Probe into chaos of council chief’s departure
A COUNCIL watchdog committee has launched an investigation into the chaos which surrounded the sudden departure of Birmingham chief executive Mark Rogers.
Members of the backbench governance scrutiny committee have set up a cross-party working group to review the way the council recruits, retains and sees off its most senior staff.
News of Mr Rogers departure as £180,000-per-year chief executive broke over a weekend and plunged the council into tur- moil. There were five days of speculation before the council’s Labour leadership officially informed councillors and staff and confirmed that strategic director Angela Probert would be standing in for him.
Councillors were also ordered not to discuss the departure in public or on social media – although several ignored the warnings.
The review will look at the openness and transparency of the process and decision making, to include media strategy and staff information.
Committee vice-chairman Randal Brew (Con, Northfield) said: “The Committee felt they had to respond to the reputational damage the city council has suffered over recent events, and had a duty to review the process in respect of senior officers.”
He stressed that the review would not interfere or prejudice any legal issues over Mr Rogers departure.
“All members present were keen to restore and preserve good practice in such matters and felt that this review was necessary to be seen to do that,” he added.
Councillors of all parties were shocked by the departure.
It was claimed Mr Rogers was asked to resign over the budget black hole last year.
There was also speculation that the Government had put pressure on the council over the issue after Mr Rogers had been critical of its austerity policies in a national newspaper interview.