Gosport celebrates positive feedback and ongoing commitment to further improvements

The Local Government Association (LGA) carried out Gosport Borough Council's first Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) in November 2024. This comprehensive review, which aims to enhance the Council's performance and governance, has provided positive feedback and highlighted the Council's ongoing commitment to future improvements.

The peer team, made up of senior local government officers and a councillor from another authority, praised the Council's commitment to regeneration and community engagement.

The report highlighted several strengths of Gosport Borough Council, including: 

1. Passionate determination: The council is recognised for its strong commitment to improving Gosport borough as a place to live, work, and visit.
2. Clear regeneration vision: The council has a clear direction for regeneration, with priority projects.
3. Strong community support: The community supports plans for heritage and culture regeneration projects.
4. Positive leadership: Staff gave positive feedback about having a dedicated Chief Executive.
5. Financial management: The council's finances are stable, with adequate reserves, well-prioritised capital programmes, and a balanced budget.
6. Proactive engagement: The council is proactive in engaging with local businesses, community groups, and other stakeholders, fostering positive relationships.
7. Heritage and culture: The council actively supports heritage and cultural events, which are well-attended and contribute to the borough's vision.
8. Staff recognition: Staff value the increased engagement and support from the Chief Executive and other senior leaders.
9. Positive external relationships: The council has strong relationships with partner organisations, including Fareham Borough Council and Portsmouth City Council, enhancing shared services and collaboration.
10. Commitment to improvement: The council recognises its weaknesses and is committed to transforming outdated systems and processes, with a strong desire to improve.

These positives reflect a strong foundation and a commitment to continuous improvement and community engagement. Additionally, the Council received recommendations for improvement, many of which were already identified and are being actively addressed. The Council is putting a plan in place to turn these recommendations into opportunities for growth and development. This positive feedback underscores the dedication and hard work of the Council's staff and partners.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Peter Chegwyn, said, "We are committed to ensuring Gosport continues to thrive as a great place to live, work, and visit. The findings were in line with our expectations, and we are already making progress in several areas. We are proud of our achievements and are keen to continue to make improvements."

You can read their full report online https://www.gosport.gov.uk/article/2924/Local-Government-Association-Corporate-Peer-Challenge