Ex-culture boss sets his sights on Olympics role

Feb 9 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL’S departed Culture Company chief executive last night revealed his ambitions to work on the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games – despite his ignominious departure from the city.

In his first newspaper interview since leaving the Culture Company with a £230,000 pay-off, Jason Harborow said he was setting up an international sport, tourism and event consultancy.

It will have a base in Liverpool’s Corn Exchange and near his home in Murcia in Spain and aims to draw on his experience of working on Manchester’s Commonwealth Games and Liverpool’s Capital of Culture plans.

He said: “My first love is sport. But I have not spoken to or been approached by the Olympics in the past few weeks.

“The opportunity that interests me more is the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.”

The revelations came as Mr Harborow broke his silence over his departure from his £150,000 a year position.

He does not hold any bitterness towards anyone at the council but said there were times he felt “bullied and intimidated”.

And he is certain Culture year “will be a big success” and wished the city well.

He joined the Culture Company in February 2004 as commercial tourism director, but by December was chief operating officer, and in March 2006 became chief executive.

“From the early days there were already issues about the structure of the organisation. I thought I was coming to be a director of a limited company linked to the council, but it became clear it was a department of the council.

“The themed years was a positive concept, but the reality of having to deliver activities and plan events for 2008 put pressure on the team.”

At that time the council was run by former chief executive Sir David Henshaw and council leader Mike Storey, before they fell out and left their positions.

He said he believed their fallout also damaged him.

“I was perceived as being one of David’s men. I felt that was the start of the issues that were to come for me later.”

Chief executive Colin Hilton and Cllr Warren Bradley replaced the pair and Mr Harborow said he had good relationships with them.

In June 2007 Mr Harborow suffered a serious health scare – details of which he said were leaked to the press.

That forms part of his complaint to the Standards Board watchdog about councillors Bradley and Storey, whose behaviour he claims was “inappropriate”.

Last summer his home in Murcia in Spain became an open secret among movers and shakers in the city – it was used by his critics who said it showed a lack of commitment to the city.

“It was since this summer that my family have been there full time,” he said.