What are RIEPs?

What are RIEPs?

RIEPs are networks of councils and partners which are led by elected members and work together at a regional, and often sub-regional level. The RIEPs add new capacity to local government to accelerate the drive for greater improvement and efficiency. A small team of RIEP staff, located in a host body such as a council or regional organisation, support the work of the partnership.

Bodies such as the IDeA, Government Offices, Local Government Employers and other regional organisations also work closely with the RIEPs. In this way, a RIEP acts as a hub for improvement and efficiency support. This ensures local authorities can access the right support at the right time from a range of organisations.

Why have RIEPs been created?

At the heart of the RIEPs lies the belief that councils and their partners are best placed to drive improvement and efficiency.
We have learned that improvement works best when:

it is led by councils, working in partnership with other public service providers
central resources are devolved as close as possible to the frontline.

We also know that a lot of good support is available but sometimes there is duplication. Councils don't always know where to go for the right support.

The RIEPs are an important response to this learning - helping councils and their partners navigate the maze of improvement support. We also know that councils and their partners hold the solutions to the challenges that many councils face. And by sharing these, local government more widely can benefit. RIEPs are built on the belief that collaboration and sharing expertise are the routes to innovation, improvement and efficiency.

There is a guide to RIEPs which provides an overview of: