LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Progress Review - Shropshire Council

The council undertook a LGA Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) in July 2025 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 Shropshire Council 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 Shropshire Council took place (onsite) on 12 May. Prior to the Progress Review the team also met with colleagues virtually as part of the preparatory work.

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: 

• Duncan Sharkey – Chief Executive, Somerset Council
• Cllr Amanda Hopgood – Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Durham County Council. Liberal Democrat member peer
• Cllr Jason Cummings - Cabinet Member for Finance, Croydon Council. Conservative member peer
• Perry Holmes - Director of Legal & Governance (Monitoring Officer), Wiltshire Council
• Kathryn Rees - Executive Director - Corporate and Support Services, Stockport MBC
• Simon Riley – Chief Operating Officer & S151 Officer, Cheshire West and Chester Council
• Victoria Lawrence – Director of Adults and Health, North Lincolnshire Council
• James Millington – Peer Challenge Manager, LGA

Out of the CPC’s 10 recommendations, the council’s RAG rated Action plan reports that 40 per cent of actions are completed and 60 per cent have been progressed.

Overall the Progress Review found that Shropshire Council has made significant strides since the July 2025 CPC, which identified serious challenges in relation to finance, governance and organisational culture. There has been clear evidence of renewed energy, pace and commitment from both political and officer leadership to address these issues. Securing exceptional financial support (EFS) has stabilised the council’s immediate financial position and provided critical short-term headroom. At the same time, the council has identified and embraced a comprehensive package of external support, reinforcing its commitment to its improvement journey and helping to establish the necessary foundations for longer-term recovery.

The peer team found that the council is now demonstrating a much stronger grip on its financial position, with clear progress in financial management and governance arrangements. The prioritisation of CPC recommendations has led to tangible improvements across a range of areas, supported by strong cross-party leadership and key senior officer appointments. There is a clear sense that the council is stabilising and building confidence, with early momentum evident. However, the focus now needs to shift towards developing greater clarity and detail within the medium-term financial plan, including specifying the pathway to financial sustainability over the coming years and reducing reliance on EFS. This journey is likely to take a number of years and stretch beyond the medium term of 4-5 years.

Across the council, there are encouraging signs of improvements in culture, engagement and leadership visibility. Relationships between Members, officers and staff have strengthened, and the organisational ‘feel’ is notably more positive and collaborative. There is a stronger sense of shared purpose, which provides a solid platform for further transformation.

The peer team concluded that the council’s trajectory is positive, with good early progress and a clear commitment to improvement. This remains at an early stage in what will be a sustained and challenging journey and the next phase will be critical in moving from planning to delivery - ensuring that transformation programmes are implemented at pace, that financial sustainability is clearly mapped and achieved over time, and that organisational capacity is aligned to deliver lasting change. To date, there is not yet a single costed multi–year plan that brings all these themes together. This is expected to be further defined, developed and quantified over the summer and needs to create the roadmap that is owned and adhered to. Such a plan needs to guard against optimism bias and be based on robust insight, governance and accountability frameworks, and realistic expectations on capacity and capability to deliver.  Sustained focus, clear leadership and continued strengthening of both internal and external narratives will be essential to maintaining momentum and building confidence among stakeholders and partners.

Overall, this represents a strong and encouraging start from a challenging baseline, with clear evidence of improved grip, governance and organisational confidence. Early progress and positive momentum are evident. However, this remains at an early stage, and significant work is still required to translate this progress into sustained delivery.

Below is the detailed feedback from the peer team for each of the recommendations:

Urgently prepare a multi-year plan (MTFS) demonstrating and detailing the council’s route to financial and operational stability. Ensure this is realistic, widely understood and shared.

The peer team could clearly see that Shropshire Council (SC) has moved at pace to respond to this recommendation, with the development of a high level medium-term financial plan (MTFP) for 2026/27 to 2030/31. The structured, transparent and inclusive approach taken - through Cabinet reporting, cross-party Budget Forums, scrutiny engagement and public consultation - demonstrates a strong and mature approach to financial planning. The MTFP appropriately reflects the context of the financial emergency declared in September 2025 and establishes a credible ‘reset’ position, supported by exceptional financial support (EFS) and council tax increases, which has created important financial headroom. This has provided the council with the necessary space to begin developing a clearer set of financial and transformation roadmaps towards longer-term sustainability.

However, the peer team heard consistently that while there is now a growing organisational understanding of the scale of the financial challenge, the next stage requires greater clarity and specificity. The financial sustainability strategy and transformation programme are important milestones, but these need to be underpinned by clearer articulation of the figures - setting out, even at a high level initially, the scale and phasing of savings required, and how Shropshire Council will move from its current position to financial sustainability. There is a recognised need to move from broad direction to quantified plans, supported by a clear timetable. This is particularly important given the relatively short window available to the council, and the need to provide confidence to external stakeholders, including Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the council’s external auditors, that there is a credible and deliverable pathway in place.

The peer team also emphasises that the delivery of transformation at the scale required may take longer than initially anticipated, and therefore early clarity on timelines and sequencing will be essential. Shropshire Council is beginning to rebuild capacity and now has an opportunity to invest in the skills, capability and enabling functions required to deliver transformation at pace. This extends beyond a central programme management office (PMO) function and includes ensuring that services themselves are equipped to lead and implement change. This may require bringing in additional and external transformation capacity. At the same time, it will be critical that Shropshire Council maintains a strong and consistent focus on the delivery of core services and continues to focus on ‘getting the basics right’, ensuring that performance, governance and compliance standards are sustained while transformation is progressed.

The council can also now strengthen its financial narrative - clearly setting out how financial recovery, transformation and service delivery fit together as a coherent whole. This should include articulating the risks being managed, not solely financial but also operational and reputational, particularly in relation to maintaining service quality and organisational stability. The peer team noted from leadership that the recent Fair Funding announcement does not adequately address the rurality and demographic characteristics of Shropshire. The peer team underline the importance of Shropshire Council continuing to focus on what is within its local control in moving towards financial sustainability, while also maintaining an evidence-based case with others to Government for funding arrangements that better account for local context. By doing so, Shropshire Council can retain control of its narrative, avoid external expectations being imposed upon it, and provide reassurance to Government, auditors, partners and residents that it has a clear, realistic and deliverable route to financial sustainability while continuing to deliver essential services.

Immediately assess and negotiate your EFS requirements for 25/26 and for the period of the MTFS before a s114 notice becomes a necessity

This recommendation has clearly been progressed, with a robust exceptional financial support (EFS) application developed for MHCLG in December 2025, covering both 2025/26 and 2026/27. The figures are of significant scale - with EFS of £71.4m (2025/26) and £121.4m (2026/27) and council tax of 8.99 per cent agreed for this year. This was underpinned by high level financial analysis and modelling and aligned to the council’s MTFP and emerging transformation activity. Confirmation of EFS in February 2026 enabled Shropshire Council to set a balanced budget and provides important short-term stability, alongside the immediate implementation of spending controls following the declaration of a financial emergency.

The peer team now emphasise that the council needs to take a more strategic, multi-year approach to EFS, recognising that reliance on this support must reduce over time if financial sustainability is to be achieved. While it is understood that forecasting EFS requirements is inherently challenging, particularly in a fluid financial environment, it will be important for the council to set out a clearer trajectory across the life of the MTFP. This should include articulating how transformation activity will reduce reliance on EFS year by year, with the expectation that this requirement reduces to zero over the medium term. A five-year position which shows continued or increasing reliance on EFS is not sustainable, and the council should integrate the quantified transformation benefits into future iterations of its plans as they are developed.

The peer team consider that as plans continue to evolve, Shropshire Council has an opportunity to strengthen how it manages the narrative around EFS. This includes setting out a clear and locally owned approach ensuring that its strategy balances financial sustainability with the continued delivery of core services and statutory responsibilities. This will also support ongoing engagement with MHCLG and auditors, helping to maintain their confidence in the council’s direction of travel. This is important given the journey to financial sustainability is likely to stretch beyond the next MTFP period.

There is an opportunity to improve internal awareness and understanding of the EFS position. While recognising that the application itself is not a public document, there would be value in ensuring that key stakeholders, including opposition group leaders and officers, are appropriately briefed on its content and implications. This would support greater shared ownership of Shropshire Council’s financial position and strengthen collective understanding of the scale of the challenge ahead.

The council has made strong initial progress against this recommendation, and the next phase will be to embed this within a clear, multi-year strategy that demonstrates a credible path away from reliance on EFS.

Quickly implement an externally supported, independently led Improvement Board with CIPFA, a governance expert and LGA peers, preferably with support from MHCLG, to advise, assist and drive urgent changes

Supported by the LGA the council has acted quickly to establish a voluntary, independently chaired improvement board in response to this recommendation. The board is clearly adding value, particularly in supporting the development and oversight of the improvement plan and the council’s overall trajectory towards financial sustainability. The peer team also recognises the recent six-month review undertaken by the chair of the improvement board, the findings of which align with a number of the observations made during this progress review, provide a helpful basis for the next phase of its development.

Feedback from Members, officers and partners suggests that, while the board is well regarded and brings a breadth of experience, there is currently a gap in deep, technical expertise required to support the scale and pace of transformation that the council now needs to deliver. Given the complexity of the challenge, and as the board moves into a second phase after the initial six months, Shropshire Council should consider evolving the board arrangements to include a new Leaders’ Board through a deliberate move to drive urgency and accountability. The governance should support the council over the following period and continue to provide robust, independent challenge. This dual structure will ensure the council benefits from both political leadership and independent, expert challenge. This strengthening would enable access to specialist knowledge, provide further challenge and support to senior officers, and ensure that transformation plans are not only well designed but are deliverable at pace. This will be particularly important given the volume and complexity of change required over the coming years.

The peer team heard feedback that awareness and understanding of the improvement board across the council is variable. Some staff are unclear about its purpose, status and role, including perceptions about decision-making responsibilities and the handling of reports. While these perceptions may not reflect the formal position, they highlight the need for clearer and more consistent communication. Shropshire Council may wish to consider how it strengthens its communication approach, including providing regular, proportionate updates to Members and officers to give visibility of the board’s discussions and focus areas. This will help to build understanding, improve transparency and reinforce the role of the improvement board as a key component of the council’s improvement arrangements.

Prepare a clear whole council transformation plan that carries the aspirations and narrative for the future council and accurately aligns the resources for delivery. Ensure this is realistic, widely understood and shared

The council has made clear and tangible progress in developing a more structured, whole-council approach to transformation which is being driven through the improvement plan. The commitment to develop a refreshed and fully costed transformation programme, as part of a wider financial sustainability strategy, is a positive step and reflects growing organisational maturity in linking financial planning with service transformation. Early activity demonstrates a more forward-looking and coordinated approach to identifying priorities and aligning resources, supported by clearer governance arrangements such as the budget, transformation and change review panel.

This work remains at a relatively early stage of development and now needs to move at pace into delivery. While the framework, governance and overall direction are increasingly well established, there is a need to translate this into a more detailed and deliverable programme, supported by clear phasing, milestones and measurable outcomes. In particular, Shropshire Council should ensure that transformation plans are sufficiently detailed and quantified to demonstrate how they will deliver the scale of change required, including the financial benefits and service impacts. This will be critical in strengthening confidence - both internally and externally - that the transformation programme can deliver the outcomes set out within the MTFP.

The peer team emphasises the scale and the complexity of transformation required and the importance of ensuring that the council has the capacity and capability to deliver this. While there is evidence that Shropshire Council is beginning to rebuild capacity, there is now an opportunity to accelerate this by bringing in the right skills and expertise - both within central programme functions and across service areas. Transformation at this scale cannot be delivered solely through a PMO and it requires enabling functions, leadership capacity and service-level ownership to be in place. Ensuring this capacity is aligned and deployed effectively will be essential to maintaining pace and momentum. It is likely that the council will need to consider additional external capacity to support the development and delivery of its transformation at the pace and scale it requires. 

Importantly, Shropshire Council will need to maintain a strong focus on delivering core services and continuing to work on ‘getting the basics right’ alongside its transformation ambitions. The peer team heard that this balance is well understood, but it will require ongoing attention to ensure that service performance, compliance and governance are not compromised during a period of significant change. There is also an opportunity to continue strengthening the narrative around transformation - clearly articulating how it supports both financial sustainability and service outcomes, and ensuring that this is widely understood across the organisation and by key stakeholders.

Shropshire Council has made a strong start in responding to this recommendation and has established the key building blocks of a whole-council transformation approach. The next phase will be critical with moving from design into delivery, with greater clarity, pace and capacity, to ensure that transformation is realised at the scale and impact required.

Consider how to urgently reinvigorate your cultural connections and relationships across the workforce – the organisation has become fractured, and the current context has blunted the value of initiatives such as 'Getting It Right'.

The council feels like a very different organisation to the one visited by the peer team in July 2025. There is a stronger sense of purpose and a clearer commitment to supporting and valuing staff, which is helping to rebuild organisational confidence and cohesion. The development and implementation of the people plan has been particularly well received, with staff and managers consistently reporting that it is moving the organisation in the right direction. This represents an important foundation for wider improvement and transformation.

There has also been a noticeable improvement in the visibility and accessibility of both managerial and political leadership, with stronger connections evident across the council. The range of engagement mechanisms now in place is having a positive impact, with staff reporting that they feel better informed and more connected to organisational priorities. In particular, initiatives such as budget forums and engagement sessions have helped staff to better understand the financial context and the challenges ahead. The peer team heard consistently that these changes are helping to bring people together and foster a more collective understanding of the council’s direction.

The peer team were particularly impressed with the role of the manager framework, which has the potential to drive consistent leadership behaviours and support improved performance across Shropshire Council. While this is still relatively new, there is clear opportunity for it to be more widely socialised and embedded to maximise its impact. More broadly, the council appears to be doing the right things to strengthen relationships and build a more unified culture, particularly at senior and middle management levels where there is growing evidence of a ‘one team’ ethos emerging. This represents a marked shift from the previous feedback from the corporate peer challenge, where the council was described in more fragmented terms.

The peer team heard positive feedback about practical initiatives that are helping to bring people together, both formally and informally, including the use of physical spaces such as the council café to encourage interaction and connection. While recognising that rebuilding connections across the whole workforce, particularly to frontline staff, will take time, the peer team considers Shropshire Council is on the right trajectory. Encouragingly, the language used by staff has shifted, with less reference to a ‘tale of two cities’ and more evidence of a shared identity beginning to emerge. There are strong indications that Shropshire Council’s approach to cultural renewal is gaining traction, and continued focus on embedding and sustaining this progress will be key to long-term success.

Coproduce a new council plan that recognises the financial constraints the council is under and delivers the manifesto commitments. Ensure this is realistic, widely understood, socialised and owned

The council has made strong progress in the co-production of a new corporate plan for 2026–2030, which reflects the significant financial constraints it faces while setting out a clearer set of priorities. The plan has a robust evidence base and is aligned with the MTFP and improvement plan. The extensive engagement undertaken with Members, staff, partners and residents is a particular strength.

The peer team encourage Shropshire Council to ensure that the corporate plan is firmly future-focused and not overly anchored in the council’s current or historic position. Given the scale of the financial challenge, the council will need to operate differently in the medium term, and the plan should clearly articulate what it wants to deliver in four to five years’ time. This includes being explicit about priorities and where investment will be made. The peer team emphasise that investment decisions should be evidence-based, aligned to clear outcomes and demonstrable return, including identifying opportunities where targeted investment could resolve issues at source and deliver longer-term benefits.

The peer team heard a consistent message about the importance of maintaining focus on ‘getting the basics right’. While these areas may not always appear transformational in themselves, they are often critical enablers of improvement and can undermine confidence if not addressed. The council is right to prioritise this and should continue to do so, ensuring that improvements to core services and infrastructure are delivered within the context of its financial constraints and alongside its wider transformation ambitions. This balance between stabilisation and transformation will be essential to maintaining organisational credibility and public confidence.

The peer team discussed the council’s approach to assets and recognise that asset rationalisation and disposal will form an important part of the financial strategy. This work is ongoing, but there is a need to further develop the pace and scale of this approach, including being realistic about the level of receipts that can be generated, recognising its historical buildings, and ensuring that the cost of delivering is proportionate to the likely financial return. 

The council should continue to strengthen its capacity in key enabling functions such as commissioning and procurement. While recruitment challenges have been identified in these areas, these roles will be critical not only for maintaining service delivery but also for enabling Shropshire Council to successfully deliver its transformation programme and achieve long-term financial sustainability.

Improve the visibility of managerial and political leaders to help

The peer team recognises that the council has made clear and sustained progress in improving the visibility and accessibility of both managerial and political leadership, which is now having a positive impact across the organisation. Feedback from staff, Members and partners consistently highlighted that people feel much more connected to the organisation than at the time of the original CPC. This reflects a more open and engaged leadership culture, with communications described as honest, transparent and increasingly trusted. These are important enablers in supporting the organisation through a period of significant change.

The introduction of more structured engagement mechanisms has been particularly effective in strengthening relationships and improving organisational coherence. The fortnightly senior leadership forum was frequently referenced as a positive and valued space for listening, engagement and shared understanding, helping to cascade key messages and foster a more collective leadership culture. The peer team heard that relationships across the council have improved significantly, with growing evidence of stronger collaboration between services and a clearer sense of organisational direction.

The peer team also heard very positive feedback regarding the visibility and approachability of political leadership. Initiatives such as ward walks and ‘coffee and chat’ sessions were highlighted as being especially well received, providing meaningful opportunities for direct engagement with staff and communities. These approaches are helping to build trust and create a stronger connection between decision-makers and the wider council.

These developments represent a marked shift from the position observed previously, with a more open, visible and connected leadership approach now evident. While it will be important to sustain and continue building on this progress, the peer team is encouraged by the consistency of feedback and the tangible improvements in how leadership is experienced across Shropshire Council.

Improve the status of and make efforts to drive good governance; consider implementing a 'statutory officers’ board' or similar mechanism to include the head of paid service, monitoring officer and s151 officer which would consider pressing issues, co-ordinate responses and drive implementation of, for example, internal audit recommendations

The council has made strong and tangible progress in strengthening its corporate governance arrangements, with the establishment of the statutory officers’ board representing a particularly positive development. This group appears to be operating effectively and is adding real value, providing a clear mechanism for collective oversight of governance issues and driving improved coordination across the council.

The peer team noted that clearer expectations from the senior leadership cohort about how the organisation should operate are beginning to have a measurable impact, with a stronger emphasis on compliance, accountability and consistent ways of working. There is clear evidence that this increased focus is translating into improved organisational performance in key areas. For example, the peer team heard that compliance with freedom of information requirements and financial returns has improved significantly, with more timely submissions and greater consistency across services. This reflects a cultural shift where leadership focus, clear expectations and active monitoring are reinforcing behaviours and driving improvement. The peer team considers this to be a strong example of how visible leadership attention and prioritisation of ‘the basics’ can deliver tangible results and build organisational discipline.

The council can build on these strong foundations by extending this disciplined approach beyond financial management into wider performance and project management. While progress has been made, the peer team heard about some examples where project management arrangements were not sufficiently robust to deliver the outcomes required. The council will want to consider the level of project management capability across the organisation and assess whether there is sufficient capacity and skill to consistently deliver, and also provide the appropriate level of oversight and monitoring to provide assurance.

The peer team also heard positive feedback regarding the cohesion and effectiveness of the cabinet, with Members working increasingly as a collective team. The recent rebalancing of cabinet portfolios appears to have been well received and is supporting clearer accountability and leadership.

These developments point to a strengthening governance environment, with improved leadership clarity, stronger organisational grip and better alignment between political and officer leadership. Shropshire Council has clearly put the key building blocks in place, and the next phase will be to sustain and deepen this progress, ensuring that governance, performance and delivery arrangements continue to mature in line with the scale of the challenges ahead.

Budget monitoring needs to be focussed on actual spend and projections with clear understanding of one off and recurring expenditure with appropriate intervention and action

The council has made strong progress in strengthening its budget monitoring arrangements, with a clear shift towards greater focus on actual spend, forecasting accuracy and timely intervention. The enhanced monthly monitoring processes, increased transparency through reporting to cabinet and scrutiny, and improved timeliness of returns demonstrate a more disciplined approach to financial management. The significant increase in compliance rates for budget monitoring returns is particularly positive and reflects a strengthened organisational focus on accountability and financial grip.

However, the peer team heard that while these improvements are evident, there remains some inconsistency in how effectively these processes are embedded across the council. Good practice is emerging and delivering results, but this is not yet uniform in all service areas. The council should therefore continue to focus on ensuring that established processes, standards and expectations are consistently applied across all directorates, so that the benefits of improved budget monitoring are realised council-wide. Embedding this consistency will be critical to strengthening overall financial control and ensuring a reliable and accurate picture of the council’s financial position.

The peer team heard that financial capability, particularly in relation to forecasting and understanding longer-term demand and cost drivers, is not yet consistently strong across the organisation. While Shropshire Council has the foundations in place, there is a need to further develop the depth of expertise within the finance team to support more robust and confident financial planning. The intended benefits of the finance business partnering model do not yet appear to be fully realised in all areas, with some stakeholders reporting limited evidence of strategic financial support and challenge.

The peer team emphasises the importance of continuing to embed long-term financial discipline as there is a risk that without consistent behaviours and controls, financial gains could be eroded over time. Shropshire Council should continue to reinforce expectations around financial management and ensure that spending decisions align with agreed plans and priorities.

Overall, Shropshire Council has made a strong start and has put in place many of the key building blocks required for effective budget monitoring and financial control. The next phase will be to embed these consistently across the organisation, strengthen capability, and ensure that improved financial discipline is sustained and supports the delivery of longer-term financial sustainability.

Change your narrative, tell your story and clearly celebrate your success as one council

Shropshire Council has made positive and visible progress in reshaping its narrative and how it communicates its story, particularly given the scale of the challenges it is facing. There is now a clearer approach to communications, with a stronger emphasis on transparency and consistency. The development of an overarching narrative, linking the improvement plan, corporate plan and financial sustainability strategy, has helped reinforce a sense of ‘one council’ responding collectively to the challenges ahead. The peer team heard that this narrative is increasingly understood across the organisation and is helping to provide clarity of purpose during a period of significant change.

However, the peer team also emphasises the importance of maintaining confidence and belief in the council’s ability to deliver its ambitions. While the scale of the financial challenge is well understood, there were instances where uncertainty about deliverability was expressed. It will be critical for senior leaders to continue to provide clear, consistent and confident messaging about the council’s ability to meet this challenge. This does not require unrealistic optimism, but rather a clear articulation of how and when financial sustainability can be achieved. Establishing and communicating this confidence is important for maintaining organisational momentum.

The council has made progress in building a stronger sense of organisational identity and pride, with evidence that staff are increasingly positive about working for Shropshire Council. In the latest pulse survey nearly three quarters (71 per cent) of staff say they understand the council’s priorities and are happy to work for Shropshire. While this represents a clear improvement on the position observed previously, there remains an opportunity to continue strengthening this sense of pride so that staff feel confident acting as ambassadors for the organisation both internally and externally. Shropshire Council has already taken steps to celebrate success and recognise staff contributions, and these efforts should continue to be expanded - particularly through initiatives that bring colleagues together, including frontline staff, and reinforce a shared sense of achievement and purpose.

The peer team encourages the council to maintain a strong forward-looking narrative, focusing on where it is going rather than where it has come from. While it is important to learn from past challenges, Shropshire Council should continue to emphasise its future direction and the progress being made. Continue to celebrate success and recognise achievements, ensuring that positive progress is visible and understood across the council.

The LGA would like to thank Shropshire 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. 

Helen Murray (Principal Adviser) is the main point of contact between the authority and the Local Government Association (LGA) and their e-mail address is [email protected]