Levelling up secretary Greg Clark has stepped back from appointing commissioners to take control of Nottingham City Council (NCC) and, instead, has decided to strengthen the powers of the current Improvement and Assurance Board.
In June, Clark’s predecessor, Michael Gove, indicated that he was minded to intervene in the council and was proposing to appoint Sir Tony Redmond, the current chair of the board, as lead commissioner.
However, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has today (2 September) confirmed that it will take a lighter-touch approach. This is due to a number of factors, including: representations that highlighted the close working relationship between NCC and the board, the positive attitude of the council towards improvement and the capabilities of the leader.
The secretary of state is clear that he expects significant progress to be made over the next three months, including in relation to the council’s longer-term budgeting and financial performance.
Statutory footing
In a letter to Redmond, DLUHC confirmed that the board would move to a statutory footing. As chair, Redmond is now “empowered to direct rather than guide the council’s improvement activities”.
The letter, from Max Soule, deputy director of local government stewardship, said the move reflected Clark’s confidence in the board and the progress made under Redmond’s leadership.
It added: “However, the secretary of state is clear that he expects significant progress to be made over the next three months, including in relation to the council’s longer-term budgeting and financial performance.”
Redmond has been asked to submit a report within the next three months, and thereafter on a six-monthly basis.
I am confident we will continue to work well with the board to make the progress needed to emerge a better council.
‘Help not punishment’
The government’s lighter-touch approach was welcomed by the council, which said that Clark had indicated that he wanted to “offer help not punishment” to the council.
“The decision not to appoint commissioners shows that our representations about the positive progress we were making with the current Improvement and Assurance Board have been listened to and taken into account by the government,” said council leader David Mellen.
“I am confident we will continue to work well with the board to make the progress needed to emerge a better council.”
Sir Tony Redmond will be speaking about financial resilience and governance in local government at Room151’s Local Authority Treasurers Investment Forum and FDs’ Summit in London on 13 September.
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