End of intervention confirms our improvement, says Rotherham's council leader

The final three commissioners will be removed from RMBC, it was announced earlier by communities secretary James Brokenshire.

Cllr Chris Read said: “Today’s announcement is a reflection of more than three years of hard work by lots of people, our staff, commissioners and councillors, who were all united in determination that the people of Rotherham should be better served than they had been in the past.

“The council today is a very different organisation to the one I became leader of in 2015. It is more open to challenge, more focused on priorities, more disciplined in delivery of services.

“Critically that means that the way we respond to the needs of our most vulnerable children and families has been transformed.

“It also means that whilst we are proud of the progress we’ve made, we will not lose sight of the challenges ahead and the continuing need to change and improve over the coming years.”

The council was placed under the control of five commissioners after the scathing Casey report in 2015. The team has reduced to three and powers have been gradually returned to RMBC.

Chief executive Sharon Kemp said: “This reflects the improvement journey we have been on in the last three years which has seen vast changes here at the Council. We will continue to keep on improving.”

Lead commissioner Mary Ney wrote to the Government earlier this year to recommend an end to the commissioners’ reign before the original deadline of spring 2019.

She added: “Commissioners have seen significant improvements in Rotherham Council due to the hard work and commitment of councillors and staff. 

“We are confident that the leadership of the council is strong and that it will continue to improve.”

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has also welcomed the announcement, but says RMBC has more to do to restore public trust.