Independent review highlights progress in improving everyday life for Buckinghamshire residents

The Local Government Association (LGA) recently returned to Buckinghamshire to look at the progress made since its original Corporate Peer Challenge in 2025. The review team, made up of experienced councillors and senior officers from other councils, describes Buckinghamshire Council as an "impressive organisation with strong foundations, strong leadership and a positive organisational culture".

The review found significant progress across all of the areas highlighted during the original assessment, including strengthening local communities, supporting economic growth, improving services, delivering new homes, and maintaining a robust financial position despite the pressures facing councils across the country.

At the heart of the review is the positive difference being made for residents, with services becoming easier to access, support reaching people more quickly, and investment continuing in the places and communities that matter most to local people.

One example is improving customer service by using automation for 'simple' requests to save time for our customers and free up customer service colleagues for more complex queries our residents come to us with.

The peer team also noted that:

• residents can more easily see how council services are performing and how public money is being spent.
• improved technology is helping residents get answers and support more quickly while ensuring taxpayers' money is used effectively.
• communities are receiving greater support through programmes such as Opportunity Bucks, helping local people shape and strengthen their neighbourhoods.
• continued improvements are being made to services for children and young people with SEND and their families.
• residents have played an important role in shaping plans for Buckinghamshire's future through extensive engagement on the new Local Plan.
• regeneration projects are creating opportunities for residents through new jobs, investment and thriving town centres.

Since the original review, the council has also introduced a new ‘Corporate Plan’ for the county, creating a clearer link between the issues residents tell us matter most, the services the council delivers and how taxpayers' money is spent.

Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said:

"Everything we do is about improving outcomes for residents and making Buckinghamshire an even better place to live, work and visit.

"This review recognises the progress we've made in making services easier to access, supporting residents when they need us, investing in communities and ensuring taxpayers receive good value for money.

"It's encouraging to see that progress recognised, but we're not standing still. We're ambitious for Buckinghamshire and we'll continue looking for ways to improve services and deliver even more for local people."

The review concluded that Buckinghamshire Council has made significant progress since the original challenge and is well placed to build on that momentum in the years ahead.