More powers returning to Rotherham Council - reaction and full details

Adult social care, town centre management and street cleaning are among the responsibilities back under local control.

And the Government-appointed commissioner team will shrink to three at the end of the month, when Sir Derek leaves and fellow commissioner Mary Ney takes the lead role.

Sir Derek said: “We have continued to see sustained improvements to services since the first tranche of powers were returned to the council last year.

“We have a stable and hardworking Cabinet, an established senior management team and along with committed staff, elected members and partners, have worked together to make sure the council continues to demonstrate it is ready to resume more responsibility.”

The commissioners were appointed in 2015 for a period of four years as part of special measures following the Casey report and CSE scandal.

They will retain control in several other areas, including children’s social care, HR, waste collection, community safety and asset management.

Communities secretary Sajid Javid confirmed on Tuesday that the following powers will be returned to Rotherham Borough Council:

• Adult social care and the council’s partnership with the NHS
• Appointment of council representatives to external bodies
• External partnerships, including relationships with the health and wellbeing board and the children and young people’s partnership
• Economic growth, including attracting investment from the private sector
• Town centre management, including economic regeneration through retail investment and heritage works
• Grounds maintenance and street cleansing, including maintenance of parks, highway verges and parish council land
• Audit.

Services still under the control of commissioners are: 

• Children’s social care 
• Performance management;
• HR
• Waste collection
• Community safety
• Asset management.

Council leader Cllr Chris Read said this week’s announcement reflected “significant improvements” across the authority. 

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey said: “Rotherham residents need and deserve accountable leaders in which they can have confidence, and this is another step towards achieving that.”