Catherall among four govt envoys installed at Warrington Council

The current interim chief executive of Tameside Council, who was parachuted in to guide the troubled local authority through choppy waters, has been given a new job at the debt-laden council.

Harry Catherall, who was recently awarded an OBE for “outstanding contribution to public service”, will head to Warrington to help right the ship after the council failed a recent best value inspection.

The local authority’s “aggressive commercial programme” has left it in a “precarious” financial position, according to the findings of a government review published in May.

Warrington Council failed the best value inspection, which was announced last year, amid concerns from central government about various property investments and business ventures funded by £1.9bn of borrowing.

Devolution minister Jim McMahon has appointed local government big wigs to help the authority on its improvement journey.

Alongside Catherall, who has had stints as chief executive of Oldham Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council during a 40+ year career, there will be three more envoys.

They are long-time leader of Barnsley Council Sir Stephen Houghton, Carolyn Williamson, chief executive of Hampshire County Council since 2021, and Phil Brookes, a crown representative at the cabinet office.

Catherall, Williamson, and Brookes are ministerial envoys with powers to exercise functions, Houghton is not.

“I am confident that their extensive knowledge and experience will help deliver the necessary improvements for Warrington,” McMahon said.

The minister has set out a laundry list of targets for the council to hit under the envoys’ stewardship:

• Prepare and agree an Improvement and Recovery Plan within six months, with progress reports to the Ministerial Envoys after the first three months and ongoing reporting thereafter.

• Undertake recruitment for a permanent appointment to lead the improvement work in the Authority and progress against the Directions.

• Review, in the first 24 months, the roles and case for continuing with each subsidiary company and investment of the Authority.

• Work with the Local Government Association to agree a suitable time for a follow up review to their 2024 Corporate Peer Challenge.

• Fully co-operate with the Ministerial Envoys and take any reasonable action within the Authority’s functions to prevent further failure, as reasonably determined by the Ministerial Envoys.