Government takes control at failing Yorkshire council

Local government minister Bob Neill yesterday told Parliament the

council had accepted draft recommendations which would now be implemented.

A new chief executive – Kirklees Council chief officer Rob Vincent – will start work today and three commissioners, led by Sir John Harman, will also be overseeing the council's affairs.

Mr Neill said the new chief executive would recommend appointments for the senior roles of monitoring officer and chief finance officer by the end of October. The directive – issued under the 1999 Local Government Act – empowers ministers to make those appointments.

In addition, the directive requires the authority to co-operate with a Recovery Board comprising the commissioners, chief executive, children's board chairman and five other experts who are yet to be appointed.

It has also emerged that former Labour leader of Rotherham Council Mark Edgell will act as mentor to English Democrat elected mayor Peter Davies. Mr Edgell is a member of the Improvement and Development Agency, a local government quango.

The moves follow the savage findings of an emergency inspection by the Audit Commission after a series of serious failings.

Mr Vincent said: "I look forward to working with Mayor Davies, the council and the commissioners.

"Through better decision making, scrutiny and accountability we can, working together, turn this council around once and for all."