Lancaster City Council makes strong progress on improvement plan
A team of local government experts has praised Lancaster City Council for successfully delivering a plan to make its services even better.
Following a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) in April 2024, the council was told how it could make improvements to the way it serves the public.
A recent review of a plan for delivering these changes found that 85% of recommendations are on track and progressing well.
Particular praise was given for the council’s approach to community wealth building, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Key areas of progress include:
- Strengthened Community Partnerships: The Lancaster District Strategic Partnership (LDSP) has been formally established, bringing together key stakeholders, including local universities, NHS partners, third-sector organisations, and the Chamber of Commerce.
- Economic Growth and Sustainable Development: The council has taken strategic steps towards developing an inclusive economic strategy, incorporating insights from Lancaster University’s ‘Before Eden’ research.
- Commitment to a Sustainable Future: An early ‘call for sites’ process has been successfully implemented, ensuring alignment with the council’s Local Plan and climate action goals.
- Enhanced Leadership and Governance: The council has invested in leadership development for senior officers and councillors, including dedicated training programmes and scrutiny enhancements.
- Financial Sustainability: The ‘Fit for the Future’ transformation programme is driving efficiency, with a focus on aligning financial planning with long-term priorities and asset management.
Mark Davies, chief executive of Lancaster City Council, welcomed the findings: “The peer challenge process has helped to highlight some of the excellent work by staff and Elected Members to continually improve the council and the services we provide. The positive feedback from the LGA confirms that our strategic vision is making a real impact and we are delivering key improvements for our residents, businesses, and stakeholders.
“One of the areas the peer team highlighted was our Fit for the Future programme and the way the council is transforming its services in response to the continuing tough financial times in which local authorities are operating. This programme is helping to identify where we can become even more efficient while continuing to provide good services for our communities.”
A peer challenge is when representatives from councils nationwide spend time with another council to evaluate their performance, assess their ambition for residents, and determine if adequate resources are in place to fulfil those objectives. In the city council’s case, the peer challenge team gathered information and views from more than 50 meetings, in addition to further research, and spoke to more than 130 people, including a range of council staff, councillors and external stakeholders.
Last updated: 02 April 2025