The Audit Commission has consistently identified the relationship between councillors and officers, as a barrier to progress at the city council.

July 3 2007 Corporate Performance Assessment Report

"Some councillor behaviour causes unnecessary work, and there are issues of trust between some councillors and officers. To circumvent this, a culture of blame avoidance and denial has grown up, which has encouraged the development of unnecessarily bureaucratic procedures and in turn slows council business."

The report highlighted a lack of long term vision at the council.

September 28 2007 Audit and Inspection Plan 2007/08

District Auditor Andrew Blackburn reported: "I have conducted separate discussions with senior officers and leading councillors regarding officer/member relations and roles and responsibilities." He said the next audit report would "pay particular attention" to the council's ability to improve.

February 7, 2008 Corporate Performance Assessment, Direction of Travel Statement

"The lack of agreement between members and officers on respective roles risks affecting the council's capacity to improve."

February 18 2008 Annual Audit Letter

The letter identified "two key areas where action is needed by the council". One of them was to "seek to reach a clear agreement on the respective roles of members and officers".

It said: "Work is continuing to develop the relationships between officers and members, including the leader and chief executive, in the light of the corporate assessment's findings. Without the necessary clarity and agreement as to roles the leadership of the council is adversely affected. Until the issues are resolved they will continue to present a distraction which has an impact on the council's capacity to improve."

February 19 2008

Chief Executive Michael Frater wrote to all city councillors informing them that the authority was now in the bottom ten per cent of councils for performance. He told them councillors are holding back the progress of Nottingham City Council, and impacting on the service to residents.

February 19 2008

Coun Collins rejected claims of significant interference by councillors in the day-to-day running of the council.

Speaking at a meeting of the council's executive board, he said he also did not recognise the allegations of "micro management", which featured in Mr Frater's controversial letter to councillors.

Coun Collins said: "I think a lot of hot air is talked about this as a subject."

He added: "I think there is a good working relationship between most members and most staff. There are issues we need to address by working together as councillors and officers."

March 5 2008

Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson wrote a stinging letter to Coun Collins, warning him that the breakdown in his relationship with Mr Frater was damaging for the city and urging the council to adopt a credible vision for the future.

March 20 2008

Chief executive Michael Frater resigned after his relationship with leader Coun Collins broke down. Mediation failed. Mr Frater became the third chief executive to leave in six years. Compensation payments during that period amount to £½m.

June 13, 2008 Audit and Inspection Plan 2008/09

The Audit Commission's programme at Nottingham City Council this year includes work to monitor plans to improve the culture and relationships within Nottingham City Council.

The watchdog noted in its report: "In our planning meetings with officers we have discussed and agreed that the council would benefit from the opportunity to address the corporate issues that it acknowledges exist at present."

The council's actions to improve culture and relationships are included in a work strand known as 'Serving Nottingham Better'.

A "key risk" identified by the Audit Commission to improvement in the performance of the council is the successful delivery of 'Serving Nottingham Better'.

It states: "Successful delivery of the 'Serving Nottingham Better' programme, leading to improved ways of working within the Council and improved performance of employees and services as a result" is identified as a "significant risk".