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Heather Jameson finds progress at what was, until recently, regarded as the enfant terrible of local government It's all gone a bit quiet in Doncaster – much to the relief of the council. The trouble-hit authority has faced a barrage of media attention over the years, and the spotlight shone once again this year, following the final results of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CAA). Doncaster was named the worst council in the country. The CAA score was rapidly followed by the most damning Audit Commission Corporate Governance report ever produced – and government intervention as a final resort to sort out the problems of the basket-case authority. Doncaster Town Hall Condemned as being the ‘naughty child' of the sector, Doncaster began its improvement journey with the help of the seconded deputy chief executive of the Local Government Association, Jo Miller, as acting chief executive – under the watchful gaze of an appointed board. When The MJ last came to the town, the job had clearly got under the skin of Ms Miller. She, alongside directly-elected mayor, Peter Davies, was fighting a government intervention which enforced a new chief executive, and three commissioners to be paid for by taxpayers for the next three years. They had some success – the level of intervention will be regularly reviewed and, if the council can pull itself up rapidly enough, the three-year term could be cut, thereby saving a considerable amount of cash for the citizens of the beleaguered town. But, on the issue of the centrally-appointed chief executive, the Government refused to budge. Rob Vincent, the-then retiring chief executive of Kirklees, has now been in post for those magical 100 days. He admits the manner of his appointment was ‘difficult for everyone, particularly for Mr Davies.' Mr Vincent was the fourth chief executive the mayor had faced in his 14-month tenure – and Mr Davies did not have any say in choosing him. ‘It was a sticky position – and Peter Davies is not one for hiding his feelings,' he says. ‘Jo Miller had done a really good job in her time at Doncaster, and there was a strong rapport between her and Mr Davies.' But, he says, the situation has worked itself out. ‘When one starts getting on with doing things, it gets easier. Our relationship is strong now – based on mutual respect.' He also dismisses the potential problems of having three government-appointed commissioners peering over his shoulder as he works. ‘The three commissioners are extremely wise and extremely supportive,' he says. ‘They do have powers of intervention, but Doncaster's recovery relies on the council being able do stand on its own two feet.' Proof of that respect comes as the mayor comes into the office to check the advice on a couple of issues. Mr Davies obviously trusts and values the opinion of his new chief executive, but it is a very different relationship from the one he shared with Ms Miller – who is now back at her role in the LGA. What Mr Vincent does share with his predecessor is that Doncaster has already got under his skin. ‘What people see of Doncaster from elsewhere is the problems, but when they are here, they see the potential, and the talent and strength of the staff – and, indeed, the councillors. There really is something about Doncaster.' Surprisingly, he feels staff motivation has not been permanently damaged by the issues the council has faced. ‘There is a resilience in folk here,' he says. He also believes council employees are aware of the efforts to improve the authority, and are keen to get on with it. ‘There is a strong sense of place and a system desperate to move on,' he says. Mr Vincent's first priority when he came to Doncaster was to set aside what he refers to as the ‘strife', and to communicate with the staff and members. ‘I started feeding back what I saw as the big issues. And that has been something which has strengthened over the last three months.' Despite the problems over the years, the biggest issue for Doncaster is the same as it is for everyone else – the budget cuts. ‘Most councils had been thinking about it for a long time, but Doncaster hadn't started yet,' Mr Vincent says. Being behind the game has, he said, given people a sense of urgency and ‘positive energy' to bring the council back up to speed. ‘We have been able to make some substantial progress.' That includes an agreement on in-year reductions between the mayor and the cabinet. It may not sound like a big deal to other authorities, but in Doncaster it is a huge step forward. At its worst, the two sides were at constant loggerheads, and consensus was just not an option. ‘Now, everyone wants to move on. ‘When the intervention started, Doncaster was off the pace. Now it has picked up speed and we are now not behind the curve.' The council has also just been given the go ahead to take on some of the community health provision – on children's services and longer-term care for adults, a sign that partners locally are now co-operating and trusting the authority. And the town has taken its place in the Sheffield LEP – a proposal which looks to be a strong contender to be given the go ahead. Regionally, the town has been allowed to take its place back at the table. A director has been put in place to run a change programme in the council, and the council is now recruiting for a director of finance and corporate services (see page 33of The MJ's job section). It is a key role and part of the conditions of intervention in the city. The job is part of a major restructure which will see the number of directors shrink from six to four. Mr Vincent says the council will be looking for someone ‘who can seize the opportunity' offered by a vastly improving council. He is aware that the prospect of working for Doncaster has not always been an appealing one, but he claims anyone who can be put off by its past reputation is not the kind of person it would want. And, he adds: ‘Whoever takes it would be in a good position to come into the chief executive's post after me.' Things have, he says, moved on since he arrived at the council – although he acknowledges it is not something that will have sunk in yet with

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WHITEHALL

Back from the brink

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