Harlow Council has been praised in an independent report for the rapid progress it has made in the last 9 months to improve its political and managerial leadership, its relationships, what it delivers for residents and how it operates.
The report by the Local Government Association follows a recent progress review by an independent peer review team who carried out a corporate peer challenge assessment of the council back in March 2023. Peer review teams are made up of senior managers and councillors from other councils.
The report from the visit made at the end of November can be viewed on the council’s website: https://www.harlow.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/LGA%20Corporate%20Peer%20Challenge%20progress%20report.pdf
The report recognises that the council has moved a long way in short space of time, and it makes the following statements:
“Nine months on from the corporate peer challenge, it is clear that there has been profound change achieved in many aspects of how the council operates and what it is delivering.”
“In a council where, tangible progress can so clearly be seen and so much is being achieved, it is important to celebrate the successes more.”
“The Council has invested time and effort in establishing a range of building blocks that are key to the way it operates going forward.”
“The urgent requirement to re-set relationships across the political and managerial leadership of the council has been responded to very positively by all concerned.”
“One of these (key principles) is decision-making in the council being evidence-based, along with a clear outlining of available options. Another, which links strongly to evidence-based decision-making, is being able to compare Harlow with elsewhere – centred upon benchmarking.”
“The five priorities for this year which emerged from the session (a meeting in early June between the new Leader, cabinet and senior managers) are clearly driving the organisation.”
“What is being delivered is making a tangible difference for residents.”
“Major progress has been made in the tackling by HTS of the backlog in housing repairs.”
The report shows that there is clear evidence that the council has delivered against each of the recommendations from earlier in the year, in particular:
Better working relationships across the council, particularly between councillors and staff
Decision-making is becoming more evidence based including carrying out an annual residents’ survey
There is substantial progress with the delivery of the council’s maintenance company HTS and partnership working
Better engagement with external partners
Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, has described the progress seen by the review team as remarkable, he said:
“When I was elected leader of the council in May I was determined to bring about positive change to how the council serves its residents and partners and how it operates for its staff. When the original review report was published back in March, it laid down bare the challenges ahead and what needed to be done.
“The progress that the review team has witnessed in just 6 months is remarkable and it is all be down to teamwork and the incredible efforts of council staff and councillors. I know that there is much more work to do, and the latest report gives as a clear direction on what we need to do next. Everyone in Harlow Council should be extremely proud of the progress we have made.
“We are all working hard together to build solid foundations for the future so that we can continue this great progress.”
Andrew Bramidge, Harlow Council’s Chief Executive, who took up his role just one year ago, said:
“Undertaking this external challenge has been extremely important in changing the way the council works and what it does. When I started my role as Chief Executive a year ago, I recognised that we needed to look outside the organisation, not just internally, so that we are always considering the needs and priorities of our residents and working with our partners. I also wanted to do more to empower more people across the organisation and the report recognises that we are making more progress on this.
“Thanks to the peer review team and the work of council staff and councillors we have changed and improved how the council works, not just inside the council, but how we work with residents and our partners. We have made excellent progress, but the hard work will never stop.”
The report also identifies specific areas of focus that they recommend the council delivers over the next six months, which include:
Deliver the senior management restructure
Produce a delivery plan for 2024 to 2025 that will underpin the longer-term Corporate Plan that has now been approved
Develop a ‘place narrative’ (i.e. the Harlow growth story) and create an investment prospectus for the town
Have a clear position on the Garden Town development, based on evidence, that embraces the opportunity
