LGA Corporate Peer Challenge – Progress Review: Teignbridge District Council

The council undertook an LGA Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) during 9 – 11 January 2024 and, following a delay arising from a change to the council’s political leadership following the general election, published an action plan in October 2024. 

The progress review is an integral part of the Corporate Peer Challenge process, designed to provide space for the council’s senior leadership to:

• Receive feedback from peers on the early progress made by the council against the CPC recommendations and the council’s RAG rated CPC action plan.
• Consider peer’s reflections on any new opportunities or challenges that may have arisen since the peer team were ‘on-site’ including any further support needs
• Discuss any early impact or learning from the progress made to date 

The LGA would like to thank Teignbridge District Council (TDC) for their commitment to sector led improvement. This progress review was the next step in an ongoing, open and close relationship that the council has with LGA sector support.

The progress review at TDC took place (onsite) on 19 February 2025. 

The progress review focussed on each of the recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge as follows:

1. Relationship tensions between Executive and Senior Leadership Team
2. Create the space for informal interaction
3. Improve decision making processes
4. Finalise a Councillor/Officer protocol
5. Statutory Officer recommendations
6. Develop a new council strategy and narrative
7. Strengthen partner relationships
8. Interactive engagement with communities
9. Use of Reserves
10. Implement a new finance system
11. Modern 25 transformation programme

For this progress review, the following members of the original CPC team were involved: 

• Jon McGinty – Managing Director, Gloucester City Council
• Dave Hodgson MBE – Ex Elected Mayor, Bedford Borough Council
• Kathryn Trant - Peer Challenge Manager, Local Government Association

Out of the CPC’s 11 recommendations, the council’s action plan update reports that some progress has been made against all of these. The peer team reflections on the progress made are set out below.

Relationship tensions between Executive and Senior Leadership Team.

It was evident that relationships between Executive and the senior leadership team were clearly improved. The peer team were told of several contributory factors, for example, the alignment of portfolio holders to the management structure, which has been welcomed by all and makes relationships between portfolio holders and heads of service more effective. A template has been designed to guide briefings to portfolio holders and an executive/senior leadership team protocol is in development, all of which are positive moves to address this recommendation. Some strong relationships have been built but there is still some work to do for a consistent approach across all portfolio areas. One away day has taken place to help team building; the council should continue to make time for regular focus days to encourage working together as a team and to build trust. 

Creating space for informal interaction.

Physical space has been created within the council building for councillors to use for meetings and quiet time, and opportunities created for discussion. Working groups have enabled officers and councillors to interact more closely together which is another positive action to support building trust. The peer team heard that informal overview and scrutiny meetings now take place which will allow open discussion on the development of policies, but the recommendation related to informal interaction which is wider than informal meetings. There may be a perception that informal meetings are restricted to committee members so the council should make it clear that all members are invited to attend, particularly for confidential briefings.

Improve decision making processes.

Progress has clearly been made with this recommendation, evidenced by the lack of significant last minute changes to recommendations at meetings, although amendments as part of the political debate are fine. This progress is positive as it indicates the presence of effective decision making processes.  Clearly the time and space for robust policy formulation and discussion ahead of formal decision making is taking place. However, there are a couple of notes of caution. The first can be illustrated by the example of the Corporate Strategy. It was positive that it was finally adopted following significant cross party engagement, but councillors will recognise the formal decision to adopt the strategy was not as easy as expected and this is worthy of reflection.

The second area of concern that was raised with the peer team related to the working of the planning committee. The peer team were not able to fully explore the issues raised but perhaps the council might wish to look at the processes and the way officer advice is given and challenged. Planning committees have prescribed powers and duties so training for councillors, regularly refreshed, is essential to an effective planning committee. 

Finalise a councillor/officer protocol.

A councillor/officer protocol was developed, agreed and included into the Constitution on 30 July 2024. This should help set a framework for the relationship between councillors and officers. The peer team heard the Leader talk about zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour which is positive but also heard of instances of poor behaviour by a small number of councillors, which has not been called out. The council’s Standards Committee has not met for a year which arguably calls into question the effectiveness of that committee.  The external auditor has issued a statutory recommendation which will be presented to a meeting of full council on 25 February 2025 and the peer team strongly encourage the council to agree to those recommendations and make sure they are enacted. In addition, the peer team would remind all group leaders at TDC, who receive a special responsibility allowance for their role, to demonstrate leadership and stand firm within their groups upholding standards of acceptable behaviour.  

Statutory officer recommendations.

The peer team heard neither positive nor negative comments about statutory officers’ advice being ignored. One of our recommendations was to consider formalising the statutory officer meetings and develop a forward work programme around a comprehensive governance framework but it doesn’t appear that is in place yet. However, it is clear that there is a close working relationship between the three statutory officers which should enable them to make progress in this area going forward.   

Develop a new council strategy and narrative.

The peer team congratulate the council on adopting a new council strategy in January 2025 and the inclusive process to get the strategy adopted. The next step is how the five top level priorities are embedded into service plans and performance agreements, and this step is equally critical. Work has commenced with a series of priority theme based workshops with partners, officers and community representatives. Against the backdrop of local government reorganisation, the council has the opportunity to create an important legacy if it can turn what may be the last corporate strategy for TDC into a set of well managed projects, which in turn deliver lasting benefits for the residents of Teignbridge. 

Strengthen partner relationships.

The focus of this recommendation was primarily on the relationship with town and parish councils. It was positive to hear that work on the corporate strategy has helped town and parish councils to feel more engaged. Further progress has been made with the establishment of parish planning forum sessions where training is provided on planning and to give opportunity for parishes to question officers directly about processes. The peer team heard about the creation of a Partnership Board to help inform and advise on the delivery of the council strategy priorities which could be a good idea providing the board is productive and adds value.

Interactive engagement with communities.

The council has signed a Service Level Agreement with Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) which includes the creation of a charter for town and parish councils’ relationship with Teignbridge District Council.  It is unfortunate that this work has been delayed due to capacity issues at DALC, but the council is pushing to get it completed. The proactive work of the planning team with town and parish councils has been referenced. Progress against this recommendation is positive and appeared to the peer team to primarily have been with town and parish councils, although examples were given of wider community engagement related to the development of the corporate strategy including links being established with the chamber of commerce, community events being arranged, and networks being established and trialling technology such as the use of AI.

Use of Reserves.

Progress against this recommendation is linked to recommendation 11 and the Modern 25 transformation programme. In the view of the peer team the financial position of the council is still a concern, despite the recommendation in the 2025/26 budget to increase the invest to save reserve to £500,000. The medium term financial plan is still projecting significant use of the budget equalisation reserve, so the Council needs the Modern 25 project to deliver in order to displace that drawdown to low levels. Local government reorganisation does not obviate the need to make tough decisions on service reductions and the business rates reset impact is an unknown. The council’s current reliance on reserves should be addressed as it is not sustainable into the medium term.

Implement a new finance system.

The peer team understand that the lack of progress against this recommendation is due to challenges with the capacity of the proposed supplier of the new finance system. Positively, there has been a restructure of the finance team and business partners have been introduced. As a result, a human workaround to the problems of the IT system has effectively been developed. The council should press ahead with the implementation of the new system as soon as it can practically do so. 

Modern 25 transformation programme.

It was positive to note more visibility of the Modern 25 programme including public consultations that have been held on some of the more controversial proposals. Capacity is an issue to consider both for the council and for Strata who are key to delivering the step change needed. Strata have to continue with business as usual and support the council to deliver transformation. The council needs to upskill staff to use new systems, and all of this will be stretching with local government reorganisation in the background. 

In conclusion, the peer team congratulate the council on how much has been achieved in the last year – a new council strategy, progressing a new local plan, and more effective working relationships.  TDC should now build on this solid progress and work to address the remaining outstanding matters highlighted in this progress review report.

The LGA would like to thank Teignbridge District Council for undertaking an LGA CPC progress review. 

We appreciate that senior managerial and political leadership will want to reflect on these findings and suggestions in order to determine how the organisation wishes to take things forward.

Under the umbrella of LGA sector-led improvement, there is an on-going offer of support to councils. The LGA is well placed to provide additional support, advice and guidance on a number of the areas identified for development and improvement and we would be happy to discuss this. 

Paul Clarke (principal adviser) is the main point of contact between the authority and the Local Government Association (LGA) and their e-mail address is [email protected] .