East Lindsey District Council – Progress Review

The council undertook an LGA Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) during 12 - 14 November 2024 and promptly published the full report with an action plan. 

The Progress Review is an integral part of the Corporate Peer Challenge process.  Taking place approximately ten months after the CPC, it is designed to provide space for the council’s senior leadership to:

• Receive feedback from peers on the early progress made by the council against the CPC recommendations and the council’s RAG rated CPC Action Plan.
• Consider peers’ reflections on any new opportunities or challenges that may have arisen since the peer team were ‘on-site’ including any further support needs.
• Discuss any early impact or learning from the progress made to date. 

The LGA would like to thank East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) for their commitment to sector led improvement. This Progress Review was the next step in an ongoing, open and close relationship that the council has with LGA sector support.

The Progress Review at East Lindsey District Council took place (onsite) on 30 September 2025. The Progress Review focussed on each of the recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge. 

For this Progress Review, the following members of the original CPC team were involved: 

• Vic Allison MBE (joint chief executive, Malvern Hills District Council and Wychavon District Council)
• Rory Love OBE (former cabinet member for education and skills, Kent County Council)
• Councillor Georgina Hill (Independent member, Northumberland County Council)
• Neil Taylor (associate consultant and former chief executive at Bassetlaw District Council)
• Satvinder Rana (senior regional adviser, LGA).

Out of the CPC’s eight recommendations, the council’s RAG rated Action plan reports that 100 per cent of actions are completed or are being progressed. 

Since the CPC in November 2024, the council has been managing a demanding workload and significant changes, including political changes at one of its partner councils, changes in its senior management team and planning the delivery of seven service reviews while delivering major regeneration projects, improving services for residents, and responding proactively to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The council’s partnership model and grant-funded regeneration remain exemplars, and it continues to be a delivery-focused organisation committed to further improvements.

LGR and devolution are significant developments in the county, and the council is working hard to ensure that the organisation, its staff, and communities are well prepared. Its experience of organisational change through the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (SELCP) is helping to ensure the process is managed effectively. With a two-unitary LGR proposal shaped following detailed engagement with partners and the community, ELDC is well placed to play a proactive part in shaping the future local government landscape across the county. The council has developed confidence in capital project delivery, and this should help in creating an East Lindsey legacy. However, it will be important to ensure that LGR does not divert attention from continuing to deliver for residents and creating a sustainable legacy across the district.

The council has made good progress on all eight recommendations of the corporate peer challenge of November 2024. Impact measurements have been strengthened through new key performance indicators (KPIs) linking regeneration to wider priorities, such as 60 percent increase in users accessing gym equipment at the Station Leisure & Learning Centre in Mablethorpe and thereby contributing to better health outcomes. Financial planning started early, identifying a £2 million gap with different scenarios explored. A review of strategic communication is being progressed and opportunities for deeper county-wide conversations have been seized in the context of LGR and devolution in Greater Lincolnshire. Work on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has advanced in a pragmatic way, and capacity across the organisation has been reviewed. 

The peer team would attribute this progress to the strong leadership provided by the leader and the chief executive, collaboration between the executive and the senior management team, and the maintenance of positive communication and working relationships with non-executive councillors, including members of minority political groups. Morale among staff, senior managers and members remains buoyant. 

The council should be proud of its achievements and can continue to work on strengthening its communication, refining its medium-term financial strategy and capturing learning to showcase successes and support the wider local government sector.

Recommendation one: Measure the impact of regeneration projects against corporate priorities and the social challenges across the district.

The council has made improvements to its performance management framework and its KPIs to better measure impact. It has moved from an output-focused system to one that actively links regeneration projects to impact against its key sub-regional priorities, including economic growth, safe and resilient communities, health improvement, and environmental sustainability.

For example, the £10 million Investment Fund, launched last year, has supported 68 community projects so far. Performance indicators now capture not just financial spend but also the wider outputs and outcomes. One project, the Atlantis Alliance’s multi-agency emergency hub on the coast, received £55,000 to coordinate responses to tourism-related incidents and has already helped reduce antisocial behaviour during peak seasons, dealing with problems during flooding and people’s safety in the sea.

Similarly, the Sutton-on-Sea Colonnade, a flagship Towns Fund project, has attracted 10,000 visitors since opening. Key performance indicators track both economic impacts, such as increased local spending, and social benefits, like boosting community pride in an often-overlooked area. Health outcomes are evident through 170,000 visits to the Leisure and Learning Centre, which correlate with higher levels of physical activity among residents and better health. Environmental improvements in Mablethorpe are measured against wider challenges, including flood resilience.

This holistic approach allows the council to show how resources are being used effectively, with quarterly reports clearly linking outcomes to strategic goals.

Recommendation two: Carry out a thorough review of the strategic effectiveness and influence of internal and external communication.

The council has decided to conduct the review of its communication in-house, to be completed by the end of the fiscal year. It will be important for this review to consider the full skills set within the communication team as well as headcount to ensure future effectiveness of its strategic communication.

The peer team noted some good examples of external communication. For instance, as part of the LGR process the council co-produced an animation video which reached thousands, raising awareness of their proposals and encouraging residents to share views on the future of local government in Greater Lincolnshire. The council has also undertaken workshops with partners like the NHS and business groups to seek their input to shape the proposal. Internally, ongoing training has upskilled staff, with tools like website analytics revealing spikes in engagement from targeted campaigns, such as the Pride in Place grants. 

However, a minority of Members highlighted persistent pain points in communications, like learning about developments in their wards via social media rather than direct alerts from officers, not receiving timely responses to their enquiries, or being unsure about the points of contact for specific issues. 

The peer team recognises that a resident survey may not be appropriate at this time, given the current focus on LGR engagement. However, there remains an opportunity for community engagement in the period leading up to LGR, particularly if further legacy projects or investment are being considered. In short, if the council is planning initiatives for either the pre-2028 or post-2028 periods (i.e. pre or post LGR), it would be valuable to consult communities to ensure investment is directed to the right areas. Given the scale of change underway, it is essential to keep stakeholders well informed about the council’s work. 

In terms of internal communication, the peer team suggests reviewing the system for handling Member enquiries to ensure timely acknowledgements and responses, alongside providing regular Member briefings and strengthening citizen engagement.

Recommendation three: Seize opportunities for deeper Greater Lincolnshire and strategic county-wide conversations about the place.

The council has established itself as a collaborative leader in Greater Lincolnshire, making the most of opportunities created by devolution and LGR. The leader sits as a non-constituent board member on the Greater Lincolnshire County Combined Authority (GLCCA). The two-unitary LGR proposal, developed and supported by the three partner councils, involved extensive joint working. This included engagement with the Ministry of Defence, NHS partners, transport providers, and a significant number of town and parish councils. Feedback, particularly on asset transfers, has been used to strengthen and empower local groups.

This approach has already delivered efficiencies, such as joint waste communications with Lincolnshire County Council ahead of new food waste collections in 2026 and has supported shared responses to cross-boundary challenges, including coastal flooding.

The council’s “straightforward and safe” model has gained support from district councils beyond the partnership, helping build resilience in areas such as public health and housing. To secure East Lindsey’s influence after vesting day, the council should ensure its “place-based” approach is consistently reflected in all LGR bids for Greater Lincolnshire.

Recommendation four: Prioritise EDI work around policies and embed it within the work of the council, including identifying a corporate lead.

The council has taken a practical approach to embedding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) across the organisation. It has introduced an EDI strategy for adoption across the partnership, created an equality impact assessment template with supporting guidance, and expanded the quarterly workforce report to include data on employees with protected characteristics.

EDI work is also visible within local communities. For example, monthly events at the Campus for Future Living now partner with carers’ organisations, helping to reach underserved groups and identify emerging needs, such as support for older people in deprived coastal wards. In addition, accessibility tools such as ReciteMe on the council’s website improve accessibility for residents with diverse communication needs thereby making the webpages more inclusive and user-friendly.

The council is to identify a lead officer to promote and coordinate this work across the organisation and the wider partnership.

Recommendation five: Improve clarity and detail in financial and risk reporting to enhance governance and mitigate risk.

Financial transparency has improved through an earlier and more rigorous budget-setting process, which began in May 2025. This process identified a £2m funding gap through 16 “Star Chamber” sessions that gathered an unprecedented level of evidence.

A small overspend in Quarter 1 was quickly addressed by reviewing vacant posts and reviews of agency staffing. Efficiency targets are being supported by the transformation board, which includes the section 151 officer.

Reserves and savings plans through to 2028/29 are now outlined in informal Medium-Term Financial (MTF) refreshes and shared with the Executive. Key risks, such as the Fair Funding Review, are being modelled cautiously. This approach has strengthened Member confidence. The partnership’s Medium-Term Strategy Group is now helping ensure balanced budgets by November 2025, even in the face of possible delayed settlement and uncertainties of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

The council acknowledges that more work is needed to explain its reserves position and approach to risk reporting. The newly appointed section 151 officer will play a key role in setting out a clear plan for the prudent use of usable reserves in the period leading up to LGR, both to support budget balancing and to enable further community investment where possible.

Looking ahead, there is the potential to produce simplified 5-year “budget books” for Members and officers and carry out stress-test scenarios (best and worst case) to assess the potential impact of the Fair Funding Review and LGR costs.

Recommendation six: Continuously review and align organisational capacity in key priority areas to ensure ability to deliver ambitions.

The council has taken a proactive approach to aligning capacity with priorities. Skills audits have informed targeted recruitment, including the appointment of an assistant director for culture and regeneration to strengthen grant management and place-based work, and the appointment of a permanent finance director to steer the council’s financial strategy.

The peer team also heard that throughout the budget-setting process, regular discussions with budget managers have helped assess whether there is sufficient capacity to deliver the work programme to the required performance standards.

Staff development programmes, such as Impact and Future Leaders, have embedded employees in LGR and other major projects, with two participants now playing key roles in the reorganisation itself. Phased delivery, for example staggering Towns Fund projects every six months, helps prevent overload. Fixed-term contracts are also tied to grant timelines, ensuring that initiatives such as the new recycling model can continue without interruption.

The peer team was assured that mechanisms are in place to identify potential capacity issues. However, the peer team suggests the council considers the future position of Public Sector Partnership Services Limited (PSPSL) and the company’s role post LGR, particularly given the options currently under discussion and those likely to be proposed.

There may also be further work for the council to consider around the organisation of finance support within PSPSL. At present, the finance support team is structured by council rather than by function. This approach was highlighted as an area that could be reconsidered. The period leading up to LGR provides an opportunity to review these arrangements to ensure teams are “future fit” and well prepared for the period beyond 2028.

The peer team also encourages the council to continue monitoring its overall capacity in the context of LGR, particularly to minimise negative impacts on staff and to ensure training remains in place to build resilience across teams ahead of vesting day.

Recommendation seven: Reflect on service performance and the impact on residents.

The council has strengthened its performance management system and KPIs to better measure impact on residents and demonstrate alignment with corporate priorities. Engagement on LGR also acted as feedback loops, highlighting resident priorities such as transport. Digital analytics and focus groups have further informed improvements.

Performance is also driven by dedicated governance structures, such as the Waste Improvement Board, which oversees the rollout of food waste collections. Recent visits from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) recognised the council’s delivery of major projects as “exemplar”.

Looking ahead, there is scope to introduce more systematic impact measurement (for example, post-service surveys linked to resident outcomes such as satisfaction); and use LGR consultation findings to refresh core metrics, ensuring performance frameworks are effectively handed over during the transition.

Recommendation eight: Share the good practice and achievements from ELDC more widely.

The council has strengthened its communication of citizen-focused delivery across multiple platforms. Social media has spotlighted the £20m Pride in Place awards, which prioritise community safety, retail revival and vocational training in Skegness. Case studies, such as the £11.5m Travelodge development, have been shared at conferences - highlighting its success in drawing visitors to adjacent businesses and sparking developer interest in further foreshore expansion.

Newsletters and regional forums showcase over £100m of investment driving generational change. For example, Mablethorpe recently secured a £20m award to address cultural gaps. 

The council is also actively engaged in regional and national LGR networks and is encouraged to capture and share its experience of LGR to inform future learning and support across the sector. The LGA can help in this respect through its sector-led improvement work. 

The LGA would like to thank East Lindsey District Council for undertaking an LGA CPC Progress Review. 

We appreciate that senior managerial and political leadership will want to reflect on these findings and suggestions in order to determine how the organisation wishes to take things forward.

Under the umbrella of LGA sector-led improvement, there is an on-going offer of support to councils. The LGA is well placed to provide additional support, advice and guidance on a number of the areas identified for development and improvement and we would be happy to discuss this. 

(Further information, support, and resources on LGR/Devolution should you need it, can be found on the LGA’s devolution and LGR Hub website.)

Mark Edgell (Principal Adviser) is the main point of contact between the authority and the Local Government Association (LGA) and his e-mail address is [email protected].