A review of Bolton Council has found the authority to be a “proud and caring council with a strong commitment to delivering improved outcomes for people, families, and communities”.

In July this year, the council welcomed a delegation from the Local Government Association as part of the Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) process.

CPCs take place every four to five years and are carried out by a team of senior councillors and officers from local authorities across the country.

The team spent four days in Bolton reviewing key finance, performance and governance information and interviewing more than 150 people.

This is Bolton Council’s second Corporate Peer Challenge. The first took place in June 2018. This is testament to Bolton Council’s commitment to constructive external challenge and support.

The 33-page report describes Bolton Council as a “proud and caring council” with a strong commitment to delivering improved outcomes for people, families and communities.”

Councillors described the working environment as “supportive and inclusive” and that “the focus on residents is strong across all departments.”

The CPC also heard how the council’s team are looking at “innovation, prevention and early intervention” but the “capacity to transform” presents an ongoing challenge.

The report outlines how Bolton Council has adopted a “no overall control” system since 2019, which has not stifled the council’s ability to deliver on its priorities. During this period, the council has been led by a minority Conservative and minority Labour administration.

Peers were told that a “Bolton first, politics second” ethos is evident at the council which is composed of “skilled, dedicated and caring staff focused on making a difference.”

The report makes 13 recommendations on areas such as risk management, performance, finance, assurance and governance.

A consistent message throughout the report highlighted “opportunities to strengthen Bolton’s ‘one council’ corporate approach in support of the council’s priorities was also included.

In terms of social care and public health, the peer team were impressed with the strong and innovative council approaches being taken by Bolton Council and encouraged Councillor’s to “continue to harness opportunities” from newly established demand management boards.

As with many councils, Bolton Council “faces on-going financial challenges” the report sound. The council has set a budget for 2024/2025 which is dependent on £8.6m of savings being realised. The council’s budget papers show a forecast gap of £20m in 2025/2026.

Bolton Council is now working on an Action Plan is response to the recommendations which will be published before the end of the year.

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The Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “These are challenging times for councils across the UK, so we are pleased that colleagues from other local authorities have recognised that Bolton continues to perform well.

“What shines through in this report is our commitment to providing caring and supportive services for local people, families and communities.

“This report shows that this council, including elected members from all parties, will always put Bolton and our residents first.”

The official date for the progress review of Bolton Council will be decided on over the coming weeks.

Bolton Council’s Chief Executive, Sue Johnson, said: “I know how hard working and passionate all Bolton Council officers are when it comes to delivering for our residents.

“However, it is incredibly gratifying to see this highlighted by external experts as part of the review process.

“There is a lot to celebrate in this report but, as a council, we are always looking at ways to improve.

“We are already working towards implementing these 13 recommendations so that we can build on this success.”

Got a story? E-mail me at Leah.collins@newsquest.co.uk