Three Rivers District Council
Corporate Peer Challenge
Feedback from the peer challenge team
September 2013
www.local.gov.uk
Peer challenge team
• David Hagg, Chief Executive, Stroud District Council
• Keith House, Leader, Eastleigh Borough Council
• Dale Birch, Deputy Leader, Bracknell Forest
Borough Council
• Allison Westray-Chapman, Joint Assistant Director
Resources, NE Derbyshire and Bolsover District
Councils
• Sue Avery, LGA
Scope and purpose of the peer
challenge
The focus you asked us to explore:
• Proposed governance changes
• Income generation
In addition corporate peer challenges consider the
critical issues that provide reassurance about your
future performance and ability and capacity to deliver
future ambitions:
• Leadership and governance
• Financial planning and viability
• Organisational capacity
www.local.gov.uk
The journey since submission to
Boundary Commission
• Proposed reduction 48 to 39 councillors agreed for 2014
• Governance workshop with peer team July 2013 • Developments over summer 2013 – CX prepared report
for Cabinet Management Board 19 August– Cabinet to
develop recommendations, anticipated following this
challenge – Leader has commenced discussions with
members
• Corporate Peer Challenge September 2013 – meetings
and focus groups with staff, members, and partners to
discuss the return to a committee system and core
corporate themes
Governance proposals - challenges
• Lack of clarity around objectives - staff and members appear
to be pulling in different directions
• Lack of clarity on the process
• Lack of clarity on political buy in for governance outcomes
• How does a new model consider vulnerable sections of the
community?
• What are the resourcing implications of a new structure
including members allowances?
Governance proposals
opportunities
• Political leadership needs to decide its key objectives and
drive the process
• Progress the process and timetable urgently
• Consider extent of consultation
• Decide structure, delegations, and training
• Consider resourcing implications
• Learn from others
• Members to lead member training
Leadership
• Well established relationship between Chief Executive and
Leader
• Long serving, experienced members with good knowledge of
their wards and extensive community engagement
• Consistent delivery of quality services
• Zeal for customer service and accreditation achieved across
all services
• Clear aspiration for economic growth despite economic
climate
Future leadership challenges
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Limited challenge
‘More of the same’
Matching resources to priorities
Achieving the 45% affordable housing target
Relationship with business community
Member succession planning
Leadership opportunities
• Look outward to learn from best practice elsewhere and to
share your achievements
• Build on your priorities e.g. focus the organisation on
economic development
• Broaden and deepen member leadership on South Oxhey
with businesses and the community to improve outcomes
• Spend more time working together on strategic issues and
organisational change
• Develop a corporate communications strategy
Financial planning
•Healthy financial position
•Track record of efficiencies
•Commitment to invest New Homes Bonus
Future financial challenges
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Sustainability of current council tax strategy
Risk of complacency
Ability of financial strategy to deliver self finance objective
Ownership and project management of major projects
Financial opportunities
• Celebrate VFM and low cost delivery - don’t over emphasise
‘spend the budget’
• Build ‘invest to save’, demand management, commercialism,
income generation into business planning
• Increase focus on investment leverage
• Develop income generation strategy
Income possibilities
An income generation strategy might include:
• Manage existing asset base – including potential risk sharing
on South Oxhey
• Potential asset acquisition for profit
• Develop an advertising and marketing strategy
• Community Infrastructure Levy and neighbourhood planning
• Public Health/CCG funding potential
• Business planning within projects to generate future funding
• Creative approach to generating in kind contributions
• Selling services
• Develop a charging strategy
Organisational capacity
• Front-line staff are described as ‘outstanding’ with a
reputation for customer service and a record of accreditation
• Staff are committed to TRDC and the desire to perform well sickness absence is 5.5 days, below the national average
• A ‘can do’ culture
• Positive operational working with partnerships
Future organisational challenges
• Strengthen member engagement in the new priority of
economic development
• Member development is limited, with no individual
development discussions, or opportunities for external
learning, visits
• ICT systems are described as ‘not fit for purpose’
• Strategic ownership of ICT in business solutions
Organisational opportunities
•Re-assess the value/benefit of shared services/lead
arrangements
•Agree an ICT vision and develop a strategy
•Develop a project management culture
•Re-think your approach to delivery e.g. discretionary payments
and grants – to release organisational capacity
•Develop a culture which supports managed risk
•Use performance management systems more effectively
network more
widely