1445 Hrs GMT
London
Monday
19 April 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
DONCASTER DID elect a mayor! An executive mayor. A mayor with all that power! And look how it is hitting the news! Failure, failure, failure!
Tower Hamlets voters now have the evidence. Added evidence updated today by the Audit Commission.
The choice on 6 may 2010 in Tower Hamlets is to say a clear NO.
Vote ‘NO’ on 6 may 2010 and avoid the dire Doncaster disaster!
[To be continued]
Failing' Council Slammed After Torture Case
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3:24pm UK, Monday April 19, 2010
Gerard Tubb, North of England correspondent
The attempted murder of two boys near Doncaster last April was a symptom of a failing local authority caught up with bullying and political in-fighting, according to the Audit Commission.
In a scathing report, the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council is accused of not being run properly.
It follows the trial of two boys, aged 10 and 11, for the torture and attempted murder of two other young boys.
Michael O'Higgins, chair of the Audit Commission, told Sky News: "This is the worst report we have produced on council failings in the history of producing these reports.
"Doncaster needs improvement - that is why we have reported to the (local government) secretary and advised him he should use his powers to intervene in the council."
The commission said the Edlington attacks were the "clearest examples" of the council's failings over more than 15 years.
"We conclude that the desire to pursue long-standing political antagonisms is being given priority over much-needed improvements to services for the public," the report said.
Apart from bullying and political in-fighting, it identified poor leadership - calling on the Government to take action.
This is the worst report we have produced on council failings in the history of producing these reports.
Michael O'Higgins, chair of the Audit Commission
Hours after the findings were released, Communities Secretary John Denham said he would use his statutory powers to intervene.
"The Audit Commission's report on Doncaster Council shows the severity of the problems in the local authority across the board," he said.
"[It] concludes that the local authority is failing the people of Doncaster, not just on one service or issue but in the very way it operates. This is absolutely unacceptable."
Mr Denham appointed Rob Whiteman, the new chief executive of the local government improvement organisation IDeA, to chair an emergency advisory board.
Its role will be to provide, if urgent decisions are needed, leadership and clear support to the acting chief executive.
Doncaster's elected Mayor Peter Davies and his entire Cabinet were blamed by the Audit Commission for a "lack of effective leadership".
The report said councillors frustrated what the mayor tried to achieve, while some of the council's chief officers are "unable to work effectively together".
In January, Doncaster Council issued an "unqualified apology" after a serious case review into the events leading to the Edlington attacks identified 31 individual failures by children's services and the police.
The review said the authorities had repeatedly failed to take action over the boys and therefore left them free to launch an otherwise "preventable" attack.
MORE ON THIS STORY:
Jan 26,2010
Torture Brothers Face New Sentences
Jan 23,2010
Pressure Over Torture Boys Review
VIDEO
2:29
Jan 23,2010
Torture Boys: Pressure On Council
Apr 22,2009
Device 'Intended To Cause Harm'
Jan 12,2009
Review Over Child Deaths
VIDEO
0:29
Jan 12,2009
Child Deaths Inquiry
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