Agenda item

A report of the Chief Executive was submitted that set out the Council’s planned response to two recently issued reports from the Local Government Association and the Council’s Independent Improvement Advisory Board respectively.

The purpose of the report was to ensure the Council continued to deliver continuous improvement activity that would strengthen and embed compliance with the Best Value Duty and maximise the Council’s ability to deliver the 2024-2027 Council Plan.

Both reports were positive and identified the great strides the Council had made in the last eighteen months in order to be in a position where it was able to continue on its improvement journey within a Council-led business as usual approach, supported by the regular oversight and challenge mechanisms provided by scrutiny, partners, the public, internal and External Auditors.

The submitted report included a Continuous Improvement Plan, attached at Appendix 3, which set out the planned approach over the next 12 months.

The Mayor invited the Chair of the Middlesbrough Council Independent Improvement Advisory Board to present the Board’s final report to Council.

The final report was intended to provide an element of reflection of progress over the past  eighteen months, but mainly focus on looking forward and the issues on which, the MIIAB felt the Council needed to concentrate most, whilst moving forward to support its continuous improvement journey.

As the Council had moved from “recovery” through to “reset” and now on to “delivery”, the MIIAB considered that there were five areas of focus:

•           Culture change.

•           Governance.

•           Plans, priorities, and strategies.

•           Financial planning and management.

•           Organisational capacity.

As per the MIIAB report, an update was provided on each theme. 

The Chair acknowledged that the Council had embraced the approach of the MIIAB and although some conversations had been quite difficult and challenging, the Council had entered into the relationship constructively.  The Chair thanked the Chief Executive and the Leadership Team and also the former Chief Executive for their engagement and support.

Several Members asked questions in relation to Member and Officer relationships.  The Chair acknowledged that whilst the Council had made good progress in relation to culture change, there was still work to do on this theme.

On a vote being taken it was ORDERED as follows that Council:

1.         Approved the recommendations set out in the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge peer review letter and the final report of the Middlesbrough Independent Improvement Advisory Board.

2.         Agreed to formally thank the Middlesbrough Independent Improvement Advisory Board and the support of the LGA senior regional advisor, for their support and oversight during the Council’s improvement journey.

3.         Agreed to formally thank the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge team for giving up time in their substantive roles as leaders in other local authorities, to support the Council in its continuous improvement journey.

4.         Agreed the Continuous Improvement plan.

5.         Agreed the planned reporting and assurance arrangements for the Council’s continuous improvement activity.

6.         Noted the Council’s planned approach to continuous improvement going forward and the formal closure of the Corporate Governance Improvement Plan.