LGA ignores calls for forced peer reviews

摘要

Whitehall inspectors could march into councils that refuse to engage with sector-led improvement despite Local Government Association (LGA) reluctance to make it compulsory, documents leaked to The MJ reveal. Pressure on the LGA to change its approach to sector-led improvement has been growing, with the devolution agenda increasing the focus on councils, and Conservatives in the last government raising doubts over the future of the £23.4m grant to Smith Square. Civil servants are understood to be 'actively looking at options' for the future of sector-led improvement, which could include a shift away from the voluntary approach agreed five years ago. There are already calls from the sector for the LGA to be 'more proactive in identifying and intervening where problems are emerging, and demonstrating a clear and planned approach to how underperformance will be identified and addressed'.