Agenda item

Reports to follow.

Resolved:

                      i.         The Executive agreed to accept the LGA Peer Challenge recommendations:

Recommendation 1: Clarify a strong and consistent narrative that

drives the ability of the organisation to take advantage of the

opportunities available to York.

Recommendation 2: Be clear on the need to prioritise the

ambition of the new council plan to focus on key delivery.

Recommendation 3: Build on the clear leadership of the new

administration to develop a more mature corporate culture that

improves appropriate behaviours and relationships within the

organisation.

Recommendation 4: Consider how the corporate culture and

senior arrangements of the organisation can help shape and

deliver key priorities.

Recommendation 5: Consider how the Corporate Management

Team can establish a collective responsibility for the delivery of

key priorities and provide clear and consistent positive leadership

to the many hard working and dedicated staff.

Recommendation 6: Put in place a robust performance

management framework that recognises and rewards success and

has clear accountability for delivery.

Recommendation 7: Ensure improved staff engagement that

clearly communicates the shared aims ambitions and priorities of

the organisation and celebrates success.

Recommendation 8: Establish a well evidenced and robust single

version of the medium-term financial position that is collectively

owned and understood.

Recommendation 9: Improve the financial literacy of the

organisation, financial controls and financial grip that focuses on

the big picture.

Recommendation 10: Develop a clear plan to deliver savings that

includes a properly resourced strategic program for change with

sound business cases that flow through a strong and more robust

governance framework.

Recommendation 11: Ensure there are appropriate support

resources and structures to enable all members to undertake their

respective roles including training, early access to papers and

expanded access to information.

Recommendation 12: Develop a clear corporate strategy on how

City of York Council can better utilise the desire, capacity and

ability of partners to help the city improve and achieve its ambition.

Recommendation 13: Develop stronger, positive and strategic

corporate relationships with all partners. Ensure these are more

consistent across all partnership working utilising localised good

practice - (for example the work of the ICB, engagement with the

voluntary sector etc). Seek to replicate and embed these positive

examples across CYC to establish effective collaboration as being

the norm.

Recommendation 14: Properly understand the relationship with

the Combined Authority and its role in enabling CYC to deliver its

key priorities.

Recommendation 15: Implement an action plan to address these

recommendations with urgency and pace that moves from single

tactical interventions to a more strategic corporate approach.

Reason:     To improve the Council for residents and partner organisations.

The Chief Operating Officer introduced the report. He highlighted that the Local Government Association acknowledged challenges faced by the Council in the report and highlighted good work the Council was doing. He noted that the report also provided 15 recommendations on how the Council could improve following the peer review.

The Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects and Equalities welcomed the peer challenge and noted that it had had highlighted the positive leadership of the administration since the 2023 local election, and that this leadership was required to deliver the Councils objectives.

The Executive Leader welcomed the peer review acknowledging the Council’s staff as its strongest asset. She noted the growing financial pressure the Council had been under year on year since 2010 and the fantastic work of staff to continue to deliver services against those pressures. She noted her disappointment that the Council’s last peer review had been in 2016, especially as, the Council had been subject to two public interest reports since then. She stated that the Council under the current administration were open to working with partners to improve the city while handling difficult financial pressures.

Resolved:

                      i.         The Executive agreed to accept the LGA Peer Challenge recommendations:

Recommendation 1: Clarify a strong and consistent narrative that

drives the ability of the organisation to take advantage of the

opportunities available to York.

Recommendation 2: Be clear on the need to prioritise the

ambition of the new council plan to focus on key delivery.

Recommendation 3: Build on the clear leadership of the new

administration to develop a more mature corporate culture that

improves appropriate behaviours and relationships within the

organisation.

Recommendation 4: Consider how the corporate culture and

senior arrangements of the organisation can help shape and

deliver key priorities.

Recommendation 5: Consider how the Corporate Management

Team can establish a collective responsibility for the delivery of

key priorities and provide clear and consistent positive leadership

to the many hard working and dedicated staff.

Recommendation 6: Put in place a robust performance

management framework that recognises and rewards success and

has clear accountability for delivery.

Recommendation 7: Ensure improved staff engagement that

clearly communicates the shared aims ambitions and priorities of

the organisation and celebrates success.

Recommendation 8: Establish a well evidenced and robust single

version of the medium-term financial position that is collectively

owned and understood.

Recommendation 9: Improve the financial literacy of the

organisation, financial controls and financial grip that focuses on

the big picture.

Recommendation 10: Develop a clear plan to deliver savings that

includes a properly resourced strategic program for change with

sound business cases that flow through a strong and more robust

governance framework.

Recommendation 11: Ensure there are appropriate support

resources and structures to enable all members to undertake their

respective roles including training, early access to papers and

expanded access to information.

Recommendation 12: Develop a clear corporate strategy on how

City of York Council can better utilise the desire, capacity and

ability of partners to help the city improve and achieve its ambition.

Recommendation 13: Develop stronger, positive and strategic

corporate relationships with all partners. Ensure these are more

consistent across all partnership working utilising localised good

practice - (for example the work of the ICB, engagement with the

voluntary sector etc). Seek to replicate and embed these positive

examples across CYC to establish effective collaboration as being

the norm.

Recommendation 14: Properly understand the relationship with

the Combined Authority and its role in enabling CYC to deliver its

key priorities.

Recommendation 15: Implement an action plan to address these

recommendations with urgency and pace that moves from single

tactical interventions to a more strategic corporate approach.

Reason:     To improve the Council for residents and partner organisations.