19 July 2002
At a council meeting on July 15, members agreed to appoint Michael Frater, chief executive of Telford and Wrekin Council, as its interim chief. Unusually, Frater will remain in post at Telford and work across both authorities.
The move follows a series of damning reports from the Audit Commission, which uncovered a culture of political bullying on the scale of that once seen in Hackney, poor services and limited scope for improvement. In a controversial move, the commission recommended the removal of Walsall's chief executive, Hardial Bhogal, and his eight-strong management team.
Frater's appointment follows intervention by the Local Government Association, which recommended his services. The association was anxious to avoid any use of the private sector, initially threatened by ministers.
He will begin work this week and will be responsible for creating an improvement strategy. His appointment is expected to last several months. A spokesman for the council described Frater's appointment as an 'ideal short-term solution'.
Local government minister Nick Raynsford, who called Walsall's leaders to Whitehall for a dressing-down earlier this year, said he expected rapid progress at the council. 'I am very pleased that Walsall has taken such a positive step forward. Michael Frater's record at Telford and Wrekin speaks for itself,' he said.
PFjul2002
