Nottingham City Council’s Leader Neghat Khan and Chief Executive Sajeeda Rose have welcomed a progress report issued by Government-appointed Commissioners to oversee improvements at the authority.
The Leader and Chief Executive say that the report outlines the significant progress the Council is making but that there is still much work to do to bring about the change needed.
“Commissioners have highlighted the firm cooperative working relationship they have with the Council and that we have welcomed them constructively and established a positive and productive approach to engaging with them.
“They have also said that, as new Leader and Chief Executive, we have faced up to the challenges that the Council must tackle in full acceptance of the reality of the difficulties and have a declared resolve to overcome them.
“The fact that Commissioners have so far not needed to use any of the powers they have available with the full council to make change clearly demonstrates that they feel we are heading in the right direction and that we understand what needs to be done.
“But we are under no illusions about the challenges ahead, in particular that we are operating considerably beyond our means.
“Our Budget proposals for next year and our ongoing Improvement Plan will give the Council financial sustainability for the years ahead, ensuring we put our house in order and get the basics right. We want to deliver a renewed council providing the high-quality services that local people expect and deserve from us and which has an ambitious vision for leading the city forward.”
In their report, Lead Commissioner, Tony McArdle; Commissioner for Finance, Margaret Lee and Transformation Commissioner, Sharon Kemp, say that it’s possible for the Council to return to financial balance in the medium-term and can be made sustainable thereafter “by becoming substantially more efficient in its operations, through modernising and transforming the nature of its service operations and back office, optimising processes, and improving performance.”
“Services will have to change quickly as part of that process, and such change is inevitably difficult, but the solutions that we are pointing the Council towards are those which other Councils have successfully achieved in the most critical areas of delivery.
“Nottingham shares the desire of much of the sector to go beyond what is currently provided, and to expand its operations in the interests of the citizens of the city. It now recognises that it will be able to do this only when it restores its capability, embeds financial discipline, and takes advantage of learning from established best practice elsewhere to adapt to its own circumstances. Until it does those things it will continue to require exceptional financial support.
“While we are confident that what is necessary is now well appreciated at a senior political and managerial level, considerably more work is necessary to ensure that the degree of change the Council must undergo in order to become sustainable is undertaken and becomes embedded throughout the organisation.”
In a letter to the Council Leader, Jim McMahon, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, said: “I’m pleased to hear that the leadership team are committed to working with Commissioners to move the Council to a more sustainable position and improve both its financial position and its services for local residents.
“I am encouraged to see that the Council has a clear strategy set out in the Improvement Plan and are also committed to working with the recently established East Midlands County Combined Authority to reset local relationships.
“I understand that there are still significant challenges to overcome, including the identification and delivery of substantial savings and significant service reform. We want central government to be a supportive partner through this process and think that a strong relationship between the Commissioners, Nottingham City Council and the Ministry is a good example of how we can work together to support local recovery and reform.”
