Lib Dems welcome Staveley Town Council's cross-party approach to overcome huge debts

Following the Local Elections, Labour secured six seats at Staveley Town Council, the Lib Dems secured five, and the Independants also secured five and there was one more undesignated councillor who was voted-in, leaving what Liberal Democrat Group Leader Paul Jacobs called ‘virtually a three-way split’.

Cllr Jacobs said: “Even if a party won a minimum of nine seats and so had a voting majority on the council it would still seem ridiculous that a small town or parish council should be run on political lines with all but the majority group excluded from key decision making.

“In fact, however, no party has a majority on Staveley Town Council and no party has ‘taken control’ of it, narrowly or otherwise.”

Financially troubled Staveley Town Council was helped by Chesterfield Borough Council in February, 2023, with a £400,000 loan agreement to save the town council from bankruptcy and at the end of November an Improvement Board investigation into the town council’s finances urged the councillors to work together and abandon any concept of the strong leader model of governance.

Cllr Jacobs has claimed that a ‘strong leader approach’ appears to have led to poor financial decisions in the past, and he has long proposed a ‘collegiate approach’ at Staveley Town Council suggesting all party group leaders be on a steering group, reporting back and making recommendations to the full council for decisions to be made by all the councillors.

He said both Labour and the Independents had tried to ‘take control’ of the council by getting their leaders elected as council leader but both were unable to achieve an accepted council agreement and from May to November the council has worked on a co-operative basis which has since been formally recommended by the Improvement Board report and accepted by the council.

Debt-troubled Staveley Town Council has also openly welcomed a ‘new era’ with a united front with plans on how best to provide services and represent the town’s interests after the highly critical report outlined the council’s financial shortfalls over more than ten years.

Following a town council meeting, at Staveley Town Hall, on November 28, councillors accepted the board’s report findings into the town council’s previous financial management including its operations, finances and governance arrangements from between at least 2011 and 2022.

The board stated the cause of Staveley Town Council’s financial position was due to events between 2011 and 2022 which were not due to issues faced by one particular political group’s administration.

But it also stated that councillors had struggled to work well together and there had been antagonism and complaints.

The 2011/12 to 2019/20 administration oversaw problems including HR issues, cost overspend, lost income, and lost grant opportunities which led to a structurally financially imbalanced council by the time of the 2019/20 election and subsequent insufficient action led to the authority’s financial failure, according to the board.

Other problems identified had included spending records not being kept up to date, confused record keeping, payments not supported by invoices, no risk management arrangements and incorrect payroll function.

The incoming clerk reported in late 2022 that the council’s bank balance was insufficient to discharge its obligations and the impact of Covid-19 proved to be the tipping point for the council.

After considering the report’s recommendations for change, the council has stated it aims to demonstrate good governance, better engagement, improved management and development of staff and councillors.

Among the recommendations, the board advised the council works towards: regaining public trust, has a more consensual and transparent approach to governance, demonstrates good governance, policies and procedures and an ability to deliver value for money services.

It also recommended the introduction of a training programme for members and that the council should build stronger relationships with Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, and Derbyshire Association of Local Councils.

More effective and regular reporting of financial statements and audit reports was also advised with a review of the town council’s asset base, along with an action plan to implement the recommendations of the report.

A new financial system has been introduced by the new clerk who has shown a good grasp of the council’s organisation, according to the report, and the authority has since reduced expenditure as it works to pay off its debt.

Independent Group Leader at Staveley Town Council, Cllr Paul Mann, said it was a fair and reasonable report, and Labour Group Leader at the town council, Cllr Barry Dyke, said he supported the recommendations and conclusions.

In addition, Chesterfield Borough Council Leader, Cllr Tricia Gilby, has said the report provides a lifeline for the town council and Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has described the report as an excellent piece of work.

Lib Dem Group Leader at the town council, Cllr Jacobs, also confirmed that all the Staveley Town Councillors have agreed to the report’s findings and that they all now need to concentrate on making the council work within its financial means for the benefit of residents.

Staveley Town Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, the Local Government Association and the National Association of Local Councils worked together to appoint the Improvement Board and the cost of its investigation will be covered by the town council, the LGA and Chesterfield Borough Council.

The town council’s political make-up at the time of the investigation was six Labour councillors, five Liberal Democrats, five Community Independents: and one Independent following the May 2023 elections.

However, Labour Staveley Town Councillor Debbie Wheeldon has since resigned her seat and a by-election is expected soon for the vacant Duckmanton ward.