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The price of reloading
Management restructure£780,512
Boosting community involvement, through leafleting, hire of meeting rooms, etc£234,300
Drawing up a new communications and marketing strategy£765,406
Developing the new organisation, through staff workshops, research£769,071
Performance management, for example, setting and monitoring new targets£425,055
Financial planning and management£64,076
Putting the Citizens First project – transforming service delivery, such as putting more council information online and conducting more business through email£1.2³¾
Political management arrangements£87,474
Social services improvement plan£2.1³¾
Education partnership£450,000
Developing a best-value plan (training for councillors and comparing performance with other councils)£285,420
Improvements to benefits service£613,412
Total for 2002-2005 £7.69³¾
The path to change
Mid-1990s Internal warfare within the ruling Labour group led to the formation of a breakaway Labour party. The administration lost control of the council, leaving the Conservatives to set up a new administration with Liberal Democrat support. Then Conservative leader Mike Bird was ousted by fellow Tory Tom Ansell
July 2001 Audit Commission report reveals ‘significant weaknesses’ in political and managerial processes
Jan 2002 Second damning Audit Commission report
April 2002 Council starts drawing up masterplan for recovery
June 2002 Audit Commission recommends clearing out top management
July 2002 Appointment of interim management team led by Telford & Wrekin council chief executive Michael Frater. Threat of intervention lifted
Oct-Nov 2002 Massive cuts programme to reduce £10m overspend to £1.7m
March 2003 New chief executive Annie Shepherd joins. Transfer of 25,000 properties to Watmos and Walsall Housing Group
June 2003 Shepherd’s new management team starts work
July 2003 Four new board members appointed to Walsall Housing Group
August 2003 Audit Commission reinspection report praises improvement. Alsop Architects chosen to redesign waterfront