Festival outdoor gigs look set for the axe

Aug 8 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

David Bartlett reports on developments in the Mathew Street fiasco, as emails reveal Culture board ‘knew nothing’

THE outdoor element of this year’s Mathew Street Festival appeared doomed last night.

One of the festival’s founders, Bill Heckle, from Cavern City Tours, told the Daily Post it was looking “increasingly unlikely” that the festival’s famous outside stages could be saved for this year.

But last night Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council, refused to give up on the festival after his weekend pledge that it would be saved for the more than 100,000 people who enjoy it every year.

Cllr Bradley said: “We are still working hard on this, we should be able to save something.”

The festival was cancelled last week, just three weeks before it was due to take place, after health and safety consultants Capita Symonds said public safety could not be guaranteed.

The Daily Post can also reveal the board of the Culture Company, which had taken over the running of the festival, “was not consulted nor informed of the problems” ahead of last week’s cancellation.

An email exchange between the chairman of the Culture board, Prof Drummond Bone and council leader Warren Bradley, obtained by the Daily Post, also reveals Prof Bone’s frustration that board members felt they had been “hung out to dry” over the cancellation.

Prof Bone told Cllr Bradley he wanted to put out a public statement saying the board knew nothing but would probably have made the same decision.

But Cllr Bradley told Prof Bone to keep quiet for the time being as the damage had already been done and the situation “is irretrievable [publicity wise] and rank bad management”.

It also emerged last night that a cancelled Culture Company board meeting planned for tomorrow has now been reconvened at the insistence of Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman who sits on the board.

It is understood the problems with having an outdoor event are now “insurmountable” and that when one problem is solved another two pop up.

Bill Heckle said: “It’s looking increasingly unlikely that there will be outside stages.

“It will be a great weekend indoors if there’s no final solution.

“If we go indoors let’s have a party anyway.”

He said there would still be between 50 and 60 venues staging indoor events.

Mr Heckle said the event had been handed over to the Culture Company with the hope it would be improved.

“We will not be giving total control over as we have in the past. We will sit down with the 2008 company and the council.

“It was a great theory, but it has caused absolute chaos.”

He said the planning was already under way for 2008 and it would be presented to the Culture Company and the council in September.

Last night, Cllr Bradley said this was the biggest issue he had had to deal with since becoming city leader.

When asked about Mr Heckle’s belief that it was looking increasingly unlikely there would be outside stages he said: “I would not comment myself on that yet. I did say yesterday, a crucial 48 hours. There’s people working on this as we speak.”

He said it was a rollercoaster of emotions trying to deal with the problems as things chopped and changed.

“Until the actual plan is completely drawn up, and the risk assessments finished there are peaks and troughs in this.”

He said Capita Symonds were working with the council to overcome the issues that had been raised.

In response to calls from deputy Labour leader Cllr Paul Brant that he should resign, Cllr Bradley said he had the support of council officers, the media and members of the public.

He said he did not want to make it political but that maybe Cllr Brant should bring something to the table.

In regard to the inquiry into the debacle, being overseen by council chief executive Colin Hilton, Cllr Bradley said all initial interviews had taken place, but that he could not give more detail because he was not taking a role in it.

He said the email exchange was private and he would not comment on it.

Cllr Brant said: “I am ready to assist in any way I can, so far all my requests for information have been ignored.

“The Culture Company board appear to have been let down as much as the residents of the city.”

He said he was still waiting for Cllr Bradley to make good his promise to set up an independent inquiry into the events, as he did not consider one led by the council chief executive independent.

Ms Ellman said: “The meeting was planned and then cancelled about three weeks ago.

“Once this problem arose I asked for it to be convened.

“Now I can see this issue has been known about for some time I am very concerned this meeting was cancelled.”

She said her first priority would be making sure the event went ahead, but then she would be demanding answers.

“It’s not about witch hunts but accountability. “A bombshell press release saying it is cancelled is not good enough.”

“It was not even accurate. There is a big question about competence and accountability.”

She said the fiasco raised concerns about the management of this event and future ones.

The whole structure and decision-making mechanism will be brought under the spotlight, she said: “There needs to be some clarity on this.”

Prof Bone said: “I am extreme- ly disappointed that private and confidential correspondence between board members has been leaked to the Press. I will not be making any further comment.”

Sacked officer is safety choice

A FORMER council officer sacked after it was revealed he received money from Liverpool superclub Cream has been approached to manage the safety of the Mathew Street Festival, the Daily Post can reveal.

Bill Wadkin, former Liverpool council special projects officer, has been approached by Cavern City Tours to be the safety officer for the event.

Last night, Mr Wadkin said he did not see a problem with possibly safety managing the event if it went ahead.

He said: “I was approached by Bill Heckle and David Jones. I have experience of dealing with the Mathew Street Festival and subsequently doing safety officer work.

“I have got the experience that this report highlights is not there.

“That’s the way it was put to me to help out.”

When asked if the problems in his previous job could rub off on the festival he said: “no”.

“I have got to be pragmatic if there’s a problem and there’s a solution and I am part of that solution then that’s fine from the event’s point of view,” he said.

Mr Wadkin was arrested in June 2002 after details of his relationship with Cream boss Stuart Davenport were passed to police.

But the Crown Prosecution Service judged there was insufficient evidence to prosecute over the £833 payment Mr Wadkin received for consultancy work from Cream.

As special projects officer Bill Wadkin played a major role in the licensing of big events in the city.

He was carrying out his advisory work at the time of the licensing application from the club for its summer Creamfields event.

In the end Mr Wadkin was dismissed for gross misconduct by the council.

Last night Bill Heckle, founder of Cavern City Tours, said: “Bill Wadkin is our health and safety guy we brought in to review everything.

“We are not worried because he would not be working with the council.”

He said the fact was that he had the required experience to deal with the event.

“I don’t have to ask permission to take external advice from experts.”

Leader of Liverpool City Council Cllr Bradley said: “I couldn’t comment on who Cavern Tours have put in as their safety officer. It’s not for me to say.”

Email exchange between Culture Company board chairman and City Council leader gives an insight into reaction to cancellation of Matthew Street Festival

THIS is the email exchange between the chairman of the Culture Company board, Professor Drummond Bone and the leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Warren Bradley that sheds light on events following the cancellation of the Mathew Street Festival

Original Message

Subject: Statement from the Chair of the Board of the Culture Company

From: Professor Drummond Bone

To: Warren Bradley

Sent: Fri Aug 03 10:01, 2007

I am proposing to send out the following as a press release in whatever manner Paul Newman thinks best. I already have Loyd Grossman and Sue Woodward approval. If I don't hear I'll assume you are content.

‘The decision to cancel the Mathew Street Festival was taken by the Executive of the Company in discussion with the Council. As this is a City event the Board of the Company was not consulted, nor indeed informed of the problems. However, had it been, the decision would have almost certainly been the same. The problem is not the decision, given the closure of the Pier Head, but its timing.’

Best wishes,

Drummond

Subject: Re: Statement from the Chair of the Board of the Culture Company

From: Warren Bradley

To: Professor Drummond Bone

Sent: 03 August 2007, 10:19

Drummond,

I don't believe anything will be achieved from this statement. The damage has been done, whether intentionally or not.

The situation is irretrievable and rank bad management.

The festival is one of the most popular in the whole calendar, not with just locals but also visitors. It is a world class event!

How this situation could have been allowed to continue, without any disclosure whatsoever is beyond me, and my major concern is what else aren't we being told.

This situation is extremely difficult for me, as I never support witch hunts, and am loathed to put fellow human beings through stress, but at present we are left with no other option but to get to the bottom of this and ensure appropriate action is taken.

My advice would be to remain silent until more information is available?

I am on leave, but return on Sunday if you feel you need to chat.

Regards

Warren

Subject: RE: Statement from the Chair of the Board of the Culture Company

03 August 2007 11:21

To: Warren Bradley

From: Professor Drummond Bone

Let me think and look at other replies. The problem is that quite a few board members (perhaps even the chairman!) feel that they have been hung out to dry on this one... I too am on leave but will come back obviously if there is to be a board meeting on the 9th.

But as you say we have to think how to make the best of this rather than make it worse by a witch hunt.

Drummond