Signs of the End Times?

We have chosen to reflect upon the Peer Review 2023 and note that it illustrates a sea change when compared with the review undertaken a decade before. 

The Centre for Governance and Scrutiny is a non-partisan body and tends to adopt neutral language and does not seek to embarrass the councils with which it works. Nonetheless, the findings in respect of Newham in 2023 revealed a council that was struggling, undermined by “poor relationships – principally, poor relationships between Members, but also poor member-officer relationships”.

They noted, “Trying to improve relationships will be difficult while ongoing behavioural problems continue. There is real personal animosity between certain councillors, and between certain councillors and the Mayor”.

In a masterpiece of understatement, the March 4th article in the Municipal Journal notes from the report, “The best councils have strong working relationships between the political and managerial leadership…The peer team did not find this in Newham.” (This article is currently the second most viewed on the MJ site.)

The generally supportive Labour List has even reported on the situation.

Newham’s response has been typically managerial. They have decided upon the creation of a “one-team culture”, it sounds positive, but completely avoids the key issue of how to repair a breakdown in relationships and style of leadership that has engendered this. In short, they have decided upon an ‘answer’ that refuses to acknowledge the source of the problem.

It is not a realistic option, but if Newham genuinely wanted (in their own words) to “reset and rethink relationships” the mayor might look at what she might do differently, (less ego and less micro-management are two suggestions we have come across). Alternatively, they might consider letting the Labour Group members vote upon who should be leading them. It’s not going to happen, of course. But it is interesting to speculate as to who they might choose.

What is less evident is that a council that was well regarded 10 years ago has now become seriously dysfunctional. We have noted how public opinion towards the council has changed with residents showing increased dissatisfaction with services and in their voting. 

What is new is that there are clearly (generally younger) councillors willing to take on the mayor and whilst this might well improve Labour’s long-term prospects, in the interim, it is not likely to improve relationships with a mayor who has become notorious for her aversion to criticism. 

Nor does the report appear to have caused the mayor to change her behaviour. In the words of one Labour insider, “she continues to make enemies, at every opportunity”.