LGA Corporate Peer Challenge: Ware Town Council

A team of local government peers, led by the Local Government Association (LGA) delivered a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) of Ware Town Council from 18 to 20 November 2025. This was the council’s first CPC. 

CPC is a well-established and respected improvement and assurance tool that provides robust, strategic and credible challenge and support to councils. Further details about the CPC process can be found in Appendix A.

Our peer team consisted of highly experienced and knowledgeable senior local government councillor and officer peers (see section four). We considered the five core areas covered by all CPCs: local priorities and outcomes, organisational and place leadership, governance and culture, financial planning and management and capacity for improvement. 

Ware Town Council is keen to use the CPC process to position the organisation for success, ensuring it is well-prepared to embrace future opportunities and address any challenges that may arise from local government reorganisation (LGR).

This report provides Ware Town Council with feedback on the peer team’s findings. It provides the council with a set of a high-level recommendations along with further recommendations under each of the CPC’s core areas. There is an expectation the council will publish this report and a clear action plan to respond to all the recommendations.

Ware Town Council has grown significantly in recent years, and many of the challenges and opportunities it now faces result from this expansion of responsibilities and commitments within the town. The council is incredibly ambitious; among other commitments, it has invested a total of £2.8 million in refurbishing the local lido, and has also recently renovated parts of the Priory, a managed asset of the council used for events such as weddings. In addition, since the elections in 2023, the council has a Green Party majority with an ambition to achieve their goal of reaching Net Zero by 2030. Accordingly, the council has taken a number of strategic decisions, such as investing in a biodiversity manager; installing solar panels on the roof of Fletcher’s Lea; incorporating effective insulation and heating into the renovation of the lido building; and kickstarting a “Ware Shares” library of things initiative. This ambition reflects a strong sense of civic pride and a desire to deliver for the community. The council is reviewing the impact of local government reorganisation for the community and needs to consider the true short, medium, and long-term cost, and the risks and liabilities of taking on any assets and services. 

The council benefits from a dedicated and professional workforce, positive partner relationships, and strong community support. It has achieved a great deal in a short time, demonstrating innovation and commitment to improvement in its assets and delivery of services. 

However, this rapid growth has created significant challenges. The organisational structure and staff capacity have not consistently kept pace with the scale of ambition, placing pressure on both systems and individuals. The council did make changes following an organisational review conducted by an independent body in 2022, however this needs revisiting. There is an unresolved over-reliance on the town clerk, creating a dependency risk for the council. Staff loyalty and professionalism often mask workload pressures, which could impact staff wellbeing and sustainability of the council’s operations. 

While the council’s 2024-28 Business Plan is informed by idea-generating away-days for managers and councillors, in general business planning needs clearer, long-term strategy and prioritisation. There is a risk that this could lead to inefficiencies and decision-making that is reactive rather than evidence based. While an annual finance report is produced, the council would benefit from a clear medium- to long-term financial strategy, particularly now that its budget has grown significantly in recent years. This will enable the council to better plan for significant present and future commitments and their associated risks. Due to the increased growth of the council, there is a need to consider how council reports contain both the information needed for councillors to make evidence-based decisions to achieve the council’s outcomes and for the council to be transparent and accountable to its local community. 

There are eleven councillors at Ware, with a town population of approximately 19,600. From the peers’ experience, the proportion of councillors to residents in Ware is lower than average, and it may benefit the council to undertake a Community Governance Review to ensure appropriate representation of the community.

The following are the peer team’s key recommendations which have been prioritised on the grounds of urgency and importance. 

3.1 Consider current staff capacity, roles and responsibilities, and appropriate delegation. This should be conducted through an organisational review undertaken by an appropriate provider and is needed to ensure that there is a clear strategy to meet current and future resource requirements. 

3.2 Implement more effective and transparent business planning. This should be linked to evidence-based decision-making. 

3.3 Conduct detailed financial planning, including short, medium, and long-term financial plans. This is necessary given the size and scale of current operations and future ambitions, and the impact from local government reorganisation. Plans should clearly detail return on investment for individual projects and include both financial and human resourcing costings.  

3.4 Recognise the potential impact of local government reorganisation (LGR). This includes setting out the true cost for devolved place-based services, assets or liabilities. 

3.5 Consider whether the number of councillors is sufficient to represent the 19,600 residents and meet both the current and future needs of the council. A Community Governance Review can assess whether changes to the number of councillors is necessary for effective and fair representation.  

In addition to the key recommendations, section five of this report details feedback and additional recommendations within each of the CPC’s core areas of focus.

Peer challenges are conducted by experienced LGA peers, including elected councillors and senior officers. The composition of the peer team was shaped by the specific focus of the challenge, with the LGA selecting peers based on their relevant expertise. The peers for this CPC were:

• Wendy Amis, Chief Executive Officer, Derbyshire Association of Local Councils
• Cllr Kevin Foster, Green and Independent Groups Leader, North Yorkshire Council
• Brie Logan, Training Officer, Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils
• Cllr Jim Hakewill, Independent, North Northamptonshire Council
• Hannah Gill, Senior Regional Adviser, Local Government Association (LGA)
• Hannah Folb, Impact Graduate Trainee, Local Government Association (LGA).

This section of the report provides detailed feedback along with additional recommendations related to the five core areas of focus.

When developing the action plan (in response to the CPC’s findings), the council should consider both the key recommendations presented in section three and the additional recommendations set out below. 

5.1 Local priorities and outcomes

The council has created a high-level four-year business plan, which draws from ideas generated by an annual strategic away-day for councillors and management team. This plan is publicly available and outlines the council’s aims and objectives, adopting a resident-first approach. The council is ambitious in its thinking and actively seeks areas for improvement. It is pursuing a green agenda, which seeks to fulfil election pledges. The council manages a high-quality range of assets and facilities, many of which have been renovated to an excellent standard.

While business plans are in place, they do not set out clear long-term strategies supported by an appropriate evidence-based rationale. As a result, there is not always a strong strategic direction to guide councillors and officers in achieving the council’s outcomes. These plans should align with other key strategic documents, such as financial planning, and ensure that appropriate human and financial resources are allocated to deliver priorities effectively. 

To enable the council to address the key recommendations in 3.2 Implement more effective and transparent business planning; and 3.4 Recognise the potential impact of local government reorganisation (LGR), we recommend the council progress the following actions:

• Consider a period of consolidation to allow for a thorough review of the business plan, ensuring that human and financial resources are appropriately allocated and that all risks are fully assessed.
• Identify clear, long-term strategies within the business plans which sets a clear strategic direction and articulates how outputs will contribute to council outcomes.

Are the council’s priorities clear and informed by the local context?

The council’s 2024-28 business plan sets out high-level priorities and aims for the coming years and is maintained as a live document, updated in response to new information and decisions. In addition, the council engages with residents through outreach activities, such as the community survey conducted in 2022 and previous public consultations, to ensure decision-making reflects local context and community views.  

The business plan does not currently provide a clear, long-term strategy or link to financial planning. This may make it difficult to prioritise appropriately, which can lead to a reactive approach, with the potential to cause inefficiencies and frustrations. It is not clear how longer-term financial implications are considered as this is not aligned with a financial strategy.  Some officers described additional projects being allocated to them without having gone through a prioritisation process in line with the business plan. Councillors described often having longer meetings than necessary, which would be alleviated by a clear strategic direction and prioritisation. 

The council will be better equipped to anticipate future demand and allocate resources effectively with a robust evidence-based long-term strategy. The long-term vision of the council should be informed by a broader consideration of a financial strategy and delivery arrangements to ensure the highest quality outcomes for residents. 

Delivery against priorities and comparative performance

Ware Town Council has demonstrated significant ambition and progress in delivering against its priorities, particularly in areas such as environmental sustainability, community engagement, and asset management. The council has invested in major capital projects, including the renovation of Ware’s lido and refurbishment of the Priory, which have been completed to a high standard. The council has also taken steps to achieve their goal of being Net Zero by 2030, including hiring a climate and biodiversity manager, establishing a “library of things”, and installing solar panels onto a council-owned building. These actions reflect strong alignment with election commitments. In the peers’ experience, Ware delivers more services and manages more assets than an average town council of its size. However, the council would be better able to track its delivery against priorities if its mechanism for prioritisation was more structured and consistent, as detailed above, with a long-term strategy. 

Is there an organisation-wide approach to continuous improvement? 

Ware Town Council demonstrates a strong commitment to improving outcomes for residents and shows a clear eagerness to continuously grow and enhance its performance within the community. To further maximise its potential for improvement the council needs to consider how it links its activity to its strategic objectives. At present progress is often measured through outputs (for example completed projects) rather than outcomes aligned to the council’s vision. A clear long-term vision and the appropriate monitoring framework around this will positively address this, enabling the council to prioritise work and projects that best meet their outcomes. This prioritisation will assist in ensuring capacity within the council is delivering best value. 

5.2 Organisational and place leadership

The council benefits from a highly committed and professional workforce. Staff demonstrate a strong sense of loyalty and dedication to the town council and to each other, creating a united and proud team environment. Councillors embrace their civic duty and adhere to principles of civility and respect, fostering open discussion. The council has strong relationships with partner organisations and local community groups, earning respect within their wider area. The local community groups and partners we met with spoke highly of the council. There are generally effective communication channels with residents; however, further consideration is needed on how these can better inform the setting of local priorities and strategies. 

Experiences of inductions and professional development are mixed, highlighting the need for a consistent and structured approach. This includes ensuring that line managers apply processes uniformly to provide clarity and support relating to staff management and development.

Despite the positive culture, there are concerns regarding workload and capacity, this is expanded on within 5.5 Capacity for Improvement. In addition to reviewing staff capacity, the council may benefit from a community governance review to ensure it has the right number of councillors to effectively represent its community.  

In addition to the key recommendation of 3.1 consider current staff capacity, roles and responsibilities, and appropriate delegation; and 3.5 consider whether the number of councillors is sufficient to manage the current and future needs of the council, we also recommend the council progress the following actions:

• Ensure robust induction and personal development plans. Develop a robust induction for new staff and councillors, along with continuing and regularly refreshed personal development plans.
• Consider repurposing the monthly staff meetings to enable strategic planning.
• Consider how the council engages with its community to set local priorities and strategy.

Does the council provide effective local leadership?

The town clerk is well respected and demonstrates positive local leadership. The clerk has been pivotal in driving improvement in the council and maintaining positive relationships with community groups and other external stakeholders. The council enjoys a strong reputation locally and is well-respected by its partners. Councillors all understand their civic duty and have embraced this. Council meetings are characterised by open discussions underpinned by strong principles of civility and respect. Currently, there are 11 councillors representing a population of 19,600; peers have noted that, in their experience, this is a relatively small number. The council may therefore wish to request East Hertfordshire District Council consider, or alternatively petition for, a community governance review to determine whether the current number of councillors provides sufficient democratic representation for the community. 

While senior officers and councillors collaborate during joint away-days to generate strategic ideas, there is scope for greater engagement with staff to input into strategic planning. The monthly staff meetings are currently underutilised and could be repurposed, used productively this could help engage staff more effectively in strategic planning. 

Ensuring both officers and councillors can appropriately input into, and influence council strategy will also aid the implementation and prioritisation of projects to meet the council’s objectives. As discussed elsewhere strategies will also need to ensure a shared understanding of what can realistically be delivered within current and proposed capacity. This is important given the council’s ambitious programme of projects and the pressure on current systems and staff. 

Ware Town Council has a very dedicated and professional workforce which is a credit to the council, however experience amongst staff was varied in terms of staff appraisals, inductions and professional development. A clear and consistent approach to induction and continuous professional development is essential for both the officer workforce and councillors to ensure continuous improvement more widely. 

Are there good relationships with partners and local communities?

Residents and community groups are actively engaged in council activities. Attendance at events is high—for example, approximately 650 people attended Ware Biodiversity Day in March 2025—and local groups report receiving proactive support from the council. The council sets aside a substantial sum for local grants; £87,400 was spent on grants in the 2024-25 financial year. The grant programme is well advertised and known about in the community. This engagement reflects a strong sense of civic pride and there was an impression of trust in the council’s role within the community. The council uses communication channels such as newsletters and its website, alongside professional and informative annual reports distributed to all local households, supporting transparency and accessibility in its communications. 

Although communication is generally strong, it is not clear whether the council actively engages with its community to help shape local priorities and strategies. Developing a clear approach for co-producing priorities with residents would further strengthen the relationship between the council and the community.

5.3 Governance and culture

The council demonstrates a strong and positive culture, characterised by a sense of belonging and a clear ‘can do’ attitude among staff and councillors. There is a strong ethos of prioritising Ware and its residents, Council policies are up to date and accessible to the public. 

In 2022, Ware Town Council was awarded with the Quality Gold Award as part of the Local Council Award Scheme. The scheme promotes and recognises councils that are at the forefront of the sector, with Gold being the highest level of accreditation.

There is on some occasions a lack of full information needed for councillors to make evidence-based decisions. In some cases, decisions appear to be made in isolation, without due reference to the business plan or long-term implications, such as ‘Ware Shares’ which did not appear to match staff resourcing or set up costs. 

While personal working relationships within the council are generally positive, some staff report feeling under-valued, with their professional contributions not being consistently recognised or taken into consideration in business planning work. Although officers and councillors have a clear understanding of the work being undertaken, this information is not always communicated transparently to residents, limiting public insight into the council’s decision-making processes and rationale. 

The council should consider how it can continue to strengthen its governance as its remit and budgetary responsibilities continue to increase. This includes improving information-sharing with councillors to better support evidence-based decision-making and reviewing how council reports and meetings are clear and transparent to ensure residents are fully informed. These measures will help maintain the council’s positive culture while ensuring long-term sustainability and trust.

In addition to key recommendation of 3.3 Implement more effective and transparent business planning we recommend the council progress the following actions:

• Ensure councillors have the right information at the right time to support evidence-based decision making. This should include direct reference to the business plan and a full understanding of risks, costing of human resources and returns on investment.
• Review how council meetings and reports are written, recorded and published to ensure adequate transparency to enable easier access and therefore greater accountability for the community. 

Are there clear and robust governance arrangements?

The gold local council award in 2022 endorses that the council achieves good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement. The continued growth of the council’s remit and budget suggests that it would be best practice to review its governance arrangements to ensure they remain appropriate for a town council of this size and level of operations. There is a key role for both officers and councillors to ensure that all information is provided to help inform better evidence-based decision making. This information needs to include direct reference to the business plan, council strategy, outline of risks, financial strategies with full costings, including cost of human resources and the returns on investment. Ensuring all this information is available and clear in reports will support councillors to make informed decisions based on the information and evidence available and support the council to ensure financial and operational sustainability. Clearly articulating this information may help ensure that officers’ professional advice is evidenced and appropriately considered in decision-making, while also reinforcing that their expertise is valued in their respective roles.  

5.4 Financial planning and management

The council has recently recruited a responsible financial officer (RFO) who is tasked with reviewing systems and processes. The council’s grant system and policy continue to support community organisations in delivering services for residents, reinforcing its commitment to local engagement. Opportunities for income generation have been identified to complement the precept, and these are reflected in the council’s business plan. Steps have already been taken to maximise these opportunities through the high-quality renovation of the council’s managed assets.

Due to the significantly higher budget the council now manages there is a need for a more robust financial accounting and management information system that is fit for purpose, both for current operations and any future expansion. Sufficient rationale which is available in the public domain is needed to explain precept increases — past, present, and future — to maintain transparency and public confidence.

The council faces multiple long-term financial commitments but lacks a consolidated medium- to long-term financial plan. This gap limits the ability to monitor and manage risk effectively, posing a threat to financial sustainability. The significant variation in precepts may infer a lack of strategic financial planning, which creates both financial and reputational risks. Although there are income generation opportunities these must also fully match with the level of investment in capital and revenue to ensure financial sustainability and a realistic return on investment. 

The key to addressing these issues is the development of short, medium and long-term financial planning, improved systems for monitoring and reporting, and clear communication with residents regarding financial decisions. These measures will support financial sustainability and maintain trust within the community.

In addition to the key recommendation of 3.4 Conduct detailed financial planning, including short, medium, and long-term financial plans, we also recommend the council progress the following action:

• implement a robust financial accounting and management information system as soon as possible, ensuring it is secure and fit for purpose
• provide sufficient rationale in the public domain to clearly explain any changes to the precept.

Does the council have a clear understanding of its financial position? 

The council is in a positive financial position, with opportunities for income generation and a budget that has grown significantly. Ware Town Council has one of the larger budgets within its tier of local government, and there is a need for more robust financial planning than might be needed for a smaller town council. There is a need for a clear well-articulated financial plan that addresses the short, medium, and long-term. This is essential not only for the current size and scale of operations but also for any future ambitions. Plans should detail the return on investment for individual projects and include both financial and human resource costs. This financial planning should align with the business plan and serve as a tool to prioritise projects and necessary works to achieve the council’s outcomes. 

Clear financial planning should ensure that changes to the precept are sustainable and appropriately planned. While there has been variation in the precept over recent years—with a marked increase in 2024/25 and 2025/26—this appears to have been accepted by the local community due to the high-quality services provided. Regardless of current public opinion, it would be best practice to ensure that council documents published on the website clearly set out the rationale for precept changes, helping residents maintain trust in the council both now and in the future.

Does the council have clear financial processes in place?

The council did not have a responsible financial officer in place for a short period, and this post was filled seven months ago. This enables the council to have some stability and the opportunity to reassess. It is now essential that the council implements a robust financial accounting and management information system, as the current system is not fit for purpose for a council of this size and complexity. 

5.5 Capacity for improvement

There is a strong culture and drive for continuous improvement at Ware Town Council. There has been a huge amount of activity and creation of opportunity to deliver against the business plan in terms of redevelopment of properties, which can underpin future projects, and the council has been able to establish sources of income from its managed assets. 

There is a skilled, diverse team of staff who have demonstrated that they can work well together, manage large projects and problem solve, as well as being able to adapt to and deliver on new and emerging priorities. 

However, capacity has been surpassed for the current staffing arrangements. Although an organisational review was undertaken in 2022 by an external body, the rapid pace of change since means that staff report, at times, feeling overwhelmed by their workload. As a result, the peers advise the council to have a further organisational review undertaken by an appropriate provider to consider and resolve upon both current and future resource requirements. 

The council needs to consider whether its primary purpose is to its functions as a council or its income generation via managed assets. Greater clarity of purpose would improve planning to allow appropriate maximisation of income whilst balancing benefits to the community. 

There is evidence of some business continuity planning by function. However, succession planning and further consideration of delegation across the organisation would be beneficial to reduce the reliance of the organisation on specific individuals. 

In addition to the key recommendations of 3.1 Consider current staff capacity, roles and responsibilities, and appropriate delegation; and 3.2 Implement more effective and transparent business planning, we also recommend the council progresses the following actions:

• Strengthen organisational clarity of purpose, particularly regarding core council functions and income generation activities
• Embed consideration of staff resources at the outset of emerging projects to reduce strain on existing staffing arrangements
• Review succession planning across the organisation to ensure it is robust and fit for purpose
• Mitigate the risk of over-reliance on specific individuals by ensuring effective delegation throughout the organisation. 

Is the organisation able to bring about the improvements it needs, including delivering on locally identified priorities? 

Ware Town Council has delivered significant progress against its priorities, including major capital projects (e.g. lido refurbishment and Priory renovation) and environmental initiatives aligned with its Net Zero 2030 goal. The council benefits from a skilled and committed workforce, positive community engagement, and strong local leadership, which provide a solid foundation for improvement. A lot has been achieved at this council in a short amount of time. 

The rapid expansion of council responsibilities means that sustaining and building on recent improvements will require addressing the key challenges identified in this report. These include strengthening strategic prioritisation, embedding evidence-based decision-making, and establishing a long-term financial strategy with clear objectives to align activities and projects to desired outcomes. Central to this is determining the right balance between the council’s core functions as a town authority and its approach to income generation. The council needs to consider whether its primary purpose is to its functions as a council or its income generation via managed assets. Greater clarity of purpose would improve planning to allow appropriate maximisation of income whilst balancing benefits to the community. This would assist in the council’s ability to implement more effective and transparent business planning.

Does the council have the capacity to improve?

The council has demonstrated a capacity to improve and to adapt to different situations, both politically and within the local context, supported by a skilled workforce and culture of improvement and ambition. Current staff capacity is stretched, and staff report sometimes feeling overwhelmed. Furthermore, the dedicated and loyal workforce may be masking the true extent of capacity as working beyond contractual hours has become widely normalised. 

It is clear that the 2022 organisational review is no longer relevant to current council operations. There is a need for an immediate organisational review to be undertaken by an appropriate provider to consider and resolve upon both current and future resource requirements. Without adequate resourcing there are risks for staff health and wellbeing and for the council meeting the high standards it sets itself. 

There is also an over-reliance on the town clerk, an example being all partners reported only engaging with the town council through the clerk. This creates a dependency risk and single point of failure. As part of any organisational review, the council will need to consider succession planning and how to embed this across the organisation along with appropriate delegation of some of the town clerk’s current functions. 

An organisational review is recommended, setting out the staffing structure and functions needed to deal with both the current and future work of the council. This review should also be used to ensure that adequate staffing resources are understood and included within any new project considerations for the council. This information should sit alongside the strategic, financial and business information presented to councillors to enable them to make informed decisions.

The senior political and managerial leadership of the council should review and reflect on the findings and recommendations from this CPC.

To promote the principle of transparency, it is a requirement of the CPC process that the final report of the peer team is published in-full within three months of the review being completed. In this instance, this requires the report to be published no later than 20 February 2026.

There is a requirement for Ware Town Council to develop and publish an action plan within five-months of the peer team being onsite, no later than 20 April 2026. This action plan should provide clarity on the activity, milestones, and timelines that the council will work to in responding to the team’s findings. 

The action plan will also be central to the peer team’s re-engagement with Ware Town Council through a progress review which is due to be completed by end of September 2026.

In the meantime, Rachel Litherland, Principal Adviser for the East of England, is the main contact between your council and the Local Government Association. As outlined above, Rachel is available to discuss any further support you require and can be contacted on 

Rachel Litherland, LGA Principal Adviser for the East of England 

Email – [email protected]

Tel – 07795 076834 

Further information, support, and resources on LGR/Devolution, can be found on the LGA’s devolution and LGR Hub website. 

CPC is a valued improvement and assurance tool that is delivered by the sector for the sector. It involves a team of senior local government councillors and officer peers undertaking a comprehensive review of key information and spending three days at the council to provide robust, strategic, and credible challenge and support.

CPC forms a key part of the improvement and assurance framework for local government. It is underpinned by the principles of Sector-led Improvement (SLI) put in place by councils and the LGA to support continuous improvement and assurance across the sector. These principles state that councils are responsible for their own performance; accountable locally, not nationally; share a collective responsibility for the performance of the sector; and rely on the LGA to provide the tools to support them. 

Scope and focus

The peer team considered the following five areas which form the core components of all CPCs. These are critical to councils’ performance and improvement.

1. Local priorities and outcomes - are the council’s priorities clear and informed by the local context? Is the council delivering effectively on its priorities? Is there an organisational-wide approach to continuous improvement, with frequent monitoring, reporting on and updating of performance and improvement plans?
2. Organisational and place leadership - does the council provide effective local leadership? Are there good relationships with partner organisations and local communities?
3. Governance and culture - Are there clear and robust governance arrangements? Is there a culture of challenge and scrutiny?
4. Financial planning and management - Does the council have a grip on its current financial position? Does the council have a strategy and a plan to address its financial challenges? What is the relative financial resilience of the council?
5. Capacity for improvement - Is the organisation able to bring about the improvements it needs, including delivering on locally identified priorities? Does the council have the capacity to improve?

As part of the five core areas outlined above, every CPC has a strong focus on financial sustainability, performance, governance, and assurance.

The peer challenge process

Peer challenges are improvement focused; it is important to stress that this was not an inspection. The process is not designed to provide an in-depth or technical assessment of plans and proposals. The peer team used their experience and knowledge of local government to reflect on the information presented to them by people they met, things they saw and material that they read. 

The peer team prepared by reviewing a range of documents and information to ensure they were familiar with the council and the challenges it is facing. This provided information on the local context at the council and what the peer team should focus on. It also included a comprehensive LGA Finance briefing (prepared using public reports from the council’s website). 

The peer team spent three days onsite at Ware Town Council during which they gathered evidence, information, and views from more than 20 meetings, in addition to further research and reading, and spoke to over 50 people including council staff, councillors and external stakeholders.