WIREDGOV

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Greg Clark has announced further measures to address failures at Nottingham City Council.

• Secretary of State issues new directions to Nottingham City Council
• Council must follow the advice of the Improvement Board to speed up improvements
• The Board will advise in 3 months whether sufficient progress continues to be made, or whether commissioners should be appointed.

Further measures to address failures at Nottingham City Council was recently (2 September 2022) confirmed by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The Secretary of State has used powers under the Local Government Act to strengthen the role of the improvement and Assurance board to be able to drive improvements at the Council.

The measures will give the board statutory powers to compel the Council to act on their advice, ensuring they are delivering necessary changes.

The Secretary of State, for Levelling Up, Greg Clark MP recently said:

Under Sir Tony Redmond’s leadership of the Improvement Board, working with the council leader, Nottingham City Council has taken important steps to deliver the changes expected by local residents.

However, it is clear that more action is needed to ensure the Council is able to meet its best value duty.

I have therefore issued Directions today that will empower the Improvement and Assurance Board and accelerate improvements at the Council.

The government had previously updated Parliament in June this year that it was minded to intervene in the Council after independent reports commissioned in response to the discovery of unlawful Housing Revenue Account expenditure found “serious historical financial and governance failings” as well as “cultural failings and a reluctance to escalate issues appropriately.”

After reviewing evidence of the close and positive working between the Council and the Improvement and the Assurance Board the Secretary of State has decided to strengthen the powers of the Board rather than the appointment of commissioners at this time.

The Secretary of State has asked the Board to report to him in 3 months and advise whether progress continues to be made at sufficient pace, or whether it requires further action, including stronger statutory interventions. As part of this evaluation, he has required the Council to strengthen their approach to longer term budgeting.

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