In September 2024, Fylde Council underwent a comprehensive Corporate Peer Challenge conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA). This review aimed to assess the council’s operations, strategies, and impact on the community. The peer review team, listed below, composed of experienced local government professionals who spent several days conducting in-depth interviews and discussions with council staff, community leaders, and key stakeholders.
The make-up of the peer team reflected the focus of the peer challenge and peers were selected by the LGA based on their relevant expertise. The peers were:
- David Parr OBE, former Chief Executive, Halton Council
- Cllr Simon Minas-Bound, Conservative Group Leader and former Leader of Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council
- Cllr Neil Prior, Cabinet Member for Communities, Corporate Improvement and the Well-being of Future Generations
- Miranda Carruthers-Watt DL, Governance consultant and former Monitoring Officer at Salford City Council
- Phil Drane, Programme Director, Major Projects and Regeneration, Westmorland & Furness Council
- Helen Whiting, Chief Officer HR and Support Services, City of York Council
- Mia Shelton, Senior Adviser, Local Government Association
- Kate Herbert, LGA Principal Adviser and Peer Challenge Manager
The peer team considered the following five themes which form the core components of all Corporate Peer Challenges. These areas are critical to councils’ performance and improvement.
- Local priorities and outcomes – Are the council’s priorities clear and informed by the local context? Is the council delivering effectively on its priorities? Is there an organisational-wide approach to continuous improvement, with frequent monitoring, reporting on and updating of performance and improvement plans?
- Organisational and place leadership – Does the council provide effective local leadership? Are there good relationships with partner organisations and local communities?
- Governance and culture – Are there clear and robust governance arrangements? Is there a culture of challenge and scrutiny?
- Financial planning and management – Do the council have a grip on its current financial position? Does the council have a strategy and a plan to address its financial challenges? What is the relative financial resilience of the council like?
- Capacity for improvement – Is the organisation able to bring about the improvements it needs, including delivering on locally identified priorities? Does the council have the capacity to improve?
As part of the five core elements outlined above, every Corporate Peer Challenge includes a strong focus on financial sustainability, performance, governance, and assurance. In addition to these themes, the council asked the peer team to provide feedback on its approach to regeneration in Fylde.
Following the visit, the review highlighted several strengths of Fylde Council:
- High-Quality Services: The council was praised for delivering high-quality services with excellent customer satisfaction.
- Strong Partnerships: The review team commended the council for fostering strong partnerships and community relationships.
- Community-Building Initiatives: Fylde Council was recognised for implementing successful community-building initiatives.
- Dedicated Workforce: The council’s workforce was noted for its dedication and strong sense of civic pride.
- Financial Management: The review highlighted the council’s robust financial management.
- Future Readiness: The council demonstrated readiness to address future community needs and effective succession planning for workforce resilience.
The review also identified areas for improvement and the LGA provided constructive recommendations, via a full feedback report, to help shape the council’s strategic direction. Following receipt of the feedback report, the Senior Management Team (SMT) developed an action plan to address the recommendations, which received approval from the executive committee in June 2025.
The final report from the LGA Peer Review was well-received, and the council expressed pride in the positive feedback received. The council’s response to the recommendations were shared with staff and the report has been made available for public viewing on the LGA website here: LGA Corporate Peer Challenge: Fylde Council | Local Government Association.
Our January press release can be found here.
