Inspection into the governance of Rotherham council and subsequent intervention
Documents relating to the inspection into the governance of Rotherham council and the subsequent intervention.
This page collates all the publications relating to Louise Casey’s best value inspection of Rotherham metropolitan borough council, conducted under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1999 and the subsequent intervention.
Professor Alexis Jay’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham was commissioned by the council in October 2013 and published on 26 August 2014. Covering the period 1997 to 2013, it looked at how Rotherham’s children’s services dealt with child sexual exploitation cases. The report found evidence of sexual exploitation of at least 1,400 children in Rotherham in this period.
Given the serious failings highlighted by the Jay report, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, appointed Louise Casey CB on the 10 September 2014 to carry out an inspection of Rotherham council in relation to the exercise of its functions on governance, children and young people and taxi and private hire licensing.
Louise Casey’s report was published on 4 February 2015 and found widespread failings across the council’s culture and services.
After careful consideration, the Secretary of State made an oral statement in the House of Commons on 4 February 2015 in which he confirmed that he was considering exercising his powers of intervention in relation to Rotherham.
Following further consideration and the council’s own representations, the Secretary of State confirmed on 26 February 2015 that he had decided to nominate 5 commissioners to take over all of the council’s executive functions and to begin a rapid improvement programme. He also confirmed that he would act to move Rotherham to ‘all out’ council elections from 2016.
The Lead Commissioner, Sir Derek Myers, wrote to the Secretary of State on 27 November 2015 proposing that certain functions are returned to Rotherham. Following careful consideration of this letter and further information submitted by Sir Derek, on 21 January 2016 the Secretary of State indicated he was minded to exercise his powers under section 15 of the Local Government Act 1999 and return certain functions to Rotherham.
On 11 February 2016 new Directions to Rotherham were published with an accompanying explanatory memorandum.
On 13 December 2016 further Directions were published regarding the return of licensing functions to the council.
On 9 February 2017 the Secretary of State proposed a revised intervention package which would return additional powers to the council. On 21 March 2017 the Secretary of State confirmed the return of 7 additional powers.
On 18 July 2017 the Secretary of State proposed the return of 5 further functions to the council.
On 12 September 2017 the Secretary of State issued Directions returning 5 additional functions to the council.
On 23 July 2018 the Secretary of State proposed to withdraw commissioners from Rotherham and return all remaining functions to the council.
On 18 September 2018 the Secretary of State issued Directions to Rotherham metropolitan borough council returning all remaining functions.
On 27 March 2019, the Secretary of State confirmed that the government’s intervention in Rotherham council will conclude on 31 March 2019.
Further details are available below.
2019 documents
2018 documents
2017 documents
2016 documents
2015 documents
2014 documents
Last updated 27 March 2019 + show all updates
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Added link to Rotherham intervention: conclusion (the government’s intervention in Rotherham metropolitan borough council ends on 31 March 2019).
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Added correspondence and press release (23 July 2018) on proposed return of remaining functions.
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First published.