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Stephen Hughes

Stephen Hughes gives Boris a helping hand

Birmingham council chief exec advising London on tax-raising plans

By:
Published May 15, 2013, in Politics


Stephen Hughes

Stephen Hughes

Birmingham city council chief executive Stephen Hughes has been helping the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to secure a better financial deal for the capital from the Government, it can be revealed.

Mr Hughes played an important role in the London Finance Commission, set up by Mr Johnson, with the aim of convincing Ministers that the London should have substantial devolved powers to raise and spend a far higher proportion of taxes raised in the city.

The commission, chaired by local government expert Prof Tony Travers, concludes that London government could better promote its own economic development by devolving financial and fiscal control rather than relying on the current formula of majority Government grant.

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Birmingham soars up town hall rich list, but council claims wage figures ‘misleading’

Stephen Hughes' pay packet up by 14%, while 24 officials get £100,000-plus

By:
Published May 10, 2013, in Politics


councilThe number of Birmingham city council officers paid more than £100,000 doubled to 24 last year, but the country’s largest local authority has been left seething by what it claims is a misleading portrayal of its wage structure.

According to the TaxPayers’ Alliance, Birmingham heads a ‘town hall rich list’ in these austere times and has seen a sharp increase in the number of super-salaries while most other councils have been reducing their wage bill.

The council’s press office hit back with the unusual

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Stephen Hughes ‘off sick’ until end of September

Temporary replacement announced for Birmingham City Council chief executive

By:
Published September 3, 2012, in Politics


It has been confirmed that Birmingham City Council chief executive Stephen Hughes is likely to remain off work sick until at least the end of this month.

His duties as Head of the Paid Service, in charge of 25,000 staff, will be taken over temporarily by Paul Dransfield, the city’s Strategic Director for resources.

A formal announcement about Mr Hughes was issued by council leader Sir Albert Bore two hours after Chamberlain Files broke the story on Twitter.

In a letter to staff, Sir Albert said:

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Top jobs at risk in city council reorganisation

One Strategic Director to go as politicians approve two 'super departments'

By:
Published July 24, 2012, in Politics


A radical management shake-up at Birmingham City Council is likely to leave top officials fighting to save their jobs.

Under a reorganisation approved by the city’s Labour administration, three existing directorates will disappear to be replaced by two new ‘super departments’.

The changes involve abolishing the Homes and Neighbourhoods, Environment and Culture and the Development directorates.

In their place, two new directorates will be formed – one to oversee Local Services and the other to be responsible for Development and Culture.

It is expected that the Strategic Directors at the three doomed directorates

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Mr Dale’s Diary: Sir Albert’s puppets on a string

The inside track on Birmingham City Council - Paul Dale's Diary

By:
Published June 19, 2012, in Mr Dale's Diary


Marionettes from the Swedish Cottage Marionett...

IT DIDN’T take very long for Sir Albert Bore to find himself accused of Machiavellian-type behaviour.

The new Birmingham City Council leader hasn’t been in office for a month yet, but claims that he is using political trickery to secure his power base are already rife.

Thus the pattern of Sir Albert’s previous tenure as leader from 1999 to 2004, where he had to constantly field accusations of being up to something devious, is being repeated at an early stage.

The latest allegation comes from the Liberal Democrats, who reckon that Sir Albert’s determination to control everything around him  is so great that he has cleverly removed decision making powers from his Labour cabinet colleagues.

Lib Dem deputy group leader Jon Hunt has been examining the small print of changes to the council constitution, the handiwork of Sir Albert, and points out that unelected chief officers have been given new powers to by- pass cabinet members and approve spending of up to £500,000 on individual projects.

It used to be the case that officers could nod through spending decisions up to £150,000, which is a relatively small sum in the case of Birmingham City Council.

But the new constitution gives delegated authority to c

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