Communities secretary Eric Pickles has taken steps to appoint five commissioners to oversee Rotherham MBC and order all-out elections next year, following Louise Casey's independent inspection - as council leader Cllr Paul Lakin and cabinet resign en masse.

In a statement to Parliament made earlier today, Mr Pickles announced a 'broad and wide-ranging' central intervention package, which would be enacted, subject to Rotherham's response and representations, in the next 14 days.