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Guildford Borough Council marks 18 months of solid, sustained improvement

Guildford Borough Council marks 18 months of solid, sustained improvement

Guildford Borough Council has published its latest progress update, marking 18 months of significant and measurable improvement as it continues delivering its robust, three-year Improvement Plan.  

This latest update, to be presented to Full Council on 24 February, highlights determined advancements over the last six months across governance, compliance, housing services, collaboration with Waverley Borough Council, finance, and organisational performance. This will be accompanied by the Independent Assurance Panel’s (IAP) third assessment, which is an external view to the Council and residents on the Council’s progress on delivery of the Improvement Plan.  

In their report, the IAP has recognised that the Council is continuing to progress on its improvement journey, notably improving our services to tenants; and that the risk of the Council not complying with Best Value Standards is now lower. The Panel recognises that the Council is only partway through a three-year improvement journey and continues to manage risks such as supporting the emerging Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey, and to sustain the progress made in the Council’s Housing Services.  

Cllr Julia McShane, Leader of the Council, said:  

 “I’m incredibly proud of the meaningful progress we’ve made over the last 18 months, but I’m equally clear that we still have further to go. This is a journey of openness, honesty, and accountability. We’re committed to delivering quality public services that our residents deserve, and I want to thank every resident who has shared their experience with us so far. Challenging us to do better, helps shape the journey we’re on and this most recent assessment shows how far we’ve come. 

“I’m grateful for the ongoing support and expertise of the Independent Assurance Panel and confident that by working together we will deliver the long-term improvements our communities deserve.”  

This latest report will be considered by Full Council on Tuesday 24 February. 

ENDS

The next update on the Improvement Plan will be in six months’ time in Autumn 2026.   

Read Our Journey to Improvement 

Key progress over the last six months includes: 

  • Stronger tenant satisfaction, rising from 61% to 70%, following a collaborative Council-wide response to the recent Regulator of Social Housing inspection. 
  • Continued growth in the Guildford and Waverley Collaboration, building on two established shared services and embedding a shared culture of support and joint working across both councils. 
  • A six-month Governance Leadership Programme, covering 21 topics, delivered to officers to strengthen understanding and practice of good governance, with further sessions planned for 2026. 
  • Investing in people, including new People & OD strategies, a second staff survey, a dedicated Health & Wellbeing Week, and an enhanced People & OD function to better support services. 
  • Approval of a balanced General Fund Budget for 2026/27, alongside a realistic and achievable four-year Medium Term Financial Plan, setting a clear path for how services will be funded in the years ahead. 
  • Improved organisational performance, with published data showing two consecutive years of strengthened outcomes across all major service areas, including waste and recycling, town centre footfall, air quality, and leisure and wellbeing. 
  • Compliance across all core statutory areas is on target or climbing, and this year’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures show improvements across the board.  
  • Responsive repairs remains a top priority: with a new contractor in place and upgraded technology bedding in, we’re already seeing fewer outstanding jobs and higher satisfaction. We’re listening more closely too. 
  • An increase in complaints at stage one is helping us better understand tenants’ experiences, while new training ensures a stronger, more customer centred approach to resolving them. 
  • Major strategic programmes are progressing at pace. The final draft Housing Asset Management Strategy, shaped with tenant input, heads to Executive this month.  
  • Our stock condition survey is well underway, with over 1,000 homes assessed and early results showing a rise in properties meeting the Decent Homes Standard.  
  • Digital transformation is accelerating, led by a newly appointed Housing IT Project Manager and a discovery phase to modernise our systems and create a single, seamless customer view.  
  • Tenant engagement continues to flourish. From the expanded Resident Sounding Board and updated “You Said, We Did” feedback, to resident led scrutiny training and a new TRA framework, more tenants than ever are helping shape the future of housing services.


​ Press contact: The Communications Team – e-mail commsteam@guildford.gov.uk