National award for controversial temporary council officer

THE work of West Somerset Council’s controversial temporary chief officer Dr Jack Neal has been recognised with a national award from the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE).
Dr Neal’s appointment hit the headlines because he was costing £3,500 a week at a time when the council was already in a financial crisis after Independent councillors took control from the Conservatives at local elections.
The council had lost its chief executive and deputy chief executive in quick succession after the coalition of Independent councillors began running the authority.
Dr Neal, aged 61, who lives near Honiton, Devon, was given a temporary contract to try to turn around the management of the council.
Now, his work has been recognised at the prestigious SOLACE interim manager of the year awards, held in Claridge’s Hotel, Mayfair, London.
He received the runner-up award in the strategic management category.
West Somerset economic development portfolio holder Councillor Michael Downes said: “It is no mean feat given that we are a small council and the winners came from larger London authorities.
“I am delighted that the work he did with us has been acknowledged.
“He has fantastic management skills and I am pleased these have been recognised on a national scale.”
Adrian Dyer, who has since become the council’s chief officer with the title executive director, said: “I am absolutely delighted for Jack.
“He is an inspirational manager and excellent problem-solver who is not phased by anything.
“I have learned a lot from him, and the council as a whole has seen marked and lasting improvements thanks to his help.”

• Our photograph shows Councillor Michael Downes (left) and Dr Jack Neal. Photo submitted.

Council planners asked to approve New Horizons despite no money for it

DISTRICT councillors will be asked tomorrow, Thursday, January 31, to grant planning approval for West Somerset’s £50 million New Horizons project – even though the council has pulled its financial backing for the scheme.
New Horizons was intended to provide the district with a new hospital, sports centre and leisure facilities including a swimming pool, business support and training, and housing, including affordable homes for local people.
Now, an outline planning application will be put before tomorrow’s meeting of the council’s planning committee, with a recommendation for councillors to allow it subject to no substantive objections being received from organisations which have still to make comments.
The planning application has been submitted by the council itself in order that the principle of the development can be agreed.
But a deepening financial crisis which has hit the council since Independent councillors took control in last year’s elections has forced the authority to withdraw its £11 million share of the funding.
However, Somerset Primary Care Trust (PCT) is still looking at the possibility of going ahead with the £26 million hospital element of the scheme on its own, because almost all of the cost will be met by the Government.
Work is planned to start on the hospital during the summer of this year and it should be ready to accept patients in mid-2009.
Staff in the existing Minehead hospital recently shared their views on the design of the new community hospital.
The developers, Laing O’Rouke, met with clinical staff to discuss the design of the new facility, which is being planned on a site off Seaward Way, Minehead.
PCT project director Simon Corrick said: “We held a very successful project launch day which allowed the hospital developers, Laing O’Rouke, to meet with the staff who will be working in the new hospital.
“The meeting provided a good opportunity to allow our staff to discuss their thoughts on how the hospital should be designed and operated, and for Laing O’Rouke to introduce members of their team who will be working with us over the next two years.
“The event was very useful and enabled our staff to fully understand the process that will be followed.
“In particular, I think it provided reassurance that staff will be fully involved in the process.”
Laing O’Rouke was appointed by the PCT and will take full responsibility for all aspects of the design and construction of the new hospital.
The company has considerable experience in the development of public buildings and is presently completing a new hospital in Frome which will receive its first patients this summer.
Mr Corrick said: “This is the first part of the design process and we now face a very intensive three months which will result in a design which will be submitted for a full planning application later this year.
“In the meantime, we continue working with the other partner organisations which are collaborating on the development of the town’s New Horizons project.”
Members of the Somerset Patient and Public Involvement Forum - which is an NHS watchdog - this week expressed their concern at the district council’s withdrawal from the New Horizons project.
The forum recognised the council’s financial constraints but urged it to think again, in order to allow New Horizons to go ahead as planned.
Forum chairman Maureen Lloyd Williams said: “The shared site would foster links between all sections of the community. It will be a huge boost to the area.”

Under-fire Conservatives step down in council financial row

THE leader and deputy leader of the minority Conservative group on West Somerset Council are quitting their political positions amid a row over the authority’s financial crisis.
The Conservatives lost control of the council in last May’s elections when Independent candidates backed by the Liberal Democrat-founded pressure group Direct won more seats.
Since then, Conservative leader Councillor Christine Lawrence (pictured, right) and her deputy Councillor Roger Webber (pictured, below) have been accused of allowing council finances to spiral out of control.
It resulted in both the council’s chief executive Tim Howes and deputy chief executive Rod Latham receiving huge pay-offs from the new Independent administration to leave their jobs, which plunged the authority further into the fiscal mire.
Council leader Councillor Keith Ross was forced also to abandon the much-vaunted New Horizons healthplex scheme in Minehead because there was no money in the kitty to fund the district’s share of the costs – even though work had already started.
New Horizons, which was a partnership with Somerset County Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the West Somerset Community College, included a modern replacement for Minehead Hospital – and now the PCT has been unable to guarantee that it will still be delivered.
The council’s deputy leader, Councillor Simon Stokes (Labour) later called on Councillors Lawrence and Webber, who was the finance portfolio holder until May, to accept their share of responsibility for the crisis and to resign.
Now, former headmaster and chief executive Councillor Tim Taylor, who was elected in May to represent Crowcombe and Stogumber, is to succeed as Conservative group on February 1.
Both Councillors Lawrence and Webber will continue as district councillors.
Councillor Lawrence, who is also a Somerset county councillor for Dunster, said: “I have enjoyed serving the community and I am proud of the projects we were able to deliver during my term, especially the groundwork for the new hospital.”
She said she wanted to devote more time to resolving issues in her Minehead north ward and to her responsibilities as a county councillor.
Councillor Lawrence said she originally intended to hand over to somebody else after the council’s annual meeting ion May, but thought it sensible to allow a new team to be put in place beforehand.
Councillor Taylor said: “West Somerset owes them an enormous debt of gratitude and I am sure this will become more obvious over time.”

Crisis council brings in management troubleshooter

A TEMPORARY chief executive costing nearly £3,500 a week has been appointed by West Somerset Council to steer it through a financial crisis.
Management consultant Dr Jack Neal, aged 60, has been brought in to run the council for the next few months while it grapples with staffing and funding shortages.
His £30,000 fee, however, is likely to be fully met by Lift South West, an agency set up to support councils and promote excellence in local government.
Dr Neal, who lives near Honiton, Devon, was chief executive of Caradon District Council, in Cornwall, for 10 years until 2002, where he experienced many of the issues now facing West Somerset.
Since then, he has worked all over the country as a troubleshooter taking temporary charge of councils in crises and guiding them through their problems.
He has had short spells running Erewash Borough Council, Lincolnshire County Council, and Richmondshire District Council, and provided training and consultancy to Plymouth City Council, Castle Morpeth Borough Council, Gloucestershire County Council, and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service.
Dr Neal said: “I am looking forward to working with the staff and councillors at West Somerset Council.
“We have a joint aim, which is to stabilise the council and to establish the best way forward to ensure more effective service delivery.
“I believe passionately in teamwork and think that by working together, staff and councillors can meet the challenges ahead positively and secure a better future for services and people in West Somerset.”
The council’s acting chief executive, Adrian Dyer, said: “We are delighted to have Jack’s skills and experience on board.
“His strong focus on team work will help us stabilise the council and drive forward improvements to meet the district’s longer term needs.
“Essentially, the majority of the council’s services are good which is down to our hard-working and loyal staff.
“However, we accept that we need to change in order to bring effective improvements across all services.
“We are enthusiastic about working with Jack, councillors, and partners to find a positive way forward for the authority for the benefit of the whole district.”
Beleagured council leader Councillor Keith Ross, who is facing a rebellion within the ranks of the controlling Independent group, is hoping Dr Neal will embed a new way of working ‘with an emphasis on leadership, teamwork, trust, and respect’.
It will include facilitating a review of how the council is organised internally with a view to ensuring that capacity and accountability are aligned to deliver on the council's corporate priorities.
Work will be undertaken to refine and focus the council’s short-term improvement programme, with particular emphasis on financial standing and performance management.
Consideration will also be given to finding the most suitable longer-term plan for a more integrated service delivery model across Somerset, which could include letting Sedgemoor District Council and Somerset County Council take on some services.