Former City Council chief executive resigns from new job after Robin Hood Energy concerns raised

There have been no resignations at Nottingham City Council over Robin Hood Energy

The former top civil servant at Nottingham City Council has left a job in Northamptonshire after concerns were raised about his involvement in running Robin Hood Energy.

Ian Curryer was the chief executive at Nottingham City Council when Robin Hood Energy was set up in 2015 until this year.

In April, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson to become the chairman of the soon-to-be-launched Children Trust, in Northamptonshire.

Children’s services in the area are currently rated by Ofsted as ‘inadequate’.

It comes after a highly critical report found there had been ‘institutional blindness’ in the city council’s handling of the energy company.

The customer base of the council-owned energy company is in the process of being sold to British Gas.

Leaked documents reveal the council has estimated its total losses from the sale will be £38 million.

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In a top-level meeting of Northamptonshire County Council last week, concerns were raised about Mr Curryer’s position and his involvement with Robin Hood Energy.

Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member Jason Smithers, a Conservative, made a speech at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, September 8 in which he said Mr Curryer’s appointment was now placing the council ‘at risk’ and said the county’s children ‘deserved much better’.

Councillor Smithers said: “As a corporate parent I have serious concerns about the process and the recruitment methods surrounding the appointment of the chair of the children’s trust.

“There has been considerable reporting ... of coverage of a public information report published last month which condemns what it calls the institutional blindness of Nottingham City Council and its leaders.

“This will be the same leadership, chief executive officer, in place since ... the company was established who is now chairing our soon to be established children’s trust.

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“The same chief executive officer at Nottingham City Council and previous director of children’s services since 2008 when an investigation report published in July 2019 on child sexual exploitation highlighted the ‘lack of organisational learning from historic horrific cases’, the same chief exec who is now going to be chairing our soon to be established children’s trust.”

Theresa Grant, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Council and Andrew Christie, Children's Commissioner for Northamptonshire, said: “We can confirm that Ian Curryer has resigned as chairman for Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and that Clare Chamberlain CBE has been appointed as interim chairwoman.

“Northamptonshire County Council, the Department for Education and the Commissioners remain committed to delivering a new children’s trust, which puts children and young people at the heart of our work, as well as creating a culture in which staff can thrive and grow.

“The council and the trust are also continuing to work towards a go-live date of November 1, 2020 and negotiations are progressing well.”