Tower Hamlets London Borough Council (LBC) faces the prospect of heightened government intervention, including the potential appointment of commissioners, if it fails to demonstrate sufficient progress in addressing ongoing governance concerns. This stern warning comes after the government published the initial report from its three ministerial envoys, highlighting a lack of prioritisation from council staff in engaging with the intervention efforts.
The report, authored by envoys Kim Bromley-Derry, Shokat Lal, and Pam Parkes, specifically criticised the mayor's office for not giving "greater prioritisation" to working with them. Baroness Taylor, Lords Minister for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, expressed her "disappointment" in a direct letter to the envoys, emphasizing her full confidence in their mandate and expecting the council to treat them with the same respect as they would her.
The envoy model, a new approach to intervention introduced by the current government, aims to facilitate improvements within local authorities. However, Baroness Taylor stated unequivocally that ministers have "not ruled out the possibility of further actions" should the council fail to "collaborate meaningfully" and "proactively drive its own improvement" in the coming months. This could, she elaborated in a written ministerial statement, mean "escalating intervention to commissioners."
The previous government ordered a best value inspection of Tower Hamlets Council last year due to concerns surrounding its scrutiny arrangements. The subsequent report, published in November, pinpointed issues in areas such as leadership, governance, and culture. It noted that the current Aspire party administration was "overly focused on demonstrating and proving…that it is better than the previous administration," leading to a perceived lack of "publicly self-aware[ness] of its own short comings."
While the envoys reported that it was "too early for us to develop substantive conclusions on many areas," they did acknowledge some progress. This included the establishment of a transformation and assurance board and the initial draft of a continuous improvement plan (CIP). However, they stressed that "wholesale political and staff buy in and involvement in the improvement journey is not yet in place."
The report also underscored the critical role of councillors' behaviour in shaping the organisation's culture. Despite improvements, including a political mentoring programme, instances of "problematic" behaviour that "goes beyond the usual political theatre" were still observed.
On a more positive note, the envoys commended Tower Hamlets' new monitoring officer, Shupriya Iqbal, for delivering a "robust and clear speech" at her first Full Council meeting. They also praised the dedication of council staff, noting a "real buzz about the town hall, which makes for a positive and energising working environment." The council is set to conduct its first staff survey since 2022 this autumn.
A council spokesperson affirmed their commitment to "lasting and meaningful changes" and welcomed the acknowledgment of progress from both the envoys and the minister. They stated, "We are committed to working together to get increasing support across the council for the improvement process... Although we’ve made good and acknowledged progress so far, there’s still more to do to reach our bigger goals. We will keep working together to remove obstacles and make the most of the government’s support."
News Source: LGC