By Vivienne Russell
22 April 2010
The government is to intervene in the running of Doncaster council after a damning report from inspectors.
An Audit Commission probe into corporate governance at the troubled authority concluded that the council was ‘failing’. Inspectors said Doncaster was not properly run.
Those responsible for leading the council – the elected mayor, Cabinet, some councillors and officers – ‘do not collectively have the capacity or capability to make the necessary improvements in governance’, the commission said. ‘The council will not improve without significant and sustained support from external bodies.’
The watchdog carried out its corporate governance inspection following repeated evidence, amassed over 15 years, that the council was not well managed.
Doncaster performed poorly in last year’s Comprehensive Area Assessment and inspectors raised particular concerns about prospects for poor children and the provision of housing to vulnerable people.
Following the publication of the commission’s report on April 19, Communities Secretary John Denham said he would use his statutory powers to intervene. The performance of the council was ‘absolutely unacceptable’, he said.
Denham has established an emergency advisory board, chaired by Rob Whiteman, incoming managing director of the Improvement & Development Agency, to provide leadership and support to Doncaster’s acting chief executive, Jo Miller.
Miller, deputy chief executive of the Local Government Association, was seconded to Doncaster earlier this month.
Her predecessor, Tim Leader, left his post after less than three months amid reports of clashes with Mayor Peter Davies.
Commenting on the commission’s findings, Davies said: ‘Many of the problems at the council were embedded before I arrived. I see this as time to draw a line in the sand and move forward for the good of the council and the people we serve and I am confident we can do this.’
22 April 2010
The government is to intervene in the running of Doncaster council after a damning report from inspectors.
An Audit Commission probe into corporate governance at the troubled authority concluded that the council was ‘failing’. Inspectors said Doncaster was not properly run.
Those responsible for leading the council – the elected mayor, Cabinet, some councillors and officers – ‘do not collectively have the capacity or capability to make the necessary improvements in governance’, the commission said. ‘The council will not improve without significant and sustained support from external bodies.’
The watchdog carried out its corporate governance inspection following repeated evidence, amassed over 15 years, that the council was not well managed.
Doncaster performed poorly in last year’s Comprehensive Area Assessment and inspectors raised particular concerns about prospects for poor children and the provision of housing to vulnerable people.
Following the publication of the commission’s report on April 19, Communities Secretary John Denham said he would use his statutory powers to intervene. The performance of the council was ‘absolutely unacceptable’, he said.
Denham has established an emergency advisory board, chaired by Rob Whiteman, incoming managing director of the Improvement & Development Agency, to provide leadership and support to Doncaster’s acting chief executive, Jo Miller.
Miller, deputy chief executive of the Local Government Association, was seconded to Doncaster earlier this month.
Her predecessor, Tim Leader, left his post after less than three months amid reports of clashes with Mayor Peter Davies.
Commenting on the commission’s findings, Davies said: ‘Many of the problems at the council were embedded before I arrived. I see this as time to draw a line in the sand and move forward for the good of the council and the people we serve and I am confident we can do this.’
