Minister announces plan for partial takeover of Liverpool council

Unprecedented move comes after inspectors found serious breakdown of governance'

Liverpool city council should be brought under the joint control of government commissioners in an unprecedented move after inspectors found multiple failures and a serious breakdown of governance" at the local authority, the communities secretary has said.

Robert Jenrick said an emergency inspection had painted a deeply concerning picture of mismanagement", an environment of intimidation" and a dysfunctional culture" at one of the biggest councils in Britain.