Government Intervention

About the Intervention

An inspection of Spelthorne Borough Council and its compliance with the Best Value Duty commissioned in 2024 by the then Secretary of State Rt Hon Michael Gove MP was published on 17 March 2025. The inspection report documents serious concerns about the Council across a number of areas.

The Minister for Local Government announced on 8 May 2025 that, being satisfied that the Council was failing in its Best Value Duty, he was using powers in the Local Government Act 1999 to intervene in the Council. The intervention comprises the appointment of four Commissioners appointed to exercise specific Council functions, alongside specific actions the Council is required to take. Lesley Seary has been appointed as Lead Commissioner, and Peter Robinson, Deborah McLaughlin and Mervyn Greer as Commissioners.

The Commissioners are able to carry out the following functions:

• strengthening the commercial decision making, regeneration, property management and procurement functions of the Authority
• delivering financial sustainability by closing any short or long-term budget gaps and reducing the Authority's external borrowing
• transforming council services to achieve value for money and financial sustainability, taking account of any decisions relating to proposals for unitary local government in Surrey
• ensuring the Council has the right skills and structures to make ongoing improvements across the entire organisation

Most decisions will continue to be made by the Authority, but with the oversight of the Commissioners. The Commissioners will report to the Secretary of State every six months. The interventions to be in place until 31 May 2030. You can find out more about the Intervention.