Decision

Purpose of report 

The Council commissioned the Local Government Association (LGA) to undertake a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) in June 2026 as part of its commitment to continuous improvement, organisational assurance and delivery of best value. Government expectations are that councils should undertake a Corporate Peer Challenge approximately every five years. A CPC is a key element of the LGA's sector led improvement framework and provides councils with an opportunity to receive constructive challenge and support from experienced elected member and officer peers from across local government. The process complements the Council's own approach to performance management and improvement and assists councils in meeting part of their Best Value Duty.

The peer team reviewed a wide range of evidence and background information in advance of their visit to build an understanding of the Council, the challenges it faces and its future ambitions. During the review, the peers held more than 25 meetings and spoke to in excess of 150 people. As part of this extensive programme of engagement, the peer team met with and heard evidence from:

• Cabinet Members, including the Leader

• Corporate Management Team, Senior Leadership Team and Heads of Service from across the organisation

• Committee Chairs and councillors from all political parties, including opposition group leaders and backbench councillors

• Frontline and non-managerial staff representing a broad range of services, including children’s services, housing, public health, planning, finance, community services, waste and environmental services

• Council staff networks representing neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, disability, faith, veterans, women's and ethnic minority colleagues

• Trade union representatives

• Key city partners, including representatives from the University of Plymouth, Plymouth Community Homes, Devon and Cornwall Police, Livewell South West, NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and the Plymouth Centre for Faith and Cultural Diversity and other voluntary sector representatives

• Business and economic partners, including Babcock, the Chamber of Commerce, Go South West, Plymouth Manufacturers' Group, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Royal Navy and Theatre Royal Plymouth

• Other external stakeholders including Homes England, Devon Audit Partnership and neighbouring council chief executives

• Members of Parliament representing Plymouth constituencies

• Community representatives through dedicated community engagement and cohesion sessions.

As with all Corporate Peer Challenges, the peer team acted as critical friends rather than inspectors, assessors or consultants. Their findings were informed by the information presented, the people they met, the places they visited and the evidence they reviewed. The process placed particular emphasis on financial sustainability, performance, governance, leadership and organisational assurance.

The peer team's feedback recognised a number of strengths and opportunities and resulted in five recommendations for the Council's consideration:

Translate the 'Stronger by Design' framework into a programme of delivery  

Urgently translate the 'Stronger by Design' framework into a programme of transformation delivery with the necessary depth and detail, capacity, pace, accountability and monitoring of implementation as an imperative in relation to the council's financial sustainability.

Further join up council and partner assets in a neighbourhood model  

Further join up council and partner community assets in a neighbourhood model as a core part of the prevention strategy and national 'neighbourhood health' ambitions.

Undertake a review of partnership governance arrangements  

Undertake a review of partnership governance arrangements to streamline forum and meetings activity, enhance join-up and enable more widespread involvement and engagement.

Engage more partners in the co-production of an integrated vision for Plymouth  

In embarking upon a refresh of the 'Plymouth Plan', engage more partners in the co-production of an integrated vision for Plymouth that connects the opportunities facing the city with the transformation of lives of local people now and into the future through inclusive growth.

Develop a communications narrative relating to inclusive growth  

Continue the development of a communications narrative centred on inclusive growth, integrating partners into the shaping and conveying of this, to ensure what is planned and being delivered for the city is made meaningful to all local people.

Following receipt of the Corporate Peer Challenge feedback, the Council is required to produce an Action Plan setting out how it will respond to and address the recommendations made by the peer team. The Action Plan outlines the Council's proposed approach to each recommendation, including the key activities that will be undertaken, delivery timescales, responsible lead officers and Cabinet Members, and arrangements for monitoring progress and delivery. It provides a clear framework for implementing the recommendations and demonstrating the Council's ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, organisational assurance and the delivery of best value.

This report presents the outcomes of the Corporate Peer Challenge and the Council's response. Specifically, it:

• Contains the full Corporate Peer Challenge Feedback Report at Appendix A;

• Sets out the Council's response to each recommendation, together with the actions planned to address them, at Appendix B.

Decision 

Cabinet agreed:

1. Extend its thanks on behalf of the Council to the Peer Challenge team for their work;
2. Note and endorse the recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge as set out in the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Feedback Report;
3. Agree the action plan to deliver on the recommendations set out in the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Feedback Report and refer to Scrutiny Management Board for review.

Reasons for decision 

To respond to the findings of the Corporate Peer Challenge and demonstrate the Council's commitment to continuous improvement.

Alternative options considered and rejected 

The Peer Challenge is a voluntary process, and the Council is under no obligation to make commitments with respect to recommendations made in the report. The process does however represent best practice in the local government sector, and the recommendations represent the considered view of experienced and senior local government peer Members and officers.

Declarations of interest 

None declared in respect of this item.