Decision details

The committee received the report prepared in response to a Notice of Motion proposed at Full Council on 13 December 2023 that requested that the Council embrace an urgent Peer Review. The motion, which had been proposed by Cllr Rachel Bailey and seconded by Cllr Russell Chadwick, proposed that the Council urgently engaged with the Local Government Association (LGA) to seek guidance through a Financial Peer Review or Corporate Peer Challenge to investigate it’s in year overspend of £18.7m.

Councillor Rachel Bailey addressed the committee as the proposer of the Notice of Motion and urged committee members to seek clarity on the type of peer review being considered. Cllr Bailey stated that this had been intended as a friendly motion in order to promote good practice, drawing on the resources of the LGA. Cllr Bailey highlighted that such a review was important to ensure residents and staff were informed of how the council’s budget overspend had incurred, and the steps that needed to be taken to correct it.

Councillor Russell Chadwick, addressed the committee as the seconder of the Notice of Motion and spoke in favour of the recommendations of the report stating that an LGA review would help to improve service delivery across the council.

Councillor Liz Wardlaw addressed the committee as a visiting member. Cllr Wardlaw requested that the scope and timing of the peer review be clarified. It was requested that any review be based upon the recommendations arising from the 2020 Peer Review.

It was stated that the intention was to ask that LGA to undertake a full corporate Peer Challenge which focused on five fixed key areas however it was within the council’s gift to ask the peer review team to explore particular areas, such as budget reserves, further. The Chief Executive confirmed that subject to the availability of the peer reviewers, a Peer Challenge could be arranged to start within six weeks.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the Corporate Policy Committee:

1. Authorise the Chief Executive to make arrangements for a local

government peer review to take place.

2. Delegate to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Council’s political group leaders the finalisation of the scope, terms of reference and timing of the peer review.