Communities secretary John Denham has intervened in the running of Doncaster Council, following a damning audit published today.

The Audit Commission’s corporate governance inspection found a catalogue of failings among senior level staff following a “disastrous” reorganisation of the council in 2005. This has led to problems in areas including planning, school development, and council property sharing.

Denham is intervening on recommendation from the commission in a bid to rectify what he calls the “corporate paralysis” of Doncaster council.

The Audit Commission’s report found that decision making in the council had grown sluggish, leading to delays in key areas for Doncaster property, such as:

• The Local Development Framework, a document setting out development priorities and proposals, which is still not agreed.
• Decisions around Building Schools for the Future, which have been delayed, and external capital funds put at risk because of indecision.
• Discussions with the primary care trust about funding for a new health centre to allow council and NHS staff to work together, which have been delayed by arguments in the council.

The report strongly criticises the council’s former interim chief executive, Tim Leader, who was paid-off and left the post 2 April. He has now been replaced with Jo Miller.

Denham has today appointed Rob Whiteman, the new chief executive of the local government improvement organisation IDeA, to chair an emergency advisory board to provide leadership and support to Miller.

Denham said: “I take very seriously the failure of Doncaster local authority - the mayor, cabinet, chief officers and councillors – to serve the people of Doncaster well.

“From the outset, I have made it clear that I would take whatever action was necessary to look after the best interests of local people. I can make it clear today that I will use my statutory powers to intervene.”

Rob Whiteman, incoming managing director of the Improvement and Development Agency, said: “The residents of Doncaster quite rightly deserve assurance that every possible effort will be made to help the local council improve.

“It is absolutely vital that changes are put in place to the way the authority operates, services are safeguarded and local people start to receive a better deal.”

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