Note: "The move comes in response to grave concerns about the exceptional level of financial risk and debt incurred by the council." Local government secretary Greg Clark has announced measures to intervene in Thurrock Council.The aim is to address “serious concerns” about the financial management of the council and the risk this poses to local services, as well as debt incurred by Thurrock Council.Essex County Council has been appointed in the role of the commissioner and Best Value Inspector. This gives the council full control of the financial functions of Thurrock Council and powers to assess whether there are failures in other functions to mitigate any further risk to services.Thurrock Council will work with Essex County Council to prepare an improvement plan within the first three months of the intervention. Thurrock is expected to provide a Best Value Inspection Report to the secretary of state within the same time frame.The move comes in response to grave concerns about the exceptional level of financial risk and debt incurred by the council.
Rosco White ● 1098d7 Comments
As is often said on here, Councils need to be abolished, the opportunity & scope for rampant corruption is vast.And it is often taken advantage of and fully utilised............. 😉
Rosco White ● 1097d
Look no further than the London Borough of Croydon. Erstwhile corrupt, currently bankrupt and in special measures.
N V Brooks ● 1097d
The Difference here is that the Mayor of London's office is costing boroughs dear by the imposition of policy that is over politicised, wasteful, largely damaging, costly and none too successful.But it's very structure is the root. And the lack of will by local authorities to just say No risks being starved of funding. It would be hard to define where a London Borough would be if these sorts of situations led to A Thurrock or Northampton situation.
Raymond Havelock ● 1097d
My mistake and you are absolutely right.
Thurrock has been run by the Tories, either as a minority or majority, since 2015. Northamptonshire, which has been Conservative for two decades, also went bankrupt. So, it's not a single party thing.
Kevin Wilson ● 1097d
But Ealing Council Labour are Financial Wizards?!........ 🤣The main (only?) ingredient of their powerful, financial cure-all, snake oil potion is ........ "Build More Towers!" 😆
Rosco White ● 1098d
Thankfully Ealing is not exposed to the investment in solar farms that has caused Labour-run Thurrock to become one of the most indebted and highly leveraged of all English local authorities. However the exposure to long-term indebtedness from 'investment' as a developer is concerning. Looks like Ealing has not learned from the failures at Croydon and Slough who both persued this path, who are both now in special measures and who are both seeking double-digit council tax increases along with futher cuts in services. Incompetent leadership and Brinkmanship are the common factors.
N V Brooks ● 1098d