By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The national Labour Party will oversee the election of a new Nottingham City Council leader.
Government commissioners were appointed to help run the Labour-led council in February, following the issuing of a Section 114 notice last year when the authority effectively declared itself bankrupt.
On March 4, councillors approved sweeping cuts to jobs and services which, combined with £66m in exceptional financial support from the Government, allowed it to set a balanced budget amid unprecedented financial pressures.
Days later on March 11 councillor David Mellen (Lab), who has been leader of the council since 2019, announced he would be stepping down.
A Nottingham Labour Group meeting to select a new leader was due to take place on the evening of Monday, April 11, however a Labour source says the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) will now oversee the election.
Potential candidates will be interviewed and suitable applicants then presented to the Labour Group to choose from.
While the NEC will not be outright selecting the leader in Nottingham, they will be reviewing suitable applicants.
According to Labour, the primary purpose of the NEC is to provide strategic direction for the party as a whole.
It is made up of representatives from each section of the party, including the Shadow Cabinet, MPs, councillors, trade unions, socialist societies, Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), Young Labour and BAME Labour.
NEC members are elected by their respective constituencies to serve for two years.
