Hull council's Labour administration has performed a spectacular U-turn over radical plans to change the way the council is run.
The plans, introduced shortly after the party's triumph in the 1 May local elections, included abolishing the post of chief executive.

They prompted local government minister Nick Raynsford to threaten intervention (HT 6 June, page 9).

Raynsford told the council it had until the end of July to sort out its governance issues, and gave it three options.

It had to use either: the radical system formulated by chief executive Jim Brooks, who is suspended; the new Labour plan; or a hybrid crafted by the five corporate directors.

On 31 July, the ruling Labour group voted for the third option instead of the original Labour plan.

Meanwhile, Brooks has had his suspension extended by two months after "further allegations relating to breach of confidentiality issues".

His dispute with the council is now being arbitrated by lawyer Nicholas Underhill QC (HT 25 July, page 9).

Source

Housing Today