Through 'Taking the lead', the LGA is offering councils a range of free local accountability tools and support to help strengthen local accountability and explore how effectively council services are being delivered.
This offer consists of seven components:
1. Local accountability tools
In ‘Taking the lead' we said that we would work with councils to develop tools for local accountability and "we will strengthen our online guidance to provide a package of support showing how new and existing tools can be brought together to provide regular feedback to local people."
2. Peer challenge
We are making an offer to all councils to provide, free of charge, a peer challenge over the three year period starting in April 2011. In addition, we are developing a number of bespoke, subject specific, paid-for peer challenges.
3. Peer support
We are also offering up to five days of free member peer support for all councils undergoing a change of control. For further details about how you can take advantage of these offers – or offer to become a peer yourself – please contact our Principal Advisers
4. Knowledge Hub
Engage with our Knowledge Hub Group, which shares ideas and practice to assist improvement and performance in local government and with local partners. You will need to be a signed-up member of Knowledge Hub to join the Group but registration is easy.
5. Data and transparency
There is a clear demand among councillors and officers to be able to compare performance with other councils and areas – because it helps you to understand your own information and can act as a spur to increase productivity and optimise outcomes.
Therefore, we are creating a free of charge place within the Knowledge Hub for individual councils to lodge and access data in an open source environment to help you to understand your performance and productivity.
Local Government Inform is an online service that will allow councils to access and compare data and present findings. The service will help councils build the evidence required to make informed decisions, reduce costs and improve services.
6. Leadership support
The LGA will continue to provide development support for political and managerial leaders.
7. Learning and support networks
We will support networks of officers and councillors at national and sub-national levels, working with other sub-national groupings of councils and the relevant professional associations, to share good practice and to provide timely support. We will prioritise our support to areas that you have said are a priority, including children's and adult services.