Local Government Best Value

This Government are committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the Government’s action to update the best value guidance, to set clear expectations of the standards local authorities need to meet for their residents. I am also updating the House on the steps we are taking to support individual councils at risk to recover and reform.

In March, we published an independent evaluation of our best value interventions, and committed to updating the best value statutory guidance, previously issued in 2024. We are now publishing, for consultation, revised draft guidance that sets out what constitutes best value, the standards expected by Government, and the Government’s approach to supporting local government in delivering real prosperity for their residents and local area.

To achieve best value and meet the standard residents expect, we need strong local institutions that are well led, focused on the long term and committed to a culture of continuous improvement.

The revised guidance sets out this Government’s intention of supporting authorities to secure their own compliance with best value, prevent them from slipping into crisis, and take action to address risks before they escalate. It lays out a new focus on the high standards expected in local government. Where authorities are in crisis, the guidance explains how Government may intervene to get them back on their feet.

Following the closure of the consultation on 7 October 2026, Ministers will update the House when the Government publish the final statutory guidance.

I am also updating the House on the use of best value notices as a lever to secure improvement in several councils. Best value notices are not a form of statutory intervention, but provide a formal notification that Ministers have concerns about risks to compliance with the best value duty. They request that each council engages with the Department to provide assurance of improvement at pace against a set of expectations to avoid future failure.

Three councils had notices issued in 2025 that are due for review. Following significant improvements in Dudley metropolitan council, the notice there will be lifted on 16 July. The Department will continue to work with the council and its partners to ensure improvement is sustained and cultural change is embedded. Progress has also been made at the London borough of Newham. However, there is further work for the changing political and officer leadership team to deliver and embed planned improvements, and the Department has issued a revised notice, to be reviewed after six months. I remain very concerned about the scale of challenge at Cheshire East council, and the Department has issued a revised notice, to be reviewed after six months. I expect the council to significantly increase the pace of improvement, driven by a stable leadership team and supported by the Department and the Local Government Association.

The Department has also issued four new best value notices. In the London borough of Hillingdon, Shropshire council and Somerset council, my concerns relate to financial sustainability, as evidenced by prolonged and forecasted reliance on exceptional financial support, alongside broader issues including with financial management, governance and capacity. In Basildon borough council, my concerns relate to serious cultural and governance issues. To build the evidence base for improvement, I will also commission an independent external assurance review into Basildon, which will report its findings by the end of October 2026.

Following consideration of local representations, I have established a single commissioner team to operate across both Woking and Spelthorne borough councils. This creates a single, cross-cutting team that will focus on embedding council improvements and strengthening the grip on the complex challenges that remain as the councils approach West Surrey’s vesting day in April 2027. The team is led by Lesley Seary, supported by Barry Scarr, Deborah McLaughlin and Mervyn Greer.

As part of these changes, Sir Tony Redmond and Peter Robinson have stepped down from their commissioner roles. Richard Carr will also transition from his managing director commissioner role, and will continue playing an important part in supporting Woking borough council's improvement and transition towards local government reorganisation as its interim chief executive. I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to all three commissioners for their significant contributions.

I have also received the latest commissioner reports for both councils and published them, together with my formal responses, on gov.uk.

On 27 January 2026, I announced that I was content for Thurrock council to initiate a recruitment process for a chief executive. I understand that the recruitment process is on schedule, with an appointment due to be recommended to full council later this month. As Parliament will be in recess at that time, and having considered local representations, I am announcing today that if the council successfully appoints a chief executive, and the managing director commissioner subsequently steps away from their role, I will appoint a commissioner with responsibility for transformation in due course. This will ensure that there continues to be three commissioners in place in Thurrock to provide the necessary oversight, challenge and support as the council moves into the next phase of its intervention and recovery.

Following the managing director commissioner setting out his plans to step down at Slough borough council over the summer period, and having considered local representations, I am today announcing that I will appoint a replacement managing director commissioner with the expertise and leadership needed to address the scale of its ongoing challenges. Given that Dr Dave Smith’s role will end at Thurrock with the appointment of a chief executive, I am announcing that he will be appointed as managing director commissioner at Slough borough council.

I would like to take this opportunity extend my sincere thanks for all the work Will Tuckley has done as managing director commissioner for the intervention at Slough borough council.

In March, I announced the de-escalation of the statutory intervention at Nottingham city council and committed to appointing a second ministerial envoy. I am today appointing Sir Stephen Houghton CBE as political envoy in Nottingham to provide support and guidance to the council leadership to help build further on the improvements already under way.

I am committed to ensuring that the standards expected of local government are clear, and to working with these councils to ensure their compliance with the best value duty. I will deposit in the Library of the House copies of the documents referred to, which are being published on gov.uk today. Ministers will update the House in due course.

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