Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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Panel Performance Assessment (PPA)

What is the PPA?

 

The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 placed new duties on all Welsh Local Authorities. The Act requires Council’s to keep performance under review and report on it through an annual self-assessment. The Act also introduced a requirement for an external assessment of the extent to which local authorities are meeting the Act’s ‘performance requirements’ via a panel of peers. This assessment must be undertaken once in each electoral cycle and is known as the Panel Performance Assessment (PPA). The performance requirements being assessed by the PPA include the extent to which the Council:

 

  • Is exercising its functions effectively

  • Is using its resources economically, efficiently and effectively

  • Its governance is effective for securing the above

 

The Act required the inclusion of four specified panel members. The Vale’s commissioned panel was consistent with these requirements:

 

  • Independent Chair - Sally Loudon, former Chief Executive of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), former Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council.

  • Senior Member Peer - Neil Prior, Pembrokeshire County Council, Cabinet member for communities, corporate improvement, and the well-being of future generations (Independent Member).

  • Senior Office Peer - Ellis Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

  • Peer from the wider public, private, voluntary sector: Anna Randle, Strategic Advisor, New Local – Independent think tank and network.

The aim of the PPA is to support the Council to achieve its aspirations by developing its understanding of how it is operating and how it can ensure the delivery of effective services long-term. The PPA therefore afforded the opportunity to sense check our emerging improvement plans as part of the development of the Corporate Plan 2025-30 and Reshaping Programme. The PPAs timing was specifically selected to coincide with these developments and the panel were asked  to consider:

 

  • Leadership: How effective are our leadership arrangements in understanding and communicating the challenges and direction of the organisation?

  • Corporate Plan: Is our approach to developing the Corporate Plan and the associated performance arrangements one that will set an ambitious but realistic vision for the Vale and enable us to demonstrate delivery of key outcomes?

  • Transformation: Does our emerging Transformation Programme have the potential to change the way we work to support delivery of our objectives in the context of significant financial challenges?

 

The PPA was undertaken in November 2024 and was only the third PPA to be undertaken by a Welsh Council.

 

The PPAs Findings:

The PPA report stated it was “an exciting and pivotal moment for the authority, and the Council possesses strong foundations to drive future growth and development”. The report concluded the Council had established itself as a “values-based organisation with a good internal culture” displaying “a strong appetite for innovation and a willingness to do things differently”. The Panel also noted that the “strong working relationships between the Leader, Chief Executive, senior staff and members” as well as “solid external relationships” with “partners ranging from statutory through to more informal local partnerships”.

 

The report was complementary of the leadership, stating that “the Council has effective…well-regarded and respected leaders”.

 

The panel also described a “clear commitment” to the delivery of the “ambitious” Corporate Plan, although some staff “expressed concern about the capacity to deliver it” despite their marked optimism and confidence in the transformation programme.

 

Regarding the transformation programme, Reshaping, the Panel concluded “the Council is well-positioned to achieve these goals, and the right ingredients are in place”, noting the “strong track record of innovation and a commitment to delivering high-quality services”.

 

The Panels report and the Council’s response can be viewed in full via the links below.

 

 

Panel Performance Assessment - cabinet report

G&A Panel Performance Assessment

Panel Performance Assessment