Ministers plan new top team for Doncaster

3 Jun 10
The government plans to parachute a new chief executive and management team into failing Doncaster Council
By Richard Staines

03 June 2010

The government plans to parachute a new chief executive and management team into failing Doncaster Council.

In April this year, an Audit Commission report found that the council was poorly run and still haunted by issues caused by 15 years of poor management.

The report’s findings were accepted by the previous government and the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has since developed a new management structure for the council with the Local Government Association.

If the government’s proposals are accepted by the council and Doncaster residents, Rob Vincent, who has been chief executive of Kirklees Council since 2004, will take charge.

Vincent will be paid a salary of £176,000 per year and will be backed by a team of commissioners with the power to hire, discipline and dismiss officers.

The team will also ensure council decision makers do not ignore – or act against – the advice of statutory officers.

A non-executive Intervention and Recovery Board will monitor progress and report to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. Vincent will also have the backing of a new team of senior officers.

The new arrangements will be in place for an estimated three years and will cost an additional £65,000 annually, which will be paid for from the council’s own budget.

According to the Audit Commission, the issues that Vincent and his team must tackle include problems in children’s services, a lack of effective leadership from the mayor and Cabinet and an underperforming local economy.

Pickles said: ‘After 15 years of failure, Doncaster people need to be properly served by their council. The dysfunctional politics, poor services and ineffective leadership identified by the Audit Commission must be addressed.’

The council has three weeks to respond to the proposed structure. A new structure will then be introduced by statutory order.

Doncaster mayor Peter Davies said: ‘We note the draft directions and welcome much of what they say.’

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