28 May 2004
Bromsgrove District Council is to vote next week on whether it should take the unique step of inviting the government to intervene to help it solve its 'long-standing problems'.
The council is due to be assessed under the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment regime in September and is expecting to be categorised as either poor or weak.
The authority has been struggling for some time with poor financial planning and a tight budget hindering its efforts to improve.
New chief executive Sue Nixon is pushing for the move, knowing that a poor rating would mean intervention early next year.
Under the proposals, also endorsed by council leader Dennis Norton, the authority would invite officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to help it put together an improvement plan and monitor its progress.
This policy of voluntary engagement would give it a basis to ask the Audit Commission to delay its CPA rating and could enable it to access additional cash under the government's capacity-building fund.
'We are suggesting we take the bull by the horns,' explained Norton. 'Voluntary engagement is a bold approach and the support we get will enable us to make changes at a quicker pace.'
The Audit Commission refused to comment on Bromsgrove's proposals. It is set to complete its CPA inspection for the whole of Worcestershire in September as part of its district programme.
The council will vote on the plan on June 3.
PFmay2004
