Praise from minister for ‘decisive’ city council
LOCAL government secretary Sajid Javid has backed the appointment of new chief executive Stella Manzie to turn around struggling Birmingham City Council.
In a letter to the Improvement Panel currently overseeing the council, Mr Javid praised the “decisive” action to appoint such an experienced council official to take over as interim chief executive.
Ms Manzie’s appointment followed the departure of Mark Rogers as chief executive at the end of February – seemingly taking responsibility for the Labour-run council’s failure to deliver £49 million of promised savings in 2016/17.
Mr Javid’s letter states: “It is encouraging to hear that you believe that the 2017/18 budget is achievable, and of the determination of the leader and cabinet to deliver the council’s financial plans.
“As you identify, both political support and managerial leader- ship are vital to ensure the council gets on to a sustainable financial footing – and that means the council must address in parallel the issues you identify regarding culture, capacity and capability.”
The letter has been welcomed by council leader John Clancy who is “pleased” the cabinet minister has recognised progress being made by the council.
He said: “This represents the most positive letter yet to be written by a secretary of state to the chair of the improvement panel and I personally take great heart from the fact that the Government now recognises the determination of the leader of the council and the cabinet to deliver our financial plans, and that the 2017-18 budget is achievable.
“I believe this council now has a very strong management and political team with a shared determination to build on the progress already made and deliver in full the organisational and cultural reforms set out in the Kerslake Review.”
The Improvement Panel was set up in early 2015 to oversee the implementation of the Kerslake Review of Birmingham City Council. It found a dysfunctional authority and recommended a major overhaul in the way it works.