The lead commissioner overseeing Liverpool Council has said their latest report represents a “positive shift” in progress at the Cunard Building.
The five-strong team appointed to monitor change at the local authority have released their latest update and said they have “cause for cautious optimism” moving forward. In a statement accompanying their 25-page report, lead commissioner Mike Cunningham said his team had hopes the council’s positive trajectory would continue.
He said: “This report represents a positive shift in the progress the council are making in their improvement journey. Although challenges and risks to continued improvement remain, we are cautiously optimistic that the current positive trajectory will continue.
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“We will work closely with the new permanent chief executive, Andrew Lewis, to help mitigate some of the challenges ahead.” Mr Cunningham’s team said they welcomed Mr Lewis’ appointment - confirmed last week - and said they believe “he is the right person to manage the challenges ahead and continue building on the improvements that we’ve recently been able to see at the council.”
They added: “Although further prioritisation and capacity is needed to keep up the pace of the transformation work over the next period, it increasingly looks like the right ingredients are being put in place for Liverpool Council to make further progress. Commissioners will continue to work with Liverpool Council to ensure the positive trajectory continues.”
Like minister Lee Rowley MP, the commissioners said the next six months ahead for the city represented a “period of profound change for the council” and while a period of “great opportunity” also carried risk. They said: “The all-out elections in May and the new model of governance will change the political leadership, alongside the officer leadership changes in the next few months.
“These changes cannot be allowed to interrupt the momentum that has been developed in recent months.” The commissioners, who will deliver a fourth report in September, are expected to leave the Cunard Building in June 2024.
However, should improvements not continue as intended, they have not ruled out the possibility of extending their stay in the city. They said: “If the Council is not on a stable footing as the three-year window draws near, it would be irresponsible for commissioners to withdraw from the council.
“We must have assurance that the Council is managing its people, its finances, and its risks with appropriate competence, before we have confidence to withdraw. We will set this out in more detail in our next report.”
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