Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge

Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) is a highly valued improvement and assurance tool that is delivered by the sector for the sector. It involves a team of senior local government councillors and officers undertaking a comprehensive review of key finance, performance and governance information and then spending time at the council to provide robust, strategic, and credible challenge and support.

In November 2024 a CPC team visited Gateshead Council. The team's report was published in February 2025 alongside an action plan from the council that addressed the review's ten key recommendations:

• LGA Corporate Peer Challenge - Gateshead Council Feedback report: 11 - 14 November 2024
• LGA Corporate Peer Challenge - key recommendations and action plan

An integral part of the CPC process is a progress review to take place within a year of the initial visit. That review took place in October 2025 with the review team finding that the 'breadth and depth of activity undertaken by Gateshead Council in response to the CPC recommendations is commendable' and assessed progress on each of the ten original recommendations.

Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge progress review report