Ministers poised to run Liverpool
THE Government is preparing to take over the running of the city of Liverpool this week after a string of corruption allegations, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
The expected decision by Robert Jenrick, the Local Government Secretary, to intervene in the running of one of the UK’s biggest cities is unprecedented in modern times.
Commissioners could be sent in to run the day-to-day operations of the council for several years – something that has only happened three times in the past 25 years. Commissioners were sent in to take over the running of councils in Northampton in 2018, Rotherham in 2015 and Tower Hamlets in 2014. None of them was the scale of a city like Liverpool, however.
Max Caller, a respected local government inspector who was the commissioner in Tower Hamlets, was appointed by Mr Jenrick to lead the investigation into Liverpool last December.
Mr Caller has focused his investigation on property management, regeneration, highways, contracts and planning at the council over the past five years. The
Telegraph understands that Mr Jenrick has received the final report and recommendations from Mr Caller.
Mr Jenrick will decide what action to take this week before the formal purdah period begins, before the local government elections. It is likely he will order commissioners into Liverpool.
Mr Caller has already briefed MPs in the area about the findings, which will be published this week. His report is understood to contain a “damning indictment of the council”.
Councillors will still be elected in Liverpool but could cede executive powers to the commissioners for as long as they are appointed.
A Ministry of Housing spokesman said: “The Secretary of State has received the independent Best Value inspection team’s report. This is being considered carefully and next steps will be set out shortly.”
Mr Jenrick ordered the inquiry into the council in December after the arrest of Joe Anderson, the city’s mayor.
Mr Anderson was held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation. He has denied any wrongdoing.