Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Commissioners appointed to Liverpool City Council following the publication of the Max Caller Best Value Inspection report on 24 March will be producing regular reports on the progress they are making.

On 10 June 2021 my Rt Hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Robert Jenrick) updated the House that he had appointed a team of four Commissioners to Liverpool City Council. The Commissioners reporting arrangements were set out in paragraph 28 of the Explanatory Memorandum to the Directions made under section 15(5) and (6) of the Local Government Act 1999. They state that the former Secretary of State asked for six monthly reports from the Commissioners, or at such other times as he might agree with the Commissioners, which allows for a process for regular review of whether it would be appropriate for any function exercisable by the Commissioners to be returned to the Authority. The first report was expected as soon as was practicable within the first three months of the intervention.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities made a Written Ministerial Statement and published the Commissioner’s first report, along with his response, on 25 November 2021. The Commissioners are due to report to the Secretary of State again in April 2022. This will be published in due course.