Issue - meetings
Corporate Peer Challenge
Meeting: 08/12/2014 - Scrutiny Committee (Item 56)
56 Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan 
PDF 97 KB
Contact Officer: Peter Sloman, Chief Executive
Tel: 01865 252354
Email: psloman@oxford.gov.uk
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Background Information |
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The City Council recently invited a Corporate Peer Challenge team to provide an external reality check and reassurance that the Council’s plans – within the Council and city – over the next few years are sustainable.
A central message was that the Council should now become a Leader of Place and the City Council has developed an Action Plan in response to the peer team’s feedback.
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Why is it on the agenda? |
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It was suggested at full Council in July 2014 that Scrutiny review considers the City Council’s response to the peer team’s feedback.
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Who has been invited to comment? |
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Cllr Bob Price and Peter Sloman have been invited to attend the Committee for this discussion.
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Additional documents:
- Appendix 1 - Oxford City CPC Feedback Letter - final version 210814, item 56
PDF 202 KB
- Appendix 2 - Our Awards, item 56
PDF 362 KB
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of the Chief Executive. Councillor Price, Leader of the Council, and Peter Sloman, Chief Executive, introduced the report and answered questions.
The peer review process picked up many positive points.
Key areas to develop included:
· Local agendas through neighbourhoods working with themes tailored to each area.
· The concept of ‘leadership of place’ – to improve relationships with key groups in the city such as universities, health service and business and develop with them clear strategies to align with the Council’s corporate strategy, City Deal and economic growth strategy and their own plans. This relied heavily on the work done by elected members to provide the continuity and links to county wide structures.
· Improving management capacity and achieving efficiencies as a result of this.
· Creating a balanced budget and achieving a large savings target in the medium-term financial strategy was challenging and a key area for discussion. Capital programme slippage had slowed partly due to reduced funding reducing the pressure of multiple projects.
· It should be possible to maintain ongoing discretionary spending without imparting on statutory services, although the effectiveness of both parts of the council’s spending should be kept under review.
· Engaging with the community required working with residents and continuing to improve external and internal co-ordination and capacity. Meetings were not the best way; better use of social media encouraged people to take part and helped reach active community groups.
· A group of councillors was working with the committee and members services manager to develop the member guarantee including community and case work. Member champions made a useful contribution but should be restricted to key areas to maintain focus.
The Committee noted that it could contribute by considering the integrated and thematic issues and taking a strategic approach. Members suggested that a record of actions taken as a consequence of the review and the outcomes would be useful.
The Committee noted the report and agreed to add updates on actions to address the key points raised in the report and above to the work programme.
The Chair thanked the Chief Executive and Leader for attending, and thanked those involved in the review and the peer review group for their work.