Government monitoring Newham Council over concerns at how 'broke' town hall is run

The Government has announced it is monitoring Newham council amid concerns about the town hall’s finances, culture and the value it is providing for taxpayers.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Thursday issued a “Best Value Notice”, which means the local authority will be observed for the next 12 months to ensure it is improving.Ministers are concerned that “significant value for money weaknesses” have been identified in the council as well as “cultural and governance issues”.