Powers slowly returning to South Yorkshire council
Steady improvement at a South Yorkshire council has led to a further five functions being returned to its control.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid will hand back the control of several functions to Rotherham metropolitan borough council:
- performance management in each of the council’s service areas
- waste collection
- community safety which includes community cohesion and domestic violence
- human resources
- asset management including both land and property assets
The move to return the functions, which include community safety and waste collection, follows the latest report by the government-appointed commissioner team that noted steady improvement by the council. Rotherham MBC has regained eight powers in the last nine months.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The council is continuing to make progress under the watchful eye of our commissioners and the return of additional powers to Rotherham reflects this progress.
“However, the commissioners will remain in place and continue to work with the council to help restore full democratic powers.”
The Commissioner team, led by Mary Ney, who replaced Sir Derek Myers as Lead Commissioner in April 2017, outlined continuing improvements in her progress report.
To give further assurance to residents, the community safety service will be returned with enhanced oversight by the commissioner team over services supporting victims of domestic violence. This would allow the relevant commissioner to veto any Cabinet decision if they feel necessary.
Commissioners will retain executive decision making power over children’s social care services, special allowances, and also the appointment and dismissal of any statutory officers. They will also continue to have oversight over all returned functions.
Javid will continue to receive three-monthly reviews from the commissioners. The intervention is expected to end on 31 March 2019.
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