LGA Corporate Peer Challenge - progress review (3 Nov 2023)

The Progress Review at Great Yarmouth Borough Council took place on 3 November 2023.

The progress review focussed on each of the recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge, under the following theme headings:

• Communications and narrative
  • Recommendation 1 - evaluate and communicate to stakeholders how major projects deliver outcomes for those most in need
  • Recommendation 2 - communicate the narrative on the transformation of Great Yarmouth including the major projects and the impacts they have on the borough to the general public as well as other stakeholders - Tourism; Culture, Energy...
• Capacity and skills
  • Recommendation 4 - investment in the ELT/MT dynamic, empowering HOS to play a wider corporate role in order to strengthen corporate resilience
  • Recommendation 5 - establish a strategic approach to talent management and recruitment, focussed on your skills gaps
• Services
  • Recommendation 3 - ensure core services receive the same focus as the major projects
  • Recommendation 6 - secure strategic resource for procurement (in house or strategic partner) to drive and embed procurement processes, culture and compliance
• Finance
  • Recommendation 7 - review the business strategy post May 2023 to enable future balanced budget without the use of reserves - pay attention to risk of "revenue tails" of major projects
• Political culture
  • Recommendation 8 - continue to invest in cross party working and relationships to ensure political culture is sustained as you move to the cabinet model - don't underestimate the impact of the wider system

For this progress review, the following members of the original Corporate Peer Challenge team were involved:

• Lead Peer, Martin Hamilton - Chief Executive, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
• Member Peer, Cllr Nick Worth, South Holland District Council (Conservative)
• Member Peer, Cllr David Ellesmere - Ipswich (Labour)
• Peer Challenge Manager, Kirsty Human - LGA Senior Regional Adviser
• Programme Support Officer - Daniella Howell - LGA

The peer team met in person at Great Yarmouth Borough Council over the course of a day with the following representatives from the council:

• Cllr Carl Smith - Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Governance, Finance and Major Projects
• Cllr Graham Plant - Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Operational Property and Asset Management
• Cllr Emma Flaxman-Taylor - Portfolio Holder for Housing, Health and Communities
• Cllr Daniel Candon - Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Growth 
• Cllr James Bensley - Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Coastal Management
•  Cllr Paul Wells - Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste
•  Cllr Trevor Wainwright - Leader of the Opposition
• Cllr Bernard Williamson - Chair of Scrutiny Committee
•  Cllr Paula Waters-Bunn - Vice chair of Council
• Cllr Kerry Robinson Payne - Vice chair of Licensing
• Cllr Adrian Thompson - Independent Member
• Sheila Oxtoby - Chief Executive
• Paula Boyce - Executive Director of People
• Karen Sly - Executive Director of Resources (S151)
• Natasha Hayes - Executive Director of Place
• Caroline Whatling - Head of Legal and Governance (MO)
• Tim Williams - Media and Communications Manager
• Susan Bolan - Enabling and Empty Homes Officer
• Lorraine Houghton - Parking Services Manager
• Matthew Mann - Leisure Strategy and Contract Manager
• Dave Zimmerling - Desktop Engineer
• Steve Scott Greenard - Prevention and Early Help Manager
• Nick Fountain - Principal Strategic Planner
• Stuart Brabben - Revenues and Benefit Service Manager
• Sammy Wintle - Corporate Services Manager
• Gemma Tilley - Environmental Health Manager
• Claire Skipper - Learning and Organisational Development Advisor
• David Edwards - Estate Caretaker
• Lee Webster - Equinox Executive Officer
•  Rosie Moore - Community Hub operations Officer
• Stacy Cosham - Project Coordinator