In 2021-22 the Improvement Programme was launched to support sector-led improvement across local government in Wales. This is a Welsh Government grant funded programme of up to £800,000 per annum for three-years.
Since 2021-22 a small team has been recruited to develop, deliver and manage the programme, to provide and commission support and to recruit a panel of member and officer peers.
What is Sector-led improvement?
The success of sector led improvement is dependent on the active participation of the sector which in turn relies on the offer being relevant and of value.
Leaders and chief executives have expressed a commitment to sector-led improvement, underpinned by peer challenge, support and mutual aid. Notwithstanding the unprecedented challenges during COVID 19, mutual aid and partnership has underpinned the collective local government and public service response and senior leaders have continued to provide mentoring, peer support and challenge to colleagues across the local government family.
A successful sector-led model will be reliant on a commitment from senior members and professionals to commit to engage and offer reciprocal support to colleagues within and across the local government family. The benefits of peer challenge and support are twofold:
- an authority receives expert and experienced peer perspectives in tackling a specific issue or undertaking an assessment/challenge process; and
- it is a developmental opportunity for peers, who experience other organisations’ approaches, cultures and solutions and brings back new organisational, personal or professional insights and learning.
Peer Challenge and Support
The WLGA will work closely with the LGA to provide access to programmes currently only available to English authorities and to recruit and train a pool of Welsh senior member and officer peers to provide peer challenge and support across our universal and targeted offer. Welsh authorities will also have access to the expertise and experience of peers from England and vice versa.
The WLGA is currently developing its peer challenge and support offer, but in the meantime will fund Welsh authorities to access the LGA’s peer offer.
For further information about any of the support, please contact the WLGA Improvement Team:
WLGA.Improvement@wlga.gov.uk