Peterborough City Council nominated as one of the most improved councils in the UK

Peterborough City Council has been nominated for the title of Most Improved Council at this year’s Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.

In its entry, the council cited its own breadth of the improvements which have been made since December 2021 when the Independent Improvement and Assurance Panel was voluntarily set up by the council.

At the same time, members signed off an Improvement Plan which sought to achieve financial sustainability and transformation in services, governance and culture.

In October 2021, the council faced a budget deficit of £27m- which led to the controversial decision to close the Key Theatre and Werrington Leisure Centre.

The theatre was later taken over by New Theatre operator Selladoor and the leisure centre was not opened until nine months later.

The council has also made cuts in several areas over the past year, including closing St George’s Hydrotherapy pool and it has also increased council tax by 4.99 percent.

In its entry, the council listed its achievements as: - Setting a balanced budget without the need for a capitalisation direction in 2022/23, which included an in-year savings target of £16.7million - all but £500,000 has so far been achieved- Presenting plans for a balanced budget in 2023/24 to full council on Wednesday (February 22)- Much better member engagement in this year’s budget-setting process- The development of a transformation programme which will change the way the council operates and delivers services- Publishing a new corporate strategy and city priorities document, setting out how it will deliver long-term improvements and meet the changing needs of resident and deliver on our priorities- Reviewing all our contracts to make sure they’re providing the services residents need for the best possible price. As a result, the procurement and property services have moved back inhouse as well as Opportunity Peterborough- Looked at all its assets and considered whether they are being used efficiently and effectively, only keeping those we can afford, whilst at the same time developing a commercial strategy- Bolstering its Audit Committee with the appointment of independent members

Matt Gladstone, Chief Executive, said: “The council I now lead is completely different to the one I joined a year ago and with the support of our Improvement Panel we have achieved a huge amount. We have transformed, or have begun to transform, in every area which is showing benefits for our residents and the whole city.

“Our fantastic staff have really stepped up to the challenge and deserve a huge amount of credit for the council being shortlisted for this award. They have adapted to the changes and embraced new ways of working across the organisation and with partners.

“As a result, we've improved everything from culture and governance to our financial health and we have a clear view of our priorities and how we will achieve them to deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents.”

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, Leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “The past year has involved much hard work from everyone at the council – members and staff at every level – so to be shortlisted for this national local government award is testimony to the dedication, commitment and hard work that's been delivered by our staff, councillors, and partners.

“We have come such a long way in the space of 12 months, and despite unprecedented circumstances including a very challenging economic climate, we have seen progress in every single area that we set out to improve. Not only that, but we have also seen progress in so many areas - our university opened in September and work is about to begin on phase 3 and we have just secured £48m to regenerate our Station Quarter, for example.

“We know that we still have some way to go to fully deliver the aims of our Improvement Plan and Corporate Strategy to make Peterborough the best place it can be for those who live and work here and as a visitor destination, but this shortlisting demonstrates that the improvement we have made is worthy of national recognition.”

The city council will find out in June if it has been successful in winning the award.