HL Deb 20 June 1991 vol 530 cc24-6WA
Lord Lyell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What use they intend to make of their sanction powers under Part I of the Local Government Act 1988 in relation to Haringey Council.

Baroness Blatch

On 12th December 1990, my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment served a notice under Section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988 on Haringey Council, setting out his view that in 1989–90 the authority had failed to meet the specified financial objective in carrying out building cleaning. My right honourable friend has now considered the response which the authority have made to the Section 13 notice, and which has acknowledged the failure to meet the specified financial objective in 1989–90. The authority have indicated that they have decided to put the work out to tender again, with a start date for the new contracts on 1st January 1992.

My right honourable friend, has concluded that the scale of the deficit incurred in 1989–90 and the need to ensure that the performance of this work is placed on a firm financial basis as soon as possible make it appropriate for him to make further use of his sanction powers. He has therefore today made a direction under Section 14 of the 1988 Act, requiring the authority to complete a retendering exercise for the work by 1st January 1992.