New city boss will double up

COUNCIL LEAD COMMISSIONER TO CONTINUE IN TROUBLE-SHOOTING ROLE IN NOTTINGHAM

- JANE HAYNES People & Politics Editor

THE new lead commissioner at Birmingham City Council replacing Max Caller will also retain his troubleshooting role leading the recovery at ailing Nottingham City Council as well.

Tony McArdle is to continue in his current role as lead commissioner in Nottingham while also taking on the mammoth task of seeing Birmingham out of special measures.

Mr McArdle has, however, ended his role at Croydon Council, where he had led an improvement and recovery panel.

Both council lead commissioner roles are deemed to be 'part time, with the time commitment to each of the jobs capped at 150 days a year.

If he were to max out both roles, he would have to give up many weekends. But sources say he is expected to scale back his commitment to Nottingham, which is nearing the end of its improvement journey and is in a far less precarious position than Birmingham.

Mr Caller is retiring having been at the helm of the intervention team at the city council for two years and with a formidable reputation as 'Max the Axe' for overseeing cuts and forcing through improvements, is stepping down.