Test Valley Borough Council Corporate Peer

The CPC process has a strong focus on financial sustainability, performance, governance, and assurance.
Peers reviewed a range of information and evidence to ensure we were familiar with the council, the challenges it is facing and its future plans.
The peer team gathered information and views from more than 35 meetings, in addition to further research.
We spoke to more than 100 people including a range of council staff together with members and external stakeholders. The process of peer challenge<br>

We have considered the core components looked at by all corporate peer challenges, namely:

Local priorities and outcomes
Organisational and place leadership
Governance and culture
Financial planning and management
Capacity for improvement
Throughout the above five themes there was a focus on how Test Valley can further embed their place-based approach throughout the organisation. Scope and brief for the peer challenge<br>

This is a high performing council, delivering for its residents with a community first approach.
There was a strong sense of pride in the council which came across clearly. Many councils aspire to have the culture and community focus we found here, keep doing what you’re doing.
Officers and members are happy here, speaking of good relationships, trust and a clear understanding of roles which enhances the effectiveness of decision making and embeds a positive culture across the organisation.
Both the Leader and Chief Executive are visible and well respected by staff, members and many external stakeholders.
It is clear you are committed to deliberative engagement and ensuring residents and members have an active voice in shaping and delivering the borough and council’s vision.
The council’s regeneration projects are well thought out, clear and supported by an experienced and capable team of officers. Overall messages and observations (1)<br>

There are excellent opportunities for personal development in the council and a solid induction programme for new starters.
The council has invested in development of its leadership team and senior managers, and they have plans to cascade this development throughout every level of the organisation.
The council is beginning its transformation journey, and some good foundations are being built. While it is commendable to take time and think about the right approach, a clear vision needs to be developed and there are some quick wins around digitalisation and IT that could be progressed.
As the council faces increased financial and delivery challenges, a continued focus on developing a robust performance management and audit function will become increasingly important. Overall messages and observations (2)<br>

There is a new direction for the council on performance, having launched the reviewed performance management framework in 2023. This framework has been well thought out and includes ambition to look outward to notable practice in the sector.
Test Valley can look to ensure timely and up to date performance monitoring is utilised to enable agile interventions, and that members are updated on council performance consistently and at appropriate intervals.
The council have made progress in being data led and improving individual areas of service (e.g. waste). This is an approach which could be implemented across other areas.
The council should continue to embed a performance and data led culture at every level within the organisation, ensuring the most useful data is there to inform continuous service improvement. This needs to include consistent evaluation of impact, benefit and value for residents.
Consider the introduction of a residents' survey to compliment current data and gain insight into all areas of service delivery. ​ Performance<br>

The development of your corporate plan was strong, and officers demonstrated ambition to deliver on objectives given their involvement in the process and impact of service days.
Community Councillor Approach is effective and clearly appreciated by Cllrs, officers and your communities. The approach demonstrates a great ambition to proactively engage and deliver for residents across the borough.
The use of deliberative engagement techniques including Citizens Assemblies has ensured residents are well engaged and the views of all are represented, not just those with the loudest voices. The council should continue to ensure that deliberative resident engagement helps to target resources to the areas that need them. ​
The council could consider raising the awareness of projects being funded via community funding schemes to gain greater member learning and consider regular reporting back through the overview and scrutiny committee to ensure it aligns to the council's corporate plan.
Ensuring clear messaging on this approach to frontline officers will also support their understanding of the council's vision and where they can play a part in supporting these objectives. Local priorities and outcomes (1)<br>

Work on regeneration is strong and coherent, there is a clear vision and focus and a good plan for delivery supported by an expert team. There are clear timelines for regeneration in Andover. Plans for Romsey are ongoing and will be clarified in the summer, the council should ensure clear communications around these timelines for delivery.
Delivering the uplift in housing targets will be a challenge. The council knows this, and the community planning approach provides a solid foundation - there is an opportunity to build on these relationships. The council should continue to communicate honestly with residents.
The peer team recognises the council has made a good start on its journey on EDI with some strong champions across the organisation. It’s positive to see the use of EQIAs embedded into decision making processes and officers actively engaged in this space.
Moving forward it is important to ensure this priority is adequately resourced, with sufficient training to build capacity to maintain a consistent focus on EDI across the organisation and clear objectives. Local priorities and outcomes (2)<br>

Test Valley is a council that actively wants to learn how to do things better, a culture change being clearly driven by the officer management teams with member support.
The CEx and Leader are always visible and approachable, across all council sites such as the depots – ensuring staff feel that they are all one team at TVBC.
The induction programme and personal development opportunities are a real strength, there is a commitment to grow your own. Inductions for new staff are thorough, positive and genuine. This could be further strengthened with the inclusion of training on the political context.
The council could consider a more strategic approach to training budgets, with corporate oversight and consistency of opportunities for progression and development across teams. Organisational leadership (1)<br>

Staff feel engaged in the development of values and behaviours, and use of forums such as Talk Talk to embed these and their inclusion in personal development discussions is effective.
Specifically, ‘Kindness’ as a value is appreciated by staff.
Cabinet has a strong and professional relationship with officers with strong processes in place to debate and make informed decisions. Some Cabinet Members referenced their desire to implement the council's decision making process into Hampshire County Council. This demonstrates the support this setting has amongst members here in Test Valley. Organisational leadership (2)<br>

Partnership working is a real strength, the voluntary and community sector, business partners and wider stakeholders have been overwhelmingly positive.
The Health Hub has had the dual benefit of providing accessible health services as well as driving footfall to Andover town centre, improving viability and is a real strength. This is focused on supporting hard to reach residents, social prescribing and wider delivery and models - all health partners acknowledge TVBC's pivotal role in making this happen.
The Leader and Chief Executive have a good reputation and visibility across the county and wider region. They are respected and well regarded. They should consider how best to use this strength on key issues within the region. Place leadership (1)<br>

Following the relationships built through LEPs, the council should look to maintain their strong and valuable relationships with business partners, such as through developing further communications (e.g. Economic development strategy), and involvement in networks and conversations.
The University of Southampton partnership provides a strong foundation for effective evidence gathering, evaluation and insight. The council knows how to seize the opportunities on offer. This is a commendable partnership with opportunity to further strengthen, grow and enhance service delivery.
The peer team recognises the work on celebrating achievements. Test Valley could build on this to go further in celebrating what they do externally, being more vocal and consistent. A council wide strategy would see improved impact across all communities and stakeholders. Place leadership (2)<br>

Member and officer responsibilities are well understood, with there being a collaborative and productive relationship between both.
If officers feel they need to push back on Cabinet's thoughts, the peer team saw evidence that they have the space to do so, and vice versa.
Good cross-party working.
Staff are clearly passionate and enthusiastic about working for the council. The peer team frequently heard of a welcoming environment and culture focused on service delivery and resident engagement.
Staff feel comfortable raising issues to senior managers, and utilising support and relationships available from different areas of the council.
The Monitoring Officer is clearly confident and well supported to execute their statutory duties where needed. Governance and culture (1)<br>

External auditors are positive about the approach to financial sustainability and have not raised any significant concerns.
Internally there is a clearer link now between corporate priorities, objectives and risks through to the audit plan.
It is positive to see in 2022 the council separated the audit function from other committees and governance structures e.g. overview and scrutiny. Strong audit will be important if the council's financial situation becomes more challenging, and regeneration ambitions expand.
The audit function would be strengthened through the appointment of an independent member of the audit committee and increased use of Southern Internal Audit partnership to bring external perspective, expertise and develop the function. The upcoming Audit Self Assessment should be used to develop skills and capability. Governance and culture (2)<br>

The council is in a favourable financial position, and has taken a prudent approach to investments, with sound financial management over a number of years.
Test Valley has built up substantial reserves, established a property portfolio of £166m using its own resources and has a low level of outstanding debt. This is needed to support the council’s ambition of place and the regeneration programmes.
Overall, the budget gap is forecast to grow from £174,000 in 2025/26, to £2.125m in 2026/27 and £3.887m in 2027/28.
Whilst the position for 2025/26 is expected to be manageable, significant savings and/or income growth will need to be found over the remainder of the medium-term period. The Council is planning the controlled use of reserves in the short-to-medium term to allow time to meet this financial challenge.
The council is in a good position and has time to develop solutions to these challenges but might consider an increased pace as smooth implementation will take time. Financial planning and management (1)<br>

Financial planning and management (2) Test Valley is aware of the longer-term challenges of a business rates reset and is prepared to respond to these when changes are announced.
There are good systems of regular financial reporting, with the quality of reporting being strong, clear and transparent. The council could consider bringing together monitoring and capital revenue spend and for this to be in line with the financial year.
There are opportunities for the council to explore income generation to a greater extent as financial challenges emerge. This does not have to be large scale and could be though active promotion of existing paid for services.<br>

Your draft digitalisation strategy is a good and solid place to start the process, it will help the council to catch up to others who are already progressing in this space.
Once finalised, a step change is needed for digitalisation with emphasis to deliver at speed and move firmly into the transformational digital arena.
IT officers are great and always try to help. Further investment in hardware and software would help to enable more efficient and effective working.
The peer team heard of the inconsistent use of IT across teams within the council, e.g. in the applications utilised. The council should ensure a base line of consistency in expectations for IT use and facilitate shared learning across the organisation e.g. some services have created their own process notes which could be shared more widely.
There are some quick wins you can achieve while working towards that longer term ambition e.g. moving forward with the review on telephony, updating hardware, embedding consistent use of MS Teams. Capacity for improvement (1)<br>

Given the move to hybrid working and reduction in staff presence in the office, the council could consider its use of the office space and layout over the medium term - and engage staff with these plans.
The communications team work closely with services to develop communications for specific projects. It would be useful to consider a corporate wide communications strategy prioritising campaigns and messages that could help behaviour change (e.g. recycling). This should link to the digital strategy and encompass the community model which includes two-way communication with residents through social media.
Partnerships are strong, but the VCS sector can be further utilised to support service delivery. Consider how to use the VCS within multi-agency meetings to provide a wraparound approach to case work, so that residents get the best service delivery by the right people at the right place. Capacity for improvement (2)<br>

Key quotes …<br>

Recommendations (1) Continue strengthening your leadership role with partners across the region. Consider how the well respected and well regarded reputation of the Leader and Chief Executive within and beyond the County could facilitate agreed policy positions on key issues impacting residents and businesses.
The changes to the NPPF and National targets will be a challenge for the Test Valley communities through the Local Plan process. The Council needs to build on the success of its community engagement and bolster those robust and honest conversations at pace.
The council is beginning its transformation journey and taking time to reflect, however an articulation of what transformation means for the Council is paramount for clarity, whilst twin tracking some quick wins around digitalisation and IT.<br>

Recommendations (2) Continue to build on the success of the Community Cllr approach through review and shared learning, whilst exploring longevity of funds available to community councillors.
Strengthen audit through the appointment of an independent member along with increased use of Southern Internal Audit partnership to develop skills, resilience and capability.
Strengthen the use of performance and data to better inform continuous service improvement, evaluation of impact, benefit and value for residents.
Expediate your digitisation strategy to improve service delivery
Communications is at the heart of all Council activity and success. Consider an LGA Led Communications review to build on this.
Continue to build on your current investment in the workforce to grow the leaders of tomorrow, today.<br>

Opportunity for questions/discussion now. Public report to follow. 
In the spirit of openness and transparency, you are asked to:
Publish the CPC report by 22 February 2025 (3 months after the CPC). LGA will also publish this on their website by this date.
Develop and publish your Action Plan by 22 April 2025 (no later than 5 months after the CPC).
Schedule a Progress Review – this is an opportunity to discuss progress (let us agree the date for this over the coming weeks).  
Progress Review to take place within ten months of the CPC by 22 September 2025 and the Progress Review Report to be published within twelve months of the CPC 22 November 2025. Next steps<br>

Previous Corporate Peer Challenges The last corporate peer challenge at Test Valley Borough Council took place in October 2018.
The previous report can be found at: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Test%20Valley%20Final%20Report.pdf<br>