Independent Improvement Panel holds second public meeting
The Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel, which is monitoring the progress being made by Birmingham City Council in implementing its improvement programme, will be holding its second public meeting on Friday 11th September.
The Panel has asked the City Council to publish the next stage of its improvement plans for 2016/17 as well as a further progress report about the implementation of the recommendations made in the Kerslake Review, published at the end of 2014.
Sir Albert Bore and Cllr Ian Ward, Leader and Deputy Leader respectively of the Council and Mark Rogers, Chief Executive, will respond to questions from the Panel and from members of the public.
Immediately following that session the leaders of the two opposition parties, Cllr Robert Alden (Conservative) and Cllr Paul Tilsley (Liberal Democrat) will, in succession, respond to questions from the Panel and the public.
The meeting will also be webcast here http://www.birminghamnewsroom.com/
The council’s plans and report will be published on the council’s website. John Crabtree, Chair of the Panel, said “At the first public meeting in June, the Panel and members of the public present asked the leadership of the City Council some challenging questions about progress.
“The public meeting in September will be an opportunity for the council to demonstrate that it is on track with the key changes needed, and to provide an update on its plans to listen more closely and respond to the views and aspirations of its residents. I very much hope that anyone interested in the future of the city of Birmingham will take the opportunity to find out more and question the city’s leaders by attending in person or via webcast.”
The meeting of the Panel will be held in the Committee Rooms 3 and 4 at the Council House between 12pm and 2pm on Friday 11th September.
The event is free to attend, but please register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-independent-improvement-panel-11-september-2015-tickets-17950103242
ENDS
For further information please contact Lucie Perrins, PA to John Crabtree, on 07787 522003
BACKGROUND
In December 2014 Lord Kerslake published The way forward: an independent review of the governance and organisational capabilities of Birmingham City Council.
Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government had asked
Lord Kerslake to conduct the independent review.
Alongside the recommendations in the Kerslake report relating to action Birmingham City Council should take, Lord Kerslake recommended that the Secretary of State appoint an independent improvement Panel to work with the council to provide robust challenge and support.
The Improvement Panel was set up in January 2015. Its members are John Crabtree OBE (chair), Frances Done CBE (vice chair), Cllr Keith Wakefield (former leader of Leeds City Council), and Steve Robinson (chief executive of Cheshire West and Chester Council). Sir Mike Tomlinson, as children’s services commissioner for Birmingham, is an ex-officio member.
