Council chief executive named as third commissioner sent into Nottingham

The Chief Executive of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sharon Kemp, has been selected as the third commissioner to be appointed to Nottingham City Council.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, previously appointed Tony McArdle as lead commissioner and Margeret Lee as commissioner in February, leaving the position for a third commissioner open at the time.

Max Soule, Deputy Director of the Local Government Stewardship at DLUHC, informed Kemp of her nomination in a letter sent yesterday (11 April).

She has been nominated as commissioner for the period between 11 April 2024 and 22 February 2026.

DLUHC took the decision to send commissioners into the council in February 2024, four months after the council issued a section 114 notice.

According to the council, the rising costs of children's and adults' social care services, and the pressures of homelessness and inflation were to blame for its section 114 notice.

The commissioners are tasked with ensuring Nottingham is meeting its best value duty and now have control over functions associated with the governance, scrutiny and transparency of strategic decision-making at the council.

The directions, issued under section 15(5) and (6) of the Local Government Act 1999, also give the commissioners power over functions associated with financial governance.

In addition, the commissioners have control over the council's operating model and redesign of its services to achieve value for money and financial sustainability, as well as functions for the development, oversight and operation of a performance management framework for senior officers.

They can also appoint or dismiss statutory officers.

Adam Carey