Partnerships have always been central to Bristol's identity. Our recent Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) reinforced just how important our collaborations across the region are to achieving our strategic goals. The CPC was a welcome opportunity for us to see ourselves through the eyes of our partners and staff and to understand, with honesty and clarity, where our collaborative strengths lie and where we must continue to evolve to meet the expectations of a more complex, devolved and interconnected operating environment.
The peer team recognised Bristol as a city where activism, diversity and civic participation are deeply embedded in our culture. That spirit of engagement has shaped a mature and distinctive partnership landscape, spanning our Bristol One City collaborative partnership initiative, our statutory partnerships in areas such as health and social care, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, universities, businesses and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA).
Partners consistently described the council as a strong, valued and collaborative organisation, particularly in the way we have worked together to shape the missions in our One City Plan and priorities of our Corporate Strategy. This did not happen by chance. It reflects many years of investing in relationships, shared governance and a genuine commitment to coproduction rather than top-down delivery. It's increasingly clear that citizens expect this to be the approach taken to service delivery, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity across the sector.
At the same time, the CPC challenged us to be bolder about where we must go further.
In advance of the introduction of our committee system of governance – to note that following a public referendum our governance model changed three years ago in May 2024 from a city mayoral model to a committee system – many suggested this was a backwards step and would stop us getting stuff done. I'm glad to say that the peer challenge refutes this. The report says, "the shift in governance is recognised by internal and external stakeholders as having already contributed to improved collaboration and transparency across service areas, reinforcing a sense that local democracy is both active and effective." This is reaffirmed by the solid financial foundations the council has, in which we are prepared for the risks and challenges facing us.
Bristol needs to articulate a stronger and more confident narrative as the West of England and the South West's only core city - one that clearly sets out our economic leadership, innovation strengths, and the potential of growth sectors. This is not about branding; it is about giving partners clarity and confidence to align around shared priorities. This need to more sharply define our narrative is particularly important as up and down the country we begin see changing roles of regional government and upcoming local government reform with the Devolution Bill finalising its passage through Parliament. Local government is at the jumping off point for deepening fiscal and political devolution.
As change comes to our sector it also raises opportunities to think creatively about how we broaden our networks to benefit our local economies. These are opportunities we're exploring by forging closer links between the economic centres of the West of England with those along the western M4 corridor into South Wales.
In aligning our collective strategic visions we see the potential to ensure that residents can reap the full benefits of devolution, that places are valued for their unique character and economies and we tackle the entrenched challenges in housing, education, health and transport which result in inequitable outcomes.
In advance of the introduction of our committee system of governance – to note that following a public referendum our governance model changed three years ago in May 2024 from a city mayoral model to a committee system – many suggested this was a backwards step and would stop us getting stuff done. I'm glad to say that the peer challenge refutes this. The report says, "the shift in governance is recognised by internal and external stakeholders as having already contributed to improved collaboration and transparency across service areas, reinforcing a sense that local democracy is both active and effective." This is reaffirmed by the solid financial foundations the council has, in which we are prepared for the risks and challenges facing us.
We need to be more consistently driven by data and insight, using better information to target investment, measure impact and tackle inequalities across neighbourhoods.
What all this means for us is a more focused and disciplined agenda, centred on equity of outcomes, skills and lifelong learning, neighbourhood health, climate action, transport, major growth and regeneration. It means stepping into a stronger regional leadership role and deepening coproduction, so that lived experience continues to shape how services and policies are designed.
For me, the peer challenge reinforced a lesson that applies for all of us leading local authorities: our strength lies in our people and our relationships. Our willingness to share power within and without our organisations is critical to success.
We need clarity of purpose, confidence in leadership and disciplined prioritisation When those conditions are in place we have the best chance of unlocking investment, accelerating innovation, building resilience and delivering outcomes no single organisation could achieve alone.
Nick Hibberd is CEO, Bristol City Council
