Sandwell Council: Government 'minded' to appoint commissioners

The government is considering appointing commissioners to help run a troubled council.

Labour-run Sandwell Council has had six different leaders in as many years and has seen a number of misconduct allegations made against councillors.

The government's proposals would see two commissioners appointed to "assist the local authority in performing its duties... properly and thoroughly".

The council said it was "disappointed" with the announcement.

A recent audit found evidence of poor behaviour and a lack of trust across the organisation. The council was said to be "insular and siloed" but improvements were also highlighted.

In a written statement to the House of Commons earlier, Kemi Badenoch, minister for equalities and levelling up communities, said Sandwell Council had "struggled for many years" to resolve a number of issues which had led to "a breakdown in trust, respect and confidence".

She said while "green shoots" of progress had been identified, it was the government's view that "the risk of progress stalling or slowing is significant".

In a recent visit to the area, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there had to be change at Sandwell Council, but its leaders knew what needed to be done.

Jon Spellar, the Labour MP for Warley, said the move was "clearly political" and accused the government of timing the announcement for when "the prime minister is in trouble".

However his Conservative colleagues, West Bromwich East MP Nicola Richards, West Bromwich West MP Shaun Bailey and Halesown and Rowley Regis MP James Morris, thanked the government for intervening.

In a co-signed letter, they said: "The poor decisions and mismanagement at this local authority that have accumulated over decades has undoubtedly affected the lives of the most vulnerable in Sandwell".

The council has been invited to respond to the government proposals by 11 February.

In a statement, the authority's leader, Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, said the leadership team was "focussed on embedding the positive changes we have seen in recent months".

"We feel we have really turned a corner and demonstrated improvements," she said.

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