Local government secretary Michael Gove has effectively ordered a full intervention of Thurrock Council amid fresh concerns over the authority’s governance, scrutiny and operating model.

In a written statement today, local government minister Lee Rowley revealed the Government had proposed a huge intensification of intervention at Thurrock in the aftermath of the authority issuing a section 114 notice amid in-year debts of £470m.

Ministers first sent commissioners from Essex CC into Thurrock, primarily to oversee its financial function, in September.

Thurrock’s finances collapsed after a string of controversial commercial investments failed.

A Best Value inspection team recently provided an interim progress update to Mr Gove ahead of a full report next month, but ministers were so concerned they have now approved a near-full takeover of the authority, with a commissioner due to be appointed as managing director.

Mr Rowley’s statement read: ‘The secretary of state and I agree that the evidence and recommendations presented in the commissioner report and update letter are serious enough to warrant taking steps to expand the intervention now, in order to prevent further Best Value failure.

‘The proposed expansion to the intervention package would give commissioners powers over the authority’s governance and staffing functions, and would instruct the authority to take further actions to support its recovery, and the work of commissioners, in order to carry out the improvement and transformation work that is so urgently required.’

Mr Rowley said Mr Gove was ‘minded’ to issue further directions giving commissioners powers over Thurrock’s scrutiny, operating model, redesign of council services, the appointment, retention and dismissal of all senior staff, and the development and oversight of a new performance management framework.

Ministers have warned Thurrock’s underlying problems will take ‘many years to resolve’.

Thurrock’s acting chief executive, Ian Wake, said: ‘The council is in a much better place than a few months ago.

‘We’ve put an initial improvement and recovery plan in place that reflects the commissioner’s first report, and we are taking action to deal with our finances and changing the overall culture of the organisation.’

This article was originally published by The MJ (£).