Who helps the councils outside the local government family?

I have a secret weakness - I've always been a big fan of the underdog.
Right now, it has got to be Doncaster MBC. But from Hackney to Hull, I have had a soft spot for them all.
It's not, as you may suspect, the continuing saga providing endless news stories that is the appeal. Instead, its watching a basket case authority turning itself around to become a fully functioning, high quality council.
In short, I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
Back in the early days of the Comprehensive Performance Assessments, spotting the failing authorities was an easy task, Cast your eye down to the end of the list and there, languishing at the bottom, was the next target for improvement.
Since communities secretary Eric Pickles announced his plans to scrap the Audit Commission, life has become far more complex. Who will spot the failures of tomorrow? Who wll be at hand to turn them around?
The Local Government Association has taken a lead role on this. A solution by the sector, for the sector.
But with the recent news that Doncaster has withdrawn from the LGA, it begs the question: How does the association work with councils which refuse to pay their dues?
It's all too late for Doncaster, whi9ch has gone past sector-led improvement and is now in Government intervention. But the situation raises many questions which no one seems to have the answer to.
And in the meantime, we must all wait and see if Doncaster can pull itself out of the mire.