPC across the sector.

·         Developing a strong narrative which communicated the value and importance of all authorities having a CPC.

·         Continuing to plan ahead to ensure that CPCs are flexible enough to deal with future changes.

Discussion

In the ensuing discussion, members raised the following points;

·         The importance of the CPC not being seen as an ‘inspectorate’.

·         The balance between containing all the feedback given to a council in the final report, and having that report published.

·         The need to communicate the importance of CPCs through various channels, including political members, senior officers, LGA principle advisers and media. This is especially true of those authorities who as of yet have not received a CPC.

Decisions

The members;

1.    Noted the interim evaluation items presented.

2.    Noted that a final evaluation report will be available in due course.

3.    Requested that the final findings be circulated to the Board as soon as they are published, and that they are reported at the next Board meeting.

Actions

Officers to;

1.    Distribute the final findings of the evaluation when they are published.

2.    Submit a report on the findings to the next Board meeting.