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Doncaster MBC faces a massive bill resulting from the government intervention – including paying three commissioners for three years. Fees paid by the council for the commissioners could hit almost a quarter-of-a-million pounds, if they are kept in post for the full three years. Despite hitting out earlier this month at Suffolk, for hiring an interim communications expert on £700 a day, local government secretary, Eric Pickles, has forced the commissioners on the council at a cost of £750 a day. This follows the news that the council must pay its centrally appointed chief executive £176,000 – well above the £142,000 prime minister's salary, which Mr Pickles claims should be a benchmark. Mayor of the trouble-hit authority, Peter Davies, told The MJ: ‘If the Government decides it wants to punish the council – or me – the people of Doncaster should not have to pay.' The council also denied the Department for Communities and Local Government would be cutting it's directors from four to three, at a cost saving of £100,000 a year, as the department claimed recently (see The MJ, 10 June 2010). Instead, acting chief executive Jo Miller said it would be a matter for incoming chief executive, Rob Vincent. This week, the Government announced the three commissioners would be: Sir John Harman, former chairman of the Environment Agency, who spent 13 years as leader of Kirklees MBC Jessica Crowe, executive director of the Centre for Public Scrutiny, and one of the team of councillors credited with turning round Hackney LBC Julie Kenny, businesswoman and Yorkshire Forward board member. A CLG spokesperson said: ‘The proposed team will ensure that Doncaster has the experienced expert support it needs to make radical improvements. It is envisaged that the commissioners would typically spend no more than three days a month in support of the authority over the next three years, and will be paid a daily fee by the authority at a level of about £750 a day.' Click here to read our interview with Doncaster Mayor Peter Davies.

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WHITEHALL

Doncaster faces hefty bill for commissioners

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