Sunderland City Council: local authority assessment

There were clear and effective governance, management, and accountability arrangements at all levels within the local authority. The local authority was proud of having a stable leadership team and a clearly defined structure of governance. Governance arrangements included fortnightly directorate management meetings attended by senior leaders and the attendance of additional principal staff quarterly. Development and improvement activity were led by senior leaders within the service, such as the Quality Assurance and Performance Group which focused on driving improvements in performance and practice as well as celebrating and sharing good practice. Leaders were visible, capable, and compassionate. Staff and key stakeholders told us challenging conversations were welcomed and worked through due to good relationships and a long-standing senior leadership team who were cited on and passionate about the city.

Systems provided visibility and assurance on delivery of Care Act duties. For example, the local authority finalised a review of their structure in Summer 2023 which created a quality assurance team to oversee practice improvement. Improved data systems, information collection and dashboards supported effective oversight.

Throughout the assessment we saw and heard of a consistent and respected leadership team who had and continued to oversee an innovative and creative approach to restructuring the service. We heard of the positive impact the restructure was having for people with care and support needs, key stakeholders and staff within the organisation.

Leaders were passionate about the place they worked and the people in their communities. They knew where their gaps were and were taking innovative and considered approaches to filling those within their gift. 

The relationships between leaders and staff, leaders and community and staff and community were holistic, person centred, and strengths based at every opportunity. The resources supporting this approach were innovative and aligned with what was important to people and how this impacted their wellbeing. Staff consistently praised the numerous forums and workshops that facilitated regular interactions with senior leaders. These platforms not only provided opportunities for open dialogue but also demonstrated a clear commitment to acting upon staff input. Staff feedback consistently portrayed a senior leadership team as highly visible, competent, and empathetic. Leaders actively engaged with staff, showing genuine interest in their work and personal lives. This was evident through their ability to recall specific projects and personal details. Formal forums for leader-staff engagement were a regular occurrence. Staff feedback through regular surveys and a proactive "you said, we did" approach further strengthened this two-way communication. Staff expressed confidence that their feedback would be valued, addressed, and acted upon appropriately.

The local authority effectively utilised data and evidence to guide its adult social care decisions. This included using information on risks, performance, inequalities, and outcomes to shape its overarching strategy, allocate resources strategically, and implement actions to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities. The current integrated adult social care strategy was data-driven and directly aligned with public health objectives, specifically addressing health inequalities. Examples of this data-driven approach included strategic resource allocation such as commissioning and funding for preventative services, such as falls prevention and homelessness initiatives. These examples were specifically aligned with the local authority's strategic priorities and public health findings. Furthermore, there was a strong alignment and coherence of strategy between the local authority and its partner organisations.

There were clear risk management and escalation arrangements. These included escalation internally and externally as required. There were formal mechanisms for elected officials to oversee the actions of executive leaders. Further avenues for professional scrutiny, such as collaborations with external partners and participation in various partnership boards also existed. These platforms facilitated data sharing, enabling partners to scrutinize and hold the local authority accountable for its Care Act responsibilities. The local authority’s political and executive leaders were well informed about the potential risks facing adult social care. These were reflected in the corporate risk register and considered in decisions across the wider council.

The local authority used information about risks, performance, inequalities, and outcomes to inform its adult social strategy and plans, allocate resources and deliver the actions needed to improve care and support outcomes for people and local communities.

The local authority had prioritised homelessness and safeguarding, collaborating with Housing colleagues. There was recognition of the changing demographics of the area, including the growing Bangladeshi, Indian, and Filipino communities, as well as an increase of refugees and asylum seekers. The boards had taken steps to foster and prioritise community cohesion, such as responding to the needs of the Bangladeshi community and addressing misconceptions about refugees and migrants.

The local authority had arrangements to maintain the security, availability, integrity and confidentiality of data, records, and data management systems. There were arrangements and protocols to ensure safe sharing of data with partners. Information was kept confidential though secure recording and information storage arrangements.

Staff received training in how to handle information safely Information security and governance were risk areas which were monitored as part of audit plans and governance arrangements.