Gloucester City Council is taking significant measures to stabilize its financial management by expanding and restructuring its finance team. This move comes after the authority narrowly avoided effective bankruptcy when overspending totaling millions of pounds was uncovered last year, leading to a £15.5 million emergency bailout loan from the Government in February.
Civic leaders have approved a plan to increase the finance and asset management staff to 17 members within a newly designed management structure. To support this, £250,000 has been allocated in the council’s budget to facilitate the necessary team expansion.
During the recent overview and scrutiny committee meeting on March 30, Chairman Andrew Gravells described the former finance team as “dysfunctional,” highlighting poor communication and internal conflicts. Council leader Jeremy Hilton explained that concerns regarding the finance team’s capacity and effectiveness prompted an independent review after initial financial issues surfaced in September.
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“Our new section 151 officer began in April, and it became clear changes were needed,” said Hilton. “The independent review was the most effective way forward.”
Alison Turner, the incoming head of finance and resources, received praise from Cllr Gravells, who called her arrival “a breath of fresh air.” Turner emphasized that improvements have been a collective effort. “The finance team has worked exceptionally well together despite ongoing challenges,” she noted. “We’ve made significant progress over the last six months and have a clear plan to continue this momentum.”
Turner also acknowledged that past issues stemmed from unclear role definitions and reporting lines within the team. The upcoming structural changes aim to clarify responsibilities and improve work processes.
Labour councillor Terry Pullen raised concerns regarding team cohesion, questioning whether requiring staff to be in the office just one day a week is sufficient to foster unity. Turner responded that improving culture goes beyond office presence to involve how the team collaborates and operates day-to-day.
Liberal Democrat councillor Anne Radley described past operations as “fairly chaotic” but recognized the team’s efforts despite limited resources. Turner admitted that while the team currently lacks full capacity, she is confident that once the new structure is fully staffed, it will possess the necessary skills and resources to restore financial stability.
“The key challenge now is filling the structure,” Turner said. “Once that’s achieved, we’ll have the capability to meet all our obligations and move forward confidently.”