The review is based on the tried, tested and trusted local government peer challenge model. This emerged as a response to a desire within local government for councils to informally test their effectiveness and learn from others. It was traditionally applied on a corporate basis but many service-based models have emerged over a number of years.
It is a voluntary and flexible process commissioned by a council (as highway authority) to aid their improvement and learning and brings together a team of local government officers, an elected member and other relevant expertise connected to the sector.
The team will spend three days on site at a council. During this time they use a themed framework of questions, prompts and activities. These are designed to enable strategic conversations between the team and a range of participants and stakeholders connected with the authority commissioning the review. And it is founded upon the principle that peers are at the heart of a process managed and delivered by the sector for the sector. The Strategic Guidance for the Reviews provides more information on what councils can expect from a Review. This includes the core themes and approach of these Reviews.
Stage 1: The initial output from the review a summary of the key findings and conclusions from which is produced by the team while on site. These messages are delivered before the team leaves site via a feedback presentation to the receiving authority.
Stage 2: The next phase is an action planning day which takes place within weeks of the feedback presentation from Stage 1 being delivered.
The total cost of the two stages is £13,450.00. This includes all expenses and costs associated with running the review
Since 2012 the HMEP programme has delivered in excess of 30 and bespoke support projects at the following councils:
- Surrey County Council - November 2012
- Blackpool Council - January 2013. Action Planning Day February 2013
- Cambridgeshire County Council - July 2013
- Oxfordshire County Council - July 2013
- Kent County Council - January 2014
- Bristol City Council - March 2014
- Devon County Council - April 2014
- Hertfordshire County Council - June 2014
- Dorset County Council - September 2014
- Thurrock Council - October 2014
- Hull City Council - December 2014
- Hampshire County Council - January 2015
- Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council - January 2015
- Wokingham Borough Council - February 2015
- Suffolk County Council - February 2015
- Lincolnshire County Council - March 2015
- Middlesbrough Council - July 2015
- Northumberland Council - September 2015
- North Yorkshire County Council - November 2015
- Wigan Council - February 2016
- Wiltshire Council - February 2016
- St Helens Council - March 2016
- Telford and Wrekin Council - March 2016
- Gloucestershire County Council - September 2016
- Kent County Council - September 2016
- West Sussex County Council - October 2016
- Wakefield Council - November 2016
- Staffordshire County Council - March 2017
- Buckinghamshire County Council - December 2017
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council - June 2018
- Southend on Sea Council - October 2018