Response to Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel letter

The Leader of Birmingham City Council responds to the latest letter from the Independent Improvement Panel.

The letter to Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, from the Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel has been published today (Friday 4 August 2017).

The Panel advises that it should now step aside due to the good prospects for improvement and the capacity and capability of the council’s management.

The overall assessment is that ‘the council’s broad direction of travel is positive’, and references the recent Ofsted monitoring report of children’s services which also showed progress. The Panel said that ‘such external validation is an encouraging sign’.

The Panel acknowledged the ‘strong political leadership’ from the council leader and that political stability has been helpful in light of changes to managerial leadership. Prospects for further improvement are good, the Panel has said.

Leader of Birmingham City Council Cllr John Clancy said: “I would like to thank the Panel for its hard work now that it has reached the end of its time in Birmingham.

“The latest report to the Secretary of State is the most positive assessment of Birmingham City Council’s performance since the Independent Improvement Panel was established, underlining the council’s strong political and managerial leadership and concluding that our prospects for the future are good.

“This is a significant step forward and an important vote of confidence as we continue our improvement journey.”

The Panel’s recommendation to the DCLG is that it suspends its current operation, with only the Panel’s vice-chair and adviser staying in touch with the council. The Panel has also asked that the council produces a focussed progress report in December 2017.

ENDS