Raynsford gives Hull six weeks to ensure progress on recovery

12 Jun 03
Local government minister Nick Raynsford has taken the first tentative steps towards full intervention at Hull City Council, warning the ruling Labour group that it has just six weeks to implement an effective management structure. In a strongly worde

13 June 2003

Local government minister Nick Raynsford has taken the first tentative steps towards full intervention at Hull City Council, warning the ruling Labour group that it has just six weeks to implement an effective management structure.

In a strongly worded letter to Labour group leader Colin Inglis, Raynsford warns that ministers must see evidence of an effective corporate structure by 'the end of July'. He also suggests the authority 'would benefit from some outside support' from a consultant linked to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The letter, obtained by Public Finance, further warns that a follow-up inspection report by the Audit Commission, due to revisit Hull shortly, will focus on the controversial corporate governance and management arrangements at the council in the wake of the suspension of its chief executive last week.

Kingston-upon-Hull's Labour-led internal member panel suspended Jim Brooks for his alleged involvement in leaking the highly critical corporate governance report by the commission last year, despite the fact that he was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Standards Board for England, the sector's ethics regulator.

Ministers threatened to intervene at the council following the commission's report, which unearthed a culture of poor leadership, political infighting and financial mismanagement.

Opposition councillors claim that Brooks was the victim of 'politicking' by the new Labour administration, which took over from a Liberal Democrat-independent coalition after this year's local elections.

The letter from Raynsford followed a meeting between the ODPM and Inglis on June 9 at which the government's potential intervention was discussed. The Labour group described the meeting as 'progressive'.

But the letter warns Inglis that Raynsford 'will want to be satisfied' that the changes agreed by the council address the weaknesses highlighted by the Audit Commission 'and ensure progress on recovery'.

PF has also discovered that Inglis's conduct at the council may be the subject of a Standards Board investigation following a complaint by the LibDem group alleging that Brooks was 'marked out' for replacement long before Labour re-assumed control in partnership with a group of independent councillors.

A letter sent to Brooks by Inglis in November 2002 states that the Labour group would 'institute an immediate review' of the council's senior management, taking into account the 'competencies of individuals…including the post of chief executive'.

PFjun2003

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