Liverpool councillors ‘worse than in eastern Europe’

Dec 14 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

THE standard of behaviour from councillors in Liverpool fails to meet those of a “fledgling Eastern European” democracy, a damning inspection has concluded.

The behaviour of elected members came under scrutiny at a recent inspection by the Audit Commission as it judged how well the council is performing.

Auditors watched at a full council meeting on October 17 as part of their visit. The city is now set to be given a mark of just one out of four for councillors’ behaviour in the report.

The inspection formed part of the Audit Commission’s corporate assessment which will report early next year.

Last night, a source said: “They were shocked by what they observed.

“The auditors have found that the standards of member behaviour fell short of even the fledgling democracies of Eastern Europe.

“In some of the key indicators, Liverpool got a result of one. That was in finance and member behaviour.”

At this week’s full council meeting, Lord Mayor Paul Clark said the auditors had criticised the last council meeting.

“They felt that the behaviour of some members was not as good as it should be.”

He said the matter had been put in writing to the council: “I think we need to think about it carefully”.

Council leader Warren Bradley said that some individual councillors’ behaviour was “appalling” and not fitting of a democratic society.

“But there’s a lot of good people in the council who do a lot of good things, I don’t want them tarred with the bully boy brush,” he said.

Labour leader Joe Anderson said his opposition group were forced to “fight fire with fire” and he had made it his business to stand up to the Lib-Dems and be robust in defending his party’s policies.

But Cllr Bradley said: “It’s abhorrent the way some members act, and they will be brought to task about it.”

The council leader said he “begged to differ” with Labour’s view that they had to fight fire with fire, but admitted that the behaviour of some Liberal Democrats was inappropriate.

“When talking about the opposition, it’s only certain members and the way they behave is not fitting of a democracy of the western world.”

He said he did not know the exact outcome of the financial review, but he thought that the issues were around the council’s asset management plan. “We knew there was an issue there.”

Cllr Anderson said: “The majority that the Liberal Democrats used to have gave them an air of arrogance and they have constantly ridiculed our members.

“The Labour party will stand up to bullies and we will express our views in a robust manner.

“This council’s record and the leader’s record on behaviour is there for all to see.”

He reiterated previous comments relating to Cllr Bradley’s email to council chief executive Colin Hilton demanding Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow be “relieved of his duties” – following the Mathew Street Festival fiasco – which he said amounted to a form of bullying.

He added: “This is not just about the behaviour in council meetings, it’s about the culture of fear that this administration has created, not just in the council chamber, but in council departments and among the workforce.

“I make no apologies for being passionate and for being robust in the defence of our party and policies.

“Why shouldn’t I be passionate about the waste and incompetence in the council as well as defending the elderly?

“I am passionate about our city.”

An Audit Commission spokesman said: “I can confirm we are carrying out a corporate assessment of Liverpool City Council which will measure how well it is working to deliver improved services and outcomes for local people.”

He said that the report would be published in February.

“Until that time, we will not be commenting upon its progress,” he added.

Liam Fogarty, chairman of amayorforliverpool.org, said: “Our so-called civic leaders are bring-ing the city into disrepute.

“They lurch from one crisis to another.

“People are sick to death of the council’s ‘seat-of-the-pants’ approach to running the city.

“On the eve of Capital of Culture year, this is confirmation Liverpool has a political culture which is dragging our city down.

“The Commission confirms what most Liverpudlians already know: we’ll never be like Barcel- ona as long as our politicians behave like they’re in Bulgaria.”

OPINION: PAGE 10

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