Government tells city council to sort it out
THE Government today stepped in to help run Stoke-on-Trent, but insisted it was not taking over.
It wants new blood in a council rocked by a corruption probe involving its elected mayor, destabilised by the lack of a permanent chief executive and persistent political in-fighting.
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Local Government Minister John Healey was this morning outlining the measures in a statement to Parliament. The Government intervention in the city council includes:
No elections next year, as the Government imposes all-out elections from 2011
Fewer councillors from 2011 as the existing ward boundaries are reviewed
Spending £100,000 on a campaign to attract people to serve on the council
Offering local government experts to the council when it needs help.
Ministers, led by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, are known to be angry that councillors have failed to implement any of the 14 recommendations from the Governance Commission set up to look at the council's structure and performance.
Mr Healey said: "All-out elections is a chance to elect a council for the city in 2011. It was the first specific decision that the council tried to take and failed and that is why I am stepping in to make that decision for them.
"There will also be a cut in the number of councillors. I haven't got a hard number, but it needs to be fewer than 60."
The Government will run a £100,000 Take Part programme and Be A Councillor campaign to attract a new generation of councillors.
The measures also include appointing the leaders of Coventry City Council and Barnsley Metropolitan Council on to the transition board, which will monitor the council's actions.
But Mr Healey said: "The transition board is there to keep the city up to the mark. It is not there to run the services, it is there to provide the experts' view and make sure Stoke-on-Trent has the momentum to improve better than it has in the past."
Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello said he was pleased the Government had not taken a more confrontational line with the council.
"The Secretary of State could have sent the tanks in," he said.
News of the intervention comes as the Audit Commission today warned that the council's recent troubles could threaten its performance.
Chris Harman, interim chief executive, said: "The council is improving strongly, as judged by the independent Audit Commission. However, it is clear that the Government is worried about its future political stability. We will consider the Minister's statement and my team and I will continue to deliver improving services for the people of Stoke-on-Trent."
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by Michael, In front of the keyboard
Saturday, May 09 2009, 2:35PM
“Dear Mark Edward Brayford,
Why would we want a council made up of people whose only aim in life is to ram their religious beliefs down other peoples throats?”
by carol, turkey
Saturday, May 09 2009, 1:11PM
“It's easy, let all tenders be decided on by a body (from central government) to be changable by election
or employed for 1 year contracts or transfered
only then not be reinstated for 5 years. all contracts undertaken with liability clauses for over run of time or budget, keep all decisions away from people who could have added interests”
by Mark Edward Brayford, Chesterton
Saturday, May 09 2009, 11:23AM
“Those involved in civic governance would do well to remember the time when God the Father took action upon the Cities of the Plain, and only one good man (whose name was Lot) was spared, but still paid a terrible price when his wife was turned into a pillar of salt. While Stoke on Trent is perhaps not yet in such a state, it would be better if it was led by good Christians and people of other faiths, who would care for the needs of citizens in an ethical and morally sound manner, under the guidance of Our Lord.”
by Bill, Basford,Stoke on Trent
Saturday, May 09 2009, 10:05AM
“Timothy is talking rubbish,all of my councillors are Independents and they are all doing a brilliant job,our troubles are deep seated and go back many years when I'm afraid to say we had some awful Labour councillors who knew once elected they could sit back draw expenses for doing nothing,knowing they'd get back in next time around because of the voters of Stoke on Trents apathy,I must add that we've got some Tory councillors now who disregard the feelings of their constituents to feather their own nests.”
by Timothy, Tunstall
Friday, May 08 2009, 10:11PM
“I think it is the best thing that has happened and needed doing. The problem we have are the Independents, most of whom seem to stand on either one issue or the great political stance of 'I was born here', I'd rather the city be run by competent Albanians than by the idiot independents who hold so much sway.
But this is all our (the electors) fault, how many of us stand for councillor? We allow fascist racist bigots like the BNP to get in and totally unsuitable independent candidates, often with less than 1,000 people electing them, Stoke-on-Trent is a laughing stock around the UK. It has got what it deserves and it will be outsiders who will sort out the mess.”