Dudley Council removed from 'special measures' a year after order was made

A ‘special measures’ notice placed on Dudley Council 12 months ago has been lifted after a minister praised the improvements made.

The ‘best value’ notice was imposed on the council on July 17 last year giving the council a year to improve, or face the prospect of commissioners being brought in to oversee the authority, as had happened in neighbouring Birmingham.

But local government minister Alison McGovern said the council had made ‘substantial progress’ over the past year, and announced that the notice would be lifted.

The decision has been welcomed by Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, who said that over the past two-and-a-half years the council had undertaken significant work to strengthen its governance, financial management and leadership.

The notice was issued five months after the council announced a £42 million worth of cuts and a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax to stave off the threat of effective insolvency.

Free car parking was scrapped as part of the cuts, but has since been reinstated.

Councillor Harley said the notice had been lifted at the earliest possible opportunity.

”This has required a collective effort from councillors, officers, and partners across the borough,” he said.

Councillor Harley said the decision to lift the notice was an important endorsement of the commitment and hard work shown by all involved.

“I am particularly proud of our staff and cabinet members, who have demonstrated professionalism, resilience, and dedication throughout a period of considerable change,” he said.

“Their focus on delivering services for residents while embracing improvement has been instrumental in reaching this milestone.

“I remain firmly committed to embedding the cultural change, effective leadership and robust governance arrangements that have supported our progress to date, ensuring they become fully embedded across the organisation.”

In a letter to Councillor Harley, Miss McGovern said: “I welcome the substantial progress the council has made since the notice was issued and the strong foundations that have been established for continued improvement.

“However, it remains important that the Council maintains momentum by embedding cultural change, effective leadership and robust governance, ensuring that updated processes, behaviours and clear member and officer roles are consistently adhered to across the organisation.

“Your role in Dudley’s improvement journey is essential, and I look forward to seeing progress in the coming months as we work together to deliver the best possible outcomes for local people.”

The notice followed statutory recommendations issued by external auditor Grant Thornton in January 2024 regarding the need for a sustainable, medium-term financial strategy and for urgent action to address the council’s budget position and use of reserves. An audit report published in November 2023 also found cultural problems relating to the inappropriate behaviour of some members towards officers.

It also cited a report from June 2024 which found significant weaknesses in the senior leadership of the council, lack of transparency in decision making, and insufficient focus on good governance, as well as a report by the Local Government Association in 2023 which ruled that good governance was being undermined by cultural issues and behaviours.

Councillor Harley said at the time that the information was out of date, as the notice related to a 2023/2024 peer review. He said the council had already acted on all recommendations in that report, and had also stabilised its finances, drawing up a five-year plan to replenish its reserves.