Dudley’s opposition political groups have condemned the council’s ruling Conservative administration after the authority was slapped with an improvement notice from Westminster.
On July 17, the The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a non-statutory Best Value Notice to the council.
The notice recognises the council has been trying to improve but says ministers remain concerned about Dudley’s capacity to comply with its legal best value duty. It instructs the council to keep the ministry informed about what it is doing to secure financial stability and employ more permanent senior officers to ensure leadership stability.
Dudley’s Labour group leader, Cllr Adam Aston, said: “The Best Value Notice is an indictment of the Conservative’s time in control of Dudley Council. “Over recent years they have presided over financial chaos, wasteful spending, poor frontline services and a toxic culture.
“Dudley residents deserve better than a council which lurches from one crisis to another; Dudley Labour Group will continue to vehemently scrutinise and hold to account the current administration for their past failings and fight for a fair deal for our borough and its people.”
The second largest opposition group on the council is the Black Country Party and their leader, Cllr Pete Lowe, also blasted the Tories for mismanagement. He said: “From packing their shorts and sunglasses to waste our residents money in Cannes to unbelievable wasting of millions on Brooke’s bar, restructures and interim positions.
“Their actions have resulted in £42 million cuts, many to the most vulnerable in our community meaning access to essential services is diminished. Town centres are empty as the council drives people away with car parking charges.”
Dudley’s Conservative launched a robust defence following the arrival of the notice in the council’s inbox. The ruling group insists its improvement plan is bringing balanced budgets and taking away the threat of the council going into effective bankruptcy while a new senior leadership team is being recruited.
Council leader, Cllr Patrick Harley said: “The improvements we have made over a short period of time are incredible and I very much welcome the Best Value Notice as an opportunity to outline that to the government.
“It will allow us to give that cast iron guarantee that we are already far down the track and will continue to improve. “From the very beginning we have welcomed scrutiny as part of a fresh start and this notice adds to that.”
Dudley’s Liberal Democrats supported the Conservative budget which included £42m in savings. Lib Dem leader, Cllr Ryan Priest, said: “It is fair for the council to get the notice but I don’t think it is fair on the staff who worked incredibly hard to get the council to a better position than it was 12 months ago.
“My group’s biggest criticism is we feel like a council without a vision, finances have been the sole focus of the administration.”
Reform UK has one councillor in the borough, their Dudley chairperson, Richard Tasker, is deeply concerned. He said: “For too long, residents have suffered under financial mismanagement, declining public services and a deeply damaging culture of complacency and waste.
“This notice is a damning indictment of years of failed leadership by the Conservatives in Dudley.
“Dudley Reform believes the people of Dudley deserve transparency, accountability, and competent governance. “We will continue to stand up for residents, demand change, and work toward restoring trust, efficiency, and pride in our local government.”
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