'A ROCKET-assisted boost' of help from the Government could see the failing district council get back on track.

Bromsgrove District Council is set to sign up for voluntary engagement with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in what is said to be one of their 'biggest and boldest moves'.

The decision to opt for voluntary engagement follows a report from the Audit Commission - deeming Bromsgrove to be a 'poor' council.

Subsequent reports have also said the council is not moving quickly enough to make improvements.

If the full council agrees to go ahead with voluntary engagement on June 3, a Government appointed monitoring group would be drafted in to help for an unspecified amount of time.

They would give expert advice and funding to help get the council into shape, at no extra cost.

"This is the biggest and boldest step this council has taken in a long time," said council leader, Cllr Dennis Norton (St John's).

"I am pleased to be involved in this process and it is just another part of Bromsgrove council's history."

Newly appointed chief executive, Sue Nixon, said: "This is a tremendous display of self-awareness.

"We are not as good as local residents would like us to be but this gives us a chance to turn things round."

However, the possibility of redundancies within the 460-manned council could not be ruled out completely.

"No employee can ever rule out the possibility of redundancy at any time," said corporate director, Lesley Waller.

Labour leader on the council, Cllr Peter McDonald (Waseley), welcomed the decision but said it was long overdue.

"This is the last chance saloon, if the council does not have help from the Government then I can see it being taken over," he said.