Councillors face probe over ‘city plot’ allegations

Dec 20 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL Council leader Warren Bradley and regeneration leader Mike Storey will be investigated by the Standards Board for England over allegations they conspired to remove culture chief Jason Harborow.

As exclusively revealed on liverpooldailypost.co.uk yesterday, the two senior councillors will be investigated by the Standards Board after they held a secret meeting with the council’s former event manager Lee Forde.

It comes after council chief executive Colin Hilton was given permission by the council’s Appointments Panel to give Mr Harborow up to £250,000 in a severance package.

External legal experts had told the council to broker a deal after Mr Harborow’s legal team had told the council that his position been made “untenable” by Cllrs Bradley and Storey.

Cllr Bradley publicly criticised Mr Harborow in the fall-out from the cancellation of this year’s Mathew Street Festival.

Yesterday, it was confirmed Cllr Bradley will be investigated over allegations he conspired to remove an officer [Jason Harborow] and that his comments about Mr Harborow made it difficult for the Culture Company chief executive to perform his role.

The board has dismissed a claim Cllr Storey made comments about a senior officer [Mr Harborow], but found allegations he was involved in a conspiracy needed looking into further.

An ethical standards officer has been assigned to the case.

Last night, Cllr Storey said he had done nothing wrong and had nothing to be ashamed of, and Cllr Bradley did not respond to a request for comment.

Cllrs Storey and Bradley face being disqualified from office for up to five years if the Standards Board finds they have broken the councillors’ Code of Conduct and refers the matter for adjudication.

The Daily Post revealed the secret rendezvous with Mr Forde at Cllr Bradley’s Wavertree home on December 1.

Cllr Bradley denied the meeting at first, but then later admitted it. He strenuously denies any wrongdoing in holding the meeting.

Last week, he faced questions over whether he had asked Mr Forde whether he “had any information on Jason Harborow”.

The investigation is Cllr Storey’s second in the space of three years.

A previous case centred on allegations he encouraged former council spin doctor Matt Finnegan “to undermine” then chief executive Sir David Henshaw.

In November, 2005, he was found guilty of bringing his office into disrepute, losing the leadership of the council as a result.

Last night, Cllr Storey said: “I haven’t received any notification from the Standards Board. I find it surprising if the press know about these things before I do.

“If we are talking about standards, perhaps they should look at their own standards.

“I have nothing to be ashamed of. I met with a former council employee who has been a friend.

“He has met with other elected members, including deputy leader of the Labour Group Cllr [Paul] Brant, and I didn’t realise it was a crime to meet with former council employees particularly when they have been friends with you, and you have socialised with them in the past.

“The very same former employee I wrote a reference for him for a job at the University of Chester, at which he was successful.”

Cllr Brant said: “The council was failing to give us genuine information about the Mathew Street Festival collapse. I wanted to get information to learn the lessons to make sure the debacle didn’t happen again.”

davidbartlett