Great Yarmouth Borough Council praised in Peer Challenge Report

The Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review process is designed to support the council's performance by identifying its areas of strength and areas for development. The Peer Review is conducted by a team of people with a wide range of experience and knowledge about local government.

The peer team, consisting of eight local government senior officers and members from across the country , led 40 meetings at the Town Hall and spoke with almost 200 council staff, members and external stakeholders.

The final report with the findings of the Corporate Peer Challenge has now published. The report highlights the Council as:

• Ambitious with a strong visible leadership
• Having a deep understanding of the community
• An organisation with a track record of delivering major projects
• A workplace of respectful and constructive relationships (Member/Member and Member/officer)
• Poised to deliver transformation of place/prospects
• Having a strong grasp of local issues and national context

The report also makes some recommendations for areas where improvement could be made.

In response to these recommendations in the Corporate Peer Challenge report, the council has developed a robust action plan. The activities in the action plan will be delivered across the coming year, with a progress review with the LGA scheduled at six months.

Cllr Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "It is great to hear from an impartial body that the council has a deep understanding of our community because our residents are at the heart of what we do.

"Obviously there is still work for us to do, but we are looking forward to working with our staff, Members and partners to ensure the improvements that need to be made are put in place"

Sheila Oxtoby, Chief Executive of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "The review was a very welcome and positive experience for the council, as it gave us an opportunity to reflect on the great work the members and officers are currently doing, as well as highlighting the areas which still require some improvement.

"As a council, we want to provide our residents and visitors the very best experience of our great borough and the action plan we have created as a result of this review will help us achieve that.