Important Peer Review update from Chief Executive, Joanne Roney OBE

I promised to update you when we had the final report, and today I’m very proud to share with you the positive outcome. The findings are contained in a Local Government Association corporate peer challenge report, and you can read it in full on our website. 

Peer review feedback 

During their time with us, the team of independent reviewers – consisting of experienced local Government figures from around the country – spoke to over 300 people, including councillors, staff and partners. In our first bit of feedback, they called us a ‘first-class council’, where the workforce are ‘passionate about improving outcomes for Manchester people and rightly proud to work for Manchester City Council’. 

In their final report, reviewers called Manchester a ‘city of firsts’ and highlighted the strength and depth of our partnerships, including health and social care. They celebrated the improvements we have made in Children’s Services, the strength of our neighbourhood working and financial leadership. 

Our Manchester 

I am delighted that the report praises our passion and pride shown right across the organisation. The reviewers gained a greater understanding of your commitment to achieve our 2025 vision, set out in the Our Manchester Strategy. They witnessed the positive impact our ways of working have on our services and how well Our Manchester is embedded right across the Council. Our vision and behaviours really do set us apart. 

Overcoming challenges and recommendations 

We know there are still some areas of challenge and a need for improvement, and these came out clearly in the report. They include developing a more inclusive economy, doing more to tackle inequalities, and pushing for further progress around addressing the city’s housing challenges. In addition, more must be done to tackle homelessness and climate change if we are to achieve our goal of being a zero-carbon city by 2038. 

Next steps 

The report will be discussed by the Council’s Executive when it meets on Wednesday 16 February. An action plan setting out how we will move forward will be developed. 

A personal thanks 

I want to thank you all for the incredible work you do and what we have achieved together. This report really highlights the great progress we have made. I know that this public report will be welcomed by our residents, who put their trust in us to make Manchester the best place to live, work and grow. 

Thank you.