At its meeting next week, Sefton Council’s Cabinet will consider a report detailing the outcomes of the recent peer review, commissioned through the Local Government Association (LGA).

Positive feedback

Cabinet members are expected to welcome the positive feedback from the review team, which comprised the Leader of Barnsley Council, the Chief Executive at London Councils, Cheshire East Council’s Executive Director for Place and a Programme Manager from the LGA.

Their findings included that Sefton Council ‘had managed its budget effectively’ and that the Council ‘had worked purposefully and had seen an improved approach across all the areas’.

The review team also found progress had been made against all the recommendations of a previous 2018 peer review, and that Sefton Council has ‘a clear sense of direction around commercialisation’.

Strong leadership

And it said that the Council has strong political and managerial leadership, a committed and passionate workforce and good partner relationships across the Borough.

Among their recommendations were that the Council should ensure the refresh of its Vision for Sefton reflect key priorities such as improving Children’s Services. The review team also said that given how much change the world has seen over the past two years, Sefton Council should work with its partners to review the localities model.

Response

In its response, the Council has pointed out a new Executive Director Children’s Social Care and Education and Assistant Director Safeguarding Review & Quality Assurance are now in post and that six new permanent Service Managers have been recruited in Children’s Social Care.  Additionally, the frequency of Corporate Parenting Board and Overview and Scrutiny of Children’s Services and Safeguarding onto which the two Leaders of the main Opposition parties have been invited, have increased to every six weeks.

Next week’s report to Cabinet also sets out a timeline to develop a Vision and Core Purpose 2035.

Welcome

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said: “I welcome the positive feedback from the peer review teams and am pleased that after being forced to make over £230 million of savings over the past 10 years due to Government funding cuts and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the review team agreed the Council is managing its budget effectively.

“I am also glad that we are already carrying out work to meet the review team’s recommendations and look forward to developing our renewed Vision and Core Purpose 2035.”

You can find the agenda and papers for next week’s Sefton Council Cabinet meeting, which takes place at 10am on Thursday 28th July at Bootle Town Hall, here.