Secretary of State ends intervention in Tower Hamlets
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, has ended the government intervention in Tower Hamlets Council.
In December 2014 Sir Eric Pickles, one of Brokenshire’s predecessors as Secretary of State, sent commissioners into the London borough following a court ruling that former mayor Lutfur Rahman had broken election rules.
The government also removed powers including grant making, procurement and the sale of property from the council after a damning report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers that concluded Tower Hamlets had failed to comply with its best value duty in a number of areas.
In January 2017, the then Communities Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed the start of a phased return of powers, with councillors able to resume making decisions on the award of grants to local not-for-profit organisations.
Two months later the government removed the commissioners. However, the council still had to report its progress to the MHCLG every quarter.
A peer review conducted by the Local Government Association this summer highlighted an improved culture at the council. This formed part of the government’s decision to remove the direction fully and end the quarterly reporting.
Mayor John Biggs said: “I am extremely proud that we have turned the council around with a relentless focus on fair and accountable governance. In turn, that has helped us to focus on better jobs, quality affordable housing and safer streets, but there is still much work to do.
“There is no doubt that having a mayor removed and powers limited is a traumatic experience for a council, however it was absolutely necessary.”
He added: “We have re-taken our place amongst the mainstream and begun to have our success recognised by our peers.
“Now we can stand fully on our own two feet. Not just to improve the council, but to showcase to the world the real Tower Hamlets – an amazing borough which should be known not for the bad behaviour of a former mayor, but for the ambition, potential and dynamism of our incredible community in the East End.”
