Improvement board's final verdict on city council

Liverpool City Council is "well-led" and on a "well set" trajectory for improvement, according to the final report submitted by the board set up in the aftermath of government-appointed commissioners.

Last year marked the end of a three-year intervention by commissioners at the authority after the excoriating Caller Report in 2021 and a non-statutory Improvement and Assurance Board was then set up.

The group, led by former commissioner Mike Cunningham has given its final assessment, concluding that there was a "dedication to improvement" amongst the authority's leadership and financial stability was a continued focus.

The report said the leadership team had "made difficult decisions well", adding: "The council has successfully set a balanced budget for 2025-26, and has a robust approach to in-year financial monitoring."

The document, which will be discussed by the authority's cabinet members on 15 April, said there was some confidence that "the council's ambitions for itself as an organisation and for the residents it serves will be achieved".

Commissioners were brought in from June 2021 following the damning Best Value inspection by Max Caller which shone a light on the failings within the council.

A team of four officials led by Mr Cunningham were put in direct control of areas such as highways, finance and regeneration, with a fifth commissioner appointed in November 2022 due to a lack of progress.

In December 2023, the commissioners confirmed such was the improvement in the 12 months since, they were able to hand back key powers to the council ahead of schedule.

But officials recommended support of the council should continue on an informal basis as some areas still required work to "demonstrate a sufficient stable improvement trajectory".

Over the past nine months officials have highlighted a series of improvements, particularly the leadership, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

They said this had strengthened the city council's focus on ensuring continuous improvement across departments.

In the initial Caller report, the council's regeneration efforts came under intense and scathing scrutiny.

However, officials said this had been "fundamentally transformed" and the council was starting to recover its external reputation with the private sector, the combined authority and central government.

Property had also been an area of continuing unease for commissioners, but the improvement board gave an updated assessment.

Officials wrote: "Over the period of the Improvement and Assurance Board's operation, it has been clear that the service remains focused on continuing to improve in the areas identified by the commissioners – building capacity, implementing its improvement plan and improving the quality of decision-making.

"The building blocks of the service are now largely in place. Although there remains much to be done, the board has greater confidence in the plans in place to deliver an improved service and can see good evidence of a focus on delivery and impact for the residents of the city."

The city council leader councillor Liam Robinson, said the board's report "demonstrates how much progress we have made".

"Politically and managerially we have been transformed, particularly over the last two years with a new cabinet and senior leadership team."

He added there was an "unstoppable momentum" in the improvements which were starting to make a difference to the quality of frontline services.

Mr Cunningham said: "The stability and commitment to improvement, as well as a clear understanding of the challenges that remain, provides a solid platform for the future.

"The senior leadership team know and accept there is much more to do, and are open to constructive challenge, which means that we are able to have confidence in the future."

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