Brent has been commended as a "well-performing" council, demonstrating a robust organisational culture and a proven track record of delivering essential services, according to a comprehensive review by the Local Government Association.
The Corporate Peer Challenge, which took place over four days in January, involved a review team of experienced senior officers and members from councils nationwide.
They spoke to over 130 individuals, including staff, councillors, partners, and residents, to get a thorough understanding of the council's operations.
Their findings called out Brent’s:
- Good track record of delivering vital services, underpinned by sound financial stewardship.
- Record of housebuilding and ambitious targets for even more council and affordable homes, given the exceptionally high demand in the borough.
- GCSE grades, with local children’s achievements ranking far above the national average.
- Proactive steps to advance equity and diversity, through initiatives like its Anti Racism Action Plan.
- Focused work to improve how satisfied tenants are with the council as a social landlord, following disappointing scores in a 2024 survey, as well as work to drive up standards in the private rented sector.
- Positive organisational culture, with 76% of staff expressing pride in working for Brent Council, reflecting a welcoming and inclusive work environment.
- Strong reputation for working well with statutory partners – a strength which Brent intends to build on, by convening public sector organisations and the voluntary sector together to pilot integrated neighbourhood teams.
The peer team also made several recommendations to help Brent strengthen its ability to deliver the best service to residents.
These will be addressed through an Action Plan, which Cabinet reviewed and adopted on 7 April, and include steps to:
- Improve cross-departmental collaboration and break down siloed working.
- Urgently tackle the temporary accommodation crisis, which the peer review team described as the ‘single biggest challenge confronting the council’ due to the pressure it is putting on Brent’s budget.
- Review and update the council's Housing Allocations Policy, to get a better picture of housing need across Brent.
