‘Huge mess’ – Tory MP brands his own local council as the worst run in the country
A Tory MP has branded his local Conservative-run council as “the worst run local authority in the country” as he renewed calls for Government commissioners to step in.
The criticism by Philip Hollobone was followed up by local government minister Rishi Sunak, who said there were issues with governance and culture at Northamptonshire County Council.
Labour said the failure at Northamptonshire was “the result of a perfect storm of chronic underfunding and catastrophic Tory mismanagement”, as it accused Communities Secretary Sajid Javid of burying his head in the sand over funding.
Northamptonshire County Council has brought in a so-called section 114 notice preventing all new expenditure.
It comes after ministers appointed an independent inspector to investigate the council’s finances and a critical review by the Local Government Association (LGA).
“It gives me no pleasure to say that with the issue of this section 114 notice, Northamptonshire County Council becomes the worst run local authority in the country,” said Mr Hollobone.
“There are undoubtedly huge pressures on the social care budget, exacerbated by Northamptonshire’s fast growing elderly population, and the Government’s fairer funding review is welcome but will come too late, I’m afraid, for Northamptonshire County Council.
“But this whole thing has been exacerbated by poor leadership by the cabinet at the county council, in which all seven Northamptonshire MPs now have no confidence.”
Asking an urgent question in the Commons, Mr Hollobone (pictured) said the council had debts of more than £700 million, while as many as 100 people were stuck in hospital each day because social care was not available.
He added the council was in “a huge mess”, adding: “The sooner Lords commissioners are sent in to sort out this mess, the better.”
Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne cited reports that at least 10 other local authorities were prepared to issue section 114 notices.
He added: “The failure of this Tory-run council is the result of a perfect storm of chronic underfunding and catastrophic Tory mismanagement.
“But when a Government has taken £5.8 billion out of local government finance. When everyone is saying that social care is on its knees.
“When children’s services needs another £2 billion, this Secretary of State not only doesn’t turn up to an urgent question, he sticks his head in the sand and fails to give local government the money it needs to provide safe, decent, quality services.”
Mr Sunak said the Government had taken action and sent in an independent inspector, adding it would be wrong to prejudice this investigation, which is due to report back in March.
He also said the council had been clear that statutory services and its safeguarding of vulnerable people would continue, and staff would continue to be paid.
“Maybe (Mr Gwynne) would do well to listen to the words of the CEO of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, who said while Northamptonshire has had a difficult context with which to balance its budget, other councils in a similar situation have successfully managed their budgets,” said Mr Sunak.
“As (Mr Hollobone) pointed out, the issue is around governance and culture. These were the things that were highlighted and that is what the inspector will be considering.”
Mr Sunak later said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to comment on rumours that other councils were at risk of issuing section 114 notices.
He added: “My department consistently monitors all councils and is in dialogue with all of them and the LGA’s peer review process which we fund to ensure that we have a good consistent pictures across local government of what is happening on the ground.”
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