Doncaster mayor attacks "legally flawed" appointment of chief exec

Doncaster Council, the local authority at the heart of the storm over the Edlington attacks by two brothers aged 11 and 12, has become embroiled in a dispute over the appointment of its interim chief executive.

The BBC has reported that the Mayor of Doncaster, Peter Davies, is unhappy over the appointment of Tim Leader, who took up the post after his predecessor resigned for personal reasons.

The BBC said a letter from Leader to Davies revealed the mayor had told him that he had consulted lawyers and that his appointment was “legally flawed”.  The letter also suggested that the mayor had told Leader that he did not command the confidence of the mayor or the council’s cabinet and that he should “resign forthwith”.

However, the interim chief executive insisted in the letter that he would “not be forced from my post by a peremptory, improper, unfair and wholly unjustified demand for my resignation”.  He added that he continued to enjoy the support of the council.

In a statement to the BBC, Doncaster Council said: “It is a matter of public record that there has been some controversy regarding the council meeting that took place on 18 January and the decision to appoint the acting chief executive. Following the receipt of specialist legal advice, it has become clear that a further meeting of the council will be required to conclude the process.”

The Council has issued “an unqualified apology” after a serious case review looking into the Edlington attacks concluded there were serious failings in local services and that the assault was a preventable incident. The review identified 18 recommendations for improving practice and procedure.

The local authority is also to be the subject of a corporate governance inspection by the Audit Commission.

Communities Secretary John Denham welcomed the move, which he said was prompted by concerns about the council’s performance over the last two years and the threat to public confidence from recent events.
The minister added: “I promise the people of Doncaster that we are prepared to use the powers we have to tackle any issues identified by the Audit Commission which require government action.”