Warren Bradley: I never thought of resigning over Mathew Street

Nov 17 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL council leader Warren Bradley last night severely criticised the leadership qualities of Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow.

In an interview with the Daily Post, he said the collapse of the showcase event was primarily down to a “clash of personalities”.

Cllr Bradley added: “It’s down to trust really. You put your trust in officers, you pay officers a high salary and you put trust in them to deliver.

“I was not aware of clashes of personality in the organisation, I don’t have a personal relationship with officers.

“You can read into the report. I gauged a clear breakdown in communication.

“You bring people together from all different walks of life and it’s up to the leadership in that team to deliver true leadership.”

He said he did not expect the leader of the fire authority to resolve staff disputes in fire stations.

“It’s about communication and management processes and procedures.

When asked if he was referring to Jason Harborow, the £150,000-a-year supremo of the Culture Company who is currently on sick leave, he said: “Absolutely. If there was a breakdown in communication, the chief executive of the Culture Company should have been aware.”

He could guarantee the team was in place to make sure next year’s festival was a success.

“I have told them [the team] that we will be delivering outdoor stages next year over the bank holiday weekend.”

When asked about a cut in the 2007 festival’s budget, he said: “It’s a red herring. Capita Symonds did not mention money, what they were interested in was the safety of the public.

“If there had been a budget of £1m, the Mathew Street Festival would not have gone on because there was a breakdown in communication.

“At no time were we told it could not be delivered on this budget.”

When asked about two parts of the report which state he cannot remember discussions or emails in which he was allegedly alerted to festival problems, he said he got 300 emails a day.

In relation to the conversation with Colin Hilton before he went on holiday, he said: “There’s a difference of recollection, I would say.”

During the first week of his holiday, he was heavily involved in discussions with Mr Hilton about Everton FC’s plan to move from the city.

“If there had been problems I expect I should have been told in those telephone conversations.

“My life does not revolve around looking for scapegoats. Is this going to happen again? I firmly believe that it will not happen again.

“I believe that we have got officers working at the Culture Company that can be relied on.”

He then rattled off the names of Phil Redmond, Bryan Gray, Bernice Law, Ben Dolan and Kris Donaldson, but did not mention Jason Harborow.

When challenged, he said: “I don’t want to comment on Jason at this point.

When challenged again he said: “Jason’s on long-term sick and I don’t want to go into it.

When asked if Mr Harborow should resign he said: “There has got to be some responsibility shouldered by the senior management team.

He said that he personally had never considered resigning over the affair.

“I am not vindictive, under-handed or dishonest. But the last three months have been particularly hard for my family.”

His wife was not political and his 15-year-old son had been “deeply hurt” by the attacks on his father which he had read in the media.

“That’s what upset me. What I would say is the amount of public support I have had has been phenomenal.”

Criticised former officer hits back > > >