Ex-Liverpool council manager gives evidence against bosses in standards probe

Apr 3 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

Ex-Liverpool council manager gives evidence against bosses in standards probe

AN EX-LIVERPOOL council employee has given evidence against his former political masters in an ethical standards investigation.

Lee Forde, former events manager, spent 90 minutes yesterday afternoon giving evidence to the Standards Board for England at Liverpool’s Marriott Hotel.

Labour leader Joe Anderson also gave evidence to the investigator.

The Standards Board are investi-gating claims council leader Warren Bradley and regeneration leader Mike Storey conspired to remove former Culture Company chief exec-utive Jason Harborow from his post.

The board is also looking into an allegation from Mr Harborow that he was bullied by Cllr Bradley.

Last night, Mr Forde said he was unable to go into the details of the questioning for legal reasons.

He said: “It was not a great ordeal, but there were probing questions.

“It was a bit saddening to open old wounds and go over old ground. But I am glad it’s out of the way and coming to a close because I want to move on from all this. I wanted to help as much as I could and told the truth about what had happened.”

Investigators were keen to speak to Mr Forde as a dossier he compiled from a secret meeting with Cllrs Bradley and Storey formed a major part of a complaint to the board from Cllr Anderson.

Mr Forde has alleged he was asked if he “had any information on Jason Harborow” at the meeting in Cllr Bradley’s home.

Both Cllrs Bradley and Storey strenuously deny any wrongdoing.

The meeting was held two days after the publication of the report into the cancellation of the 2007 Mathew Street Festival.

Mr Forde, along with former Culture Company operations manager Chris Green, were primarily blamed in the report for the cancellation.

Mr Harborow left his £150,000-a-year position at the council and Culture Company with a £230,000 pay-off.

He said his position had become untenable after the way he was treated by Cllr Bradley, and made an official complaint to the Standards Board.

davidbartlett