DfE appoints commissioner at 'inadequate' council

??Nick Whitfield, chief executive of Achieving for Children, the community interest company that runs children's services in Kingston upon Thames and Richmond, has been appointed to lead a three-month review into whether control of children's social care at Reading Borough Council should be removed "for a period of time". ??

The move was announced in a statutory direction to the council on Friday after Education Secretary Justine Greening "reviewed Ofsted's inspection report" and was "satisfied that the council is failing to perform to an adequate standard". ?

?In the Ofsted inspection, which took place during four weeks in May and June and was published last month, inspectors found that services had deteriorated since previous inspections in 2012 and 2013, with children left too long in "situations of unknown and acute risk".

The DfE letter states the council must now comply with any instructions from the Education Secretary or commissioner in relation to the improvement of children's social care. It must also co-operate with the commissioner and provide him with any amenities, services and administrative support he requires.??

"This direction will remain in force until it is revoked by the Secretary of State," the letter adds. ??

Councillor Jan Gavin, lead member for children's services at Reading council said: "When the Ofsted report was published last month we made it clear that we fully accept its serious findings and that we welcome any help offered to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children.?

?"Nick Whitfield is an experienced children's services director who has worked as a commissioner in other local authority areas.

??"The council continues to work at pace to tackle the issues which we ourselves and Ofsted have identified.

??"We are determined to make sure that any changes are not just short term, but that they bring about lasting and sustainable improvement. The new commissioner will play a vital role in helping us achieve that."

Whitfield was appointed commissioner for children's services in Sunderland last year after it too was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted in July 2015. Sunderland council subsequently decided to create a community interest company, similar to Achieving for Children, which is due to be fully operational by April 2017.