In 2023 Newham invited the Local Government Association (LGA) to undertake a Corporate Peer Challenge. Following the three-day visit, the Council has published the Corporate Peer Challenge report with the findings and a draft action plan that sets out how we are going to address the 11 recommendations in the report.
Pivotal Time for Newham
The Peer Challenge comes at a pivotal time for Newham. We are navigating an ambitious and radical programme for change amid unprecedented financial challenges. These challenges demand collective ownership and leadership not only from within our organisation but across all our partnerships in Newham.
Comprehensive Insights for Improvement
The work of the Peer Challenge Team has been comprehensive and far-reaching. Our staff, managers, leaders, members, partners, and stakeholders have all praised the positive and collaborative approach of the peers. The insights provided by the Peer Challenge team are invaluable and will play a critical role in our future improvement journey.
Building on our Building a Fairer Newham Ambition and Vision
While the action plan centres on necessary improvements, it also highlights and endorses the ambition and vision we hold for our Borough. The significant improvements in service performance and delivery over the past five years provide excellent foundations for the next phase of our organisational improvement journey.
A Far-Reaching Programme for Progress
In response to these insights, over 800 council staff have been engaged in the development of a Peer Challenge action plan through staff roadshows. The plan, co-produced by our Corporate Management Team (CMT) and Cabinet colleagues, is structured around three core themes:
1) Getting the basics right
2) Supporting our people
3) Meeting our financial challenges
Our draft action plan focuses not only on critical activities and actions to address Peer Challenge recommendations, but also on the intended changes and outcomes we envision for the future. It embraces a clear prioritisation approach to ensure planned delivery.
Look out for our first update on delivering our LGA Peer Challenge Action plan in May 2024.
Corporate Peer Challenge Report