2023 Corporate Peer Challenge
In 2023, we took part in a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) which is a process that is run by the Local Government Association.
The process is designed to provide robust, strategic and credible challenge and support to councils.
Typically, every Council has a CPC every five years; our previous Peer Review was on our Planning Committee in 2020. This latest review was of the whole Council.
We invited the team of Peers, made-up of councillors and officers from other councils, to visit in late October / early November 2023. They spoke with our staff, councillors, and local partners. The report from the peers is available to read in full.
Each CPC covers the five core elements detailed below as well any local needs or specific challenges requested by the Council:
- Local priorities and outcomes
- Organisational and place leadership
- Governance and culture
- Financial planning and management
- Capacity for improvement
As part of the process, we created an action plan following the CPC. Our action plan was published and was considered by our Scrutiny and Overview Committee at their meeting on 21 March 2024 and agreed by our Cabinet at their meeting on 16 April 2024.
The Peers that reviewed South Cambridgeshire District Council were:
- Member Lead Peer: Cllr Joe Harris, Leader - Cotswold District Council
- Lead Officer Peer: Karen Bradford, Chief Executive - South Kesteven District Council
- Member Peer: Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Leader - Breckland District Council
- Officer Peer: Sarah King, Chief Financial Officer - Eastleigh BC
- Officer Peer: Pranali Parikh, Director for Growth and Regeneration - Melton BC
- Officer Peer: Darren Knight, Deputy Chief Executive - Warwick District Council
- LGA Peer Challenge Manager: James Mehmed
Follow-up reports
A follow-up report by the Local Government Association praised our ‘strong ambition’, ‘good leadership’ and ‘innovative approaches’ following their first visit.
A total of 12 recommendations were made by the peer team in 2023. The return visit in September 2024 and update report, a usual part of the Corporate Peer Challenge process, showed how 10 of those recommendations were completed or well underway and two were progressing. You can read the follow-up report in full.
Additionally, District Councillors are being kept informed about progress made towards completing the actions suggested through the CPC process. The most recent update was presented to our Cabinet in December 2024.