LGA should change focus to respond to growth in mayoral combined authorities and devolution deals, report finds

The Local Government Association (LGA) should focus on building its relationships with the growing number of Mayoral Combined Authorities and new county devolution areas, a panel of local government experts has recommended.

The recommendation follows a peer challenge process conducted by a team of seven local government experts who also recommended that the LGA lead the design of a reshaped sector support and assurance framework for local government.

The report stated that the sector is in the middle of a period of "significant change" as a result of the rise in Mayoral Combined Authorities and growth in county devolution deals.

The LGA should respond to this trend by developing a closer working relationship with the Mayoral Combined Authorities and new county devolution areas, it noted.

"This will mean ensuring greater oversight and prioritisation corporately of this shift and building in the corporate requirements of this."

The report also called on the LGA to "tighten" the networks around sector support and assurance, "including between the various professional bodies and work with the [Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities] and the emerging [Office for Local Government] in a way which leads to earlier support, challenge and sharing of best practice".

Twelve recommendations were made in total.

The last peer review challenge of the LGA took place in 2015.

The recent report found that since 2015, the number of local government stakeholders in support of the LGA's sector-led improvement approach has grown from 62% in 2015 to 84% now.

The 2023 report also found a "strong record for influencing the issues facing the sector, which has grown further over this period, including how the LGA has supported the sector to respond to national crises".

In addition, the organisation has "significantly strengthened" its financial resilience since 2015 "on the back of planned strategic steps, which have been carefully managed".

It also noted that the LGA has an "established, strong and stable" senior management team and an organisation that performs well at gaining political consensus.

The report added that requirements for sector support and challenge are also changing. It noted that "many" LGA members want to see it develop more forward-thinking positions on behalf of the sector.

The report suggested that an internal change programme should be implemented to "continue its trajectory of improvement".

Commenting on the report’s findings, Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the LGA, said: “We are pleased that the review team found the LGA to be a strong organisation that has continued to improve since our last Challenge in 2015 with 331 out of 333 English councils now in membership, and widespread recognition as the key partner in the relationship between central and local government.

“However, we must never be complacent. We recognise that there is always room for improvement and a draft Action Plan has already been agreed by our leadership team. This includes how we further strengthen relationships with our Combined Authorities and new devolution areas."

He added: “We are also pleased that the review team has agreed that we should build on our current strengths in sector-led improvement and work with the sector, supported by DLUHC, to lead and develop an improvement and assurance framework for local government which can provide greater assurance for the sector.

Adam Carey