Published: Thursday 6 November 2025
A team of councillors and officers from across local government have given their assessment and recommendations of how the Council is performing, as part of a regular review.
The team spoke to 75 staff members, councillors and stakeholders in July 2025 as part of Local Government Association corporate peer challenge – an external assessment that every council is expected to undergo at least once every five years.
Now the peer challenge report has been published, making six recommendations about the Council’s long-term vision, neighbourhood working, public participation, organisational culture, transformation approach, and internal processes.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, said:
“We have heard loud and clear since the Grenfell tragedy that our residents do not want us marking our own homework. Taking part in the LGA peer challenge gives us an objective and constructive outside opinion on how we are functioning and how that translates to services for our residents.
“There’s some reassuring progress, on our outstanding children’s and adults services, on partnership working, on our priorities, on transparency and leadership. The Peer Review saw strong emphasis on working alongside residents. I was proud to read the team described many of the staff they met as ‘dedicated’ – I see this myself regularly.
“But there is always more work to do as we strive to become the best Council for our communities. Some residents still don't see or feel the change we have been striving to make. We need to be more consistent in how we engage residents, clearer about our values and behaviours, and better at working as one Council rather than separate services.”
In January, the Leadership Team will be asked to approve a response to the Peer Challenge with an action plan. That plan will set out how each recommendation will inform our approach to these big challenges.
Read the report and recommendations in full and find out more about the process.