The Government has issued a Best Value Notice to City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council over concerns about its financial resilience and children’s services.
The non-statutory notice is a formal notification that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has concerns about the council.
It follows a Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy review, which raised ‘serious concerns’ about Bradford’s financial resilience and control.
The notice also relates to ‘capacity to transform’ both the council and Bradford Children and Families Trust services ‘at sufficient pace’.
The DLUHC said: ‘Given the seriousness of the issues identified, a failure to deliver the level of change required at sufficient pace would be very concerning.’
It now expects Bradford to establish an independent advisory panel, produce an improvement plan, and continue to implement ‘cultural change’, particularly in relation to working relationships.
Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said the council had been working 'extremely hard' to tackle its financial challenges, adding: ‘We welcome external challenge to help us keep on track.’
Bradford is also one of 19 local authorities to receive exceptional financial support worth a total of almost £2.5bn, announced by the DLUHC yesterday.
The council received ‘in principle’ capitalisation directions worth £80m for 2023-24 and £140m for 2024-25, which it said means it can now present balanced budgets for both years.
