Government announces intervention at Birmingham City Council

The government has launched a five-year intervention at Birmingham City Council to "fix serious problems".

Commissioners have been appointed to tackle financial and governance problems after the intervention was confirmed by levelling up secretary Michael Gove.

The team of six commissioners will be led by Max Caller CBE and will be able to provide advice and challenge the council whilst making decisions directly, if necessary. The commissioners will have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment.

Gove said: "Residents have been let down by Birmingham City Council’s failure to get a grip of the significant issues it faces, from its equal pay liability to the implementation of its IT system.

"We are always committed to protecting the interests of taxpayers and we will take whatever action necessary to ensure this happens in Birmingham.

"That’s why today I have taken the decision to intervene and appoint a team of commissioners to help return the council to a sustainable footing moving forward."

A local inquiry will also be launched, which could look at how the issues facing Birmingham have developed and would examine the council’s ongoing management of issues identified in Lord Bob Kerslake’s review of the authority in 2014, and the non-statutory intervention afterwards.

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