LGA Annual Reports Highlights Ongoing Positive Impact Of Sector Support
The LGA’s latest Sector Support annual report has showcased the positive difference support has made across local government through its range of improvement activity.
The LGA has also released its peer challenge annual report which identifies key themes from across the 121 Corporate Peer Challenges, Governance Peer Challenges, Finance Peer Challenges and progress reviews delivered through the 2024/25 programme.
100 per cent of councils said they felt their CPC had a positive impact and feel more confident about their council delivering its priorities. The reports also highlight that 95 per cent of councillor and officer peers say that their involvement in delivering a peer challenge has had a positive impact on their own skills, knowledge and development.
The wider Sector Support Annual Report underlines the LGA’s strong track record of delivering high impact, low-cost programmes, that are highly valued by the sector.
This includes through the LGA’s sector support programme, funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and wider improvement programmes, including children’s services, Partners in Care and Health, cyber, digital and technology, One Public Estate (OPE), planning (PAS and Pathways to Planning), our Joint Inspection Team, procurement, and sustainability—also funded by UK Government department; and through the culture and sport support offer, which is funded by Sport England and Arts Council England.
In 2024/25, 100 per cent of English councils engaged with at least one type of LGA support.
The sector support programme alone saves the sector tens of millions of pounds annually, including through delivering significant economies of scale and through using a peer-based approach.
The LGA has continued to strengthen focus on assurance across programme areas, to help support councils to deliver good governance and Best Value. New offers in 2024/25 included a new improvement and assurance self assessment framework, guidance for leaders and a new governance and assurance hub available on the LGA’s website.
Officers and members have continued to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities, across areas including governance, finance and specialised programmes for statutory officers. 1,139 councillors from 258 councils attended our leadership programmes delivered as part of the sector support programme, with further opportunities delivered across areas including children’s, adults social care and planning.
The 2024/25 offer provided wide ranging support to respond to demand pressures, including dedicated workforce and transformation support, and support spanning a broad spectrum of service delivery.
More than two thirds of all councils accessed our national recruitment campaign for local government, ‘Make a Difference, Work for Your Local Council’, delivered in partnership with Solace and the sector. Evaluations from this show this campaign has made real difference in supporting recruitment efforts at a local level.
Critically, the offer included intensive and dedicated support to councils to those councils who needed support most, including bespoke support to help address and mitigate governance and finance challenges.
Cllr Abi Brown, Chairman of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board, said:
“The LGA’s Sector support programme is vital in supporting councils to respond to the toughest challenges facing local government, delivering highly-impactful programmes at low cost for both central and local government.”
“Our offer directly addresses council needs from dealing with workforce challenges, implementing digital and AI tools and changes of leadership or political transitions.”
“This report demonstrates what a council-led approach can achieve by making best use of knowledge and skills from within local government. LGA peers provide local authorities with unmatched experience and a trusted source of support, sharing learning, and strengthening the knowledge base across the sector.”
“We continue to learn and improve, enhancing our offer based on council insight, to enable them to respond to new challenges and harness opportunities, now and in the years ahead.”
