{"id":69504,"date":"2016-04-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=d47fc05409ee46984f47cf1ee1d0bb7e"},"modified":"2016-04-12T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-04-12T09:00:00","slug":"press-release-tower-hamlet-progress-but-no-powers-returned-greg-clark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=69504","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Tower Hamlets progress but no powers returned \u2013 Greg Clark"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tower Hamlets council has made some progress under the supervision of government appointed commissioners but is still some way off the return of functions according to Communities Secretary Greg Clark.<\/p>\n

In a letter<\/a> to the Mayor, Mr Clark welcomed the new desire to tackle \u201cthe root causes of the intervention\u201d but cautioned that further evidence of a real long-term change for the better was needed before the intervention could end. <\/p>\n

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said:<\/p>\n

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In Tower Hamlets independent inspectors found a worrying pattern of divisive community politics and serious mismanagement of taxpayers\u2019 money.<\/p>\n

Intervention is never a decision taken lightly but it was essential that we took action to make sure public confidence in the council is restored.<\/p>\n

Under the careful watch of the commissioners the Mayor is making progress but there must be sufficient evidence of real organisational change before I will consider handing any powers back.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

No place for \u2018rotten boroughs\u2019<\/h2>\n

In December 2014 the government appointed a team of commissioners<\/a> until March 2017 to make sure that the council complies with its best value duty to taxpayers. <\/p>\n

The commissioners\u2019 role is to:<\/p>\n