The Commonwealth Secretariat, the body that manages the international organisation in London, is in “urgent need” of reform, according to a leaked internal report obtained by the BBC.
The report says there are “deep concerns” about the governance structures of the secretariat which “lacks clarity” in its priorities and needs to be “more transparent and accountable”.
It adds there is a “serious and urgent need” to stabilise the body’s funding. The secretariat is the central administrative hub for the Commonwealth which is made up of 53 countries – most of them former British colonies – which encompass almost a third of the world’s population.
It is currently led by the Commonwealth secretary-general, the former Labour minister Baroness Scotland. A separate survey of employees at the secretariat – also seen by the BBC – suggested there were “strong indicators of low morale” with “high levels of dissatisfaction with opportunities for career progression”.
The BBC has also learned that a bitter dispute has broken out between the secretariat and other Commonwealth bodies over office space in London which could leave the organisation responsible for the Commonwealth Games having to find a new headquarters.
