Rotherham Council chief called in as commissioner to ‘bankrupt’ Nottingham City Council – but will not be paid extra

Sharon Kemp is the third commissioner to be called in to help the council by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

She is the current chief executive at Rotherham Council, having been appointed in February 2016 by Government commissioners there who were overseeing improvements at the authority at the time.

Since then, Rotherham Council has seen full powers returned andhas been awarded a ‘Good’ Ofsted rated Children and Young People’s Services since 2018.

In Nottingham, Ms Kemp will work alongside lead commissioner Tony McArdle and commissioner for finance, Margaret Lee, who were appointed in February.

While Mr McArdle and Ms Lee will be paid a day rate of £1,200 and £1,100 respectively, Ms Kemp will not receive an additional income on top of her Rotherham pay.

Instead, Nottingham City Council will pay Rotherham Council itself for Ms Kemp’s time at a day rate of £1,100.

Nottingham City Council issued a section 114 notice in November, as the authority’s chief finance officer forecast a budget deficit of £56.9m

Finance bosses say the rising costs of children’s and adults’ social care services, and the pressures of homelessness and inflation were to blame for its section 114 notice.

The commissioners now have control over functions associated with the governance, scrutiny and transparency of strategic decision-making at the council.

The Chief Executive will continue in her role as Head of Paid Service at Rotherham Council, alongside her role as Commissioner for Transformation at Nottingham Council.