Leading Lib Dem backs fulltime council leader call

Apr 4 2008

THE wife of a former Liverpool council leader last night backed a Labour proposal that the job should be done full-time.

Lady Doreen Jones, wife of Liberal Democrat Cllr Sir Trevor Jones, said she knew what the job entailed from Sir Trevor’s time at the helm of the city in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The former planning chair’s intervention come a day after Labour leader Joe Anderson said that he would quit his day job as a social worker to become full- time council leader if Labour won control of the council in May.

But the council leader Liberal Democrat Cllr Warren Bradley, who splits his time between the local authority and his work as a firefighter, said he did not advocate full-time leadership as it would be easy to “lose touch” with ordinary people. Lady Doreen Jones said: “I quite agree with Joe Anderson.

“I know about this because I was married to a council leader and I know what the job entails.

“We had our own business [JP Lamb ship chandlers], we were lucky and could pay someone to do the work Trevor could not do.

“If you are doing it part-time, bit by bit, you are leaving officers to do it full time.

“If this city is to be run properly you have got to have someone there full time.”

Lady Doreen said she and her family did not see Sir Trevor much when he was leader as when he was not on council duty he was taking care of their business.

“If you are not there, then you let the officers run it, and if you let the officers run it do you need a leader?

“It’s like being chairman of a committee, you have to take responsibility when things go wrong.”

Lady Doreen stood down from the council in 2007 after 35 years of service to the city.

“It is rubbish that you would lose touch with people.

“You are in touch because you can get around and see what’s going on.

“A full time leader has time to do that.”

The Daily Post is currently seeking the public’s views on the issue of a full time leader for Liverpool.

More than 500 people have already voted at our interactive website at www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk with currently 34.4% in favour, 66.8% against, and 0.8% wishing for the idea to be explored further.