Government decides against renewing best value notice for mayoral combined authority
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has decided not to reissue a best value notice for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) in light of a number of improvements, including better relationships within the authority.
WECA was handed a non-statutory best value notice in March 2024 following "inconsistent action" against concerns highlighted in a value for money report published by Grant Thornton, which revealed that the monitoring and chief finance officers were excluded from decisions on a severance payment.
At the time, the Government also highlighted concerns about poor relationships between the Mayor, Dan Norris, and the representatives of the constituent members of the authority.
The notice called on the combined authority to "reset" its culture and internal relationships, review its constitution and establish an independent improvement panel to help deliver the improvements.
Writing today in a letter to WECA's chief executive, Stephen Peacock, the MHCLG's Deputy Director of Local Government Stewardship & Interventions, James Blythe, said the Ministry is now "reassured" as to the authority's capacity to comply with its Best Value Duty under the Local Government Act 1999.
As a result, the Ministry will not reissue the notice, Blythe added.
According to the letter, the combined authority has engaged proactively with the department and has gained external scrutiny and challenge throughout the period, including setting up an independent improvement panel to oversee progress.
The panel has since agreed to renewed values and principles with the aim of improving decision-making processes and increasing co-collaboration and co-creation, the letter added.
The letter also noted that the mayor and representatives of the constituent members of the authority "have shown progress against improved relationships and ways of working".
Blythe said: "Whilst we will not be renewing the notice, we expect to see the progress made by the combined authority and all constituent members fully embedded and sustained.
"The renewed values and principles unanimously agreed with the support of the independent improvement panel are a positive step towards this, and continued engagement with the panel after the mayoral election will be seen as evidence of necessary progress.
"We must now see this in practice over a sustained period of time, as part of a positive and comprehensive reset of relationships and culture in the Authority."
The letter also requested that WECA and the panel continue engaging with the Ministry to provide assurance of continued progress.
Responding to the news, Mayor Norris said he was "grateful to officers and partners for their ongoing hard work for residents and businesses across the West of England".
He added: "We have rolled up our sleeves to get on with the people's priorities. As well as the important organisational improvements delivered over the last year, people will be noticing the difference which my Mayoral Combined Authority is making for our region, exemplified by the recent good news on our imminent work to re-open the Bristol & Portishead Line."
Adam Carey
