Liverpool City Council is establishing an improvement board following the end of the commissioner-led intervention in the city after three years.
The move follows a final report published by the government commissioners last month on the council’s improvement journey, which concluded that Liverpool was now “well-governed, with ambitious leaders who are committed to long term change”.
The new board is expected to ensure a continued focus on improvement and reassure that recent positive changes are sustained. Mike Cunningham – previously the lead commissioner – has agreed to be an independent chair of the board, which is expected to run until March 2025.
The board will be advisory, with all decision-making powers now transferred to the council.
Andrew Lewis, Liverpool City Council chief executive, said: “There is still much more work to do, but we can be proud that recent progress has been sufficient to enable this important step forward.”
Cunningham added: “The possibility of any further intervention is a decision for the government that will be elected on 4 July.
“In the meantime, I am pleased to be able to continue to provide support to Liverpool City Council’s ongoing improvement journey as the independent chair of new improvement board.”
The improvement board will be further supported by a strategic advisory panel, set up in August 2022 by former levelling up secretary Greg Clark in response to a report on the council’s progress, which revealed shortcomings around financial management and senior leadership. Howard Bernstein, former chief executive of the City of Manchester, has been drafted onto the board, although no specifics have been revealed of next steps.
Photo © Liverpool City Council
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