The most senior official appointed by the government to oversee Liverpool Council has admitted his “disappointment” at having to persuade local authority officials about the level of change needed.
Mike Cunningham said he was surprised that he and his Whitehall mandated colleagues had to explain to “officers and some politicians” how much would need to be rectified at the Cunard Building to get the council back on the straight and narrow. Mr Cunningham and his colleagues were installed by the UK Government after the damning Caller Report last year.
In August, the officials delivered their second verdict on progress into the administration in which they criticised the systematic, whole-council weaknesses” alongside its financial shortcomings. As well as highlighting the “organisation-wide culture where people do not feel accountable for managing public money” government appointed commissioners at the Cunard Building have found serious gaps in Liverpool Council’s leadership, risk management, decision making and workforce capability.
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As a result, a fifth commissioner for finance is to be established in due course. Mr Cunningham told a meeting of the authority’s audit committee at his surprise at having to justify the amendments needed upon their installation.
He said: “The greatest disappointment, surprise, in the first six months, was having to persuade officers and some politicians about the level of change required. There was a mismatch in terms of the commissioner view and some people within the council.”
The former senior police officer told members that a response from the government regarding their section report would be due “in weeks” which prompted a rebuttal from Cllr Ruth Bennett who suggested the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had issues with “delay and a lack of direction” of its own.
Mr Cunningham replied: “The responsibility for improvement lies with Liverpool Council, not the government. The pace has picked up, and the urgency and focus is clearer now.”
The lead commissioner said he wants the city to become “an excellent steward” of public money moving forward. He added: “What’s concerning in Liverpool is alleged mismanagement at times or misspending.
“What we cannot say with confidence is that public money has been well spent over the last few years.” Mr Cunningham said Liverpool would likely attract more inward investment when it was “demonstrably effective manager of public money”.
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