LIVERPOOL’S council leader Warren Bradley fought off a dual challenge to his leadership last night – but admitted he had made mistakes in the past year.

Cllr Bradley beat challengers former “deputy leader” Richard Kemp, and ex-education supremo Paul Clein with 26 votes, compared to Kemp’s 13, and Clein’s seven.

Despite 43% of his party voting against him, Cllr Bradley insisted the party was united.

Last night, Cllr Bradley said he had listened to the Liberal Democrat group and wanted to work in a more “collaborative way” in future.

He admitted he was relieved to still be in position, and said he would be introducing a permanent deputy leader and instigating a “radical” shake-up of the membership of the decision-making executive board.

The cull could see new positions for the likes of Colin Eldridge, former Parliamentary candidate Paula Keaveney and Croxteth councillor Phil Moffatt.

Last night, Cllr Kemp said he hoped the party would now unite, but warned Cllr Bradley that, if progress was not made in the next three to four months on a “positive agenda”, then the party would continue to be divided.

Cllr Clein said he was not surprised by the result as “it is always difficult to unseat an incumbent leader”.

Lib-Dem councillors, who hold 46 of Liverpool’s 90 seats, started arriving at Liverpool Town Hall shortly after 6pm last night, and less than two hours later they had re-elected Cllr Bradley.

By securing 57% of the ballot under the single transferable vote system, Cllr Bradley was declared the victor without a need to resort to the second preferences of those who had backed the third-placed candidate.

A triumphant Cllr Bradley said: “I am ecstatic to have been given the mandate from the group to take the Lib-Dems forward in the next 12 months.

“I was confident of winning. People were phoning me and telling me to stand. I have no hard feelings towards Richard and Paul – they are an integral part of the Liberal Democrat team.

“The group is united, it is about working for the good of the people of the city.

“It’s about building confidence in people that we are the party to take this city forward, the 2010 election starts tomorrow for me.”

He said some of the back-benchers had indicated they felt some of the issues the party was good at tackling when it came to power 10 years ago had been neglected.

And he admitted changes were needed after the council had only clung on to power in this month’s elections with the midnight defection of ex-Labour councillor Nadia Stewart, leaving a wafer-thin majority of just one.

“There will be some radical changes to the executive board members.

“I think it’s needed, 10 years is a long time for any administration or government, we need to refresh, revitalise, and redirect – that’s what we want to do.”

“I work in a team as a firefighter. It’s time that some of that was put into the council chamber – more team work.”

The Lib-Dems already have a system of rotating their deputy leadership, but Cllr Bradley said he had realised a permanent appointment was needed.

“I think that will bring stability that the whole group needs.”

The past nine months have been a turbulent time for the leader, from which he is hoping to move on.

Last August, there was the high-profile cancellation of the Mathew Street Festival and a number of controversies that ensued.

Last night, when asked if there was anything he might have done different over the past nine months, he said: “It’s human nature. People make mistakes.

“There are one or two things in hindsight that I might have done differently – that’s for my conscience.

“I recognise when I make mistakes, I hold my hands up. But I also recognise a lot of good things I have done for the city.”

Despite having successfully seen off the challenge, one issue continues to cast a shadow over his leadership.

He is facing a Standards Board for England inquiry into claims, which he has consistently denied, that he conspired to remove former Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow from his post.

Its findings are expected later in the summer, and he could be forced to stand down if the board finds against him. Last night, Cllr Kemp said that, irrespective of whoever won the party, with a slim majority, the council was still facing some tough times.

“My not having won has not taken those away.

“I think we have got real problems in finance, in the way that it is organised.

“There are major behavioural problems across the parties. I think we will continue to look bad as councillors.

“I don’t see from either of the parties the big vision stuff that is so badly needed in Liverpool.”

He pledged to work for the party and the council from the back benches.

“I hope the party will unite. It really depends on what happens in the next three to four months in terms of moving on to a positive agenda.

“If Warren can do that, then the party will unite; if he cannot, it will not.”

Cllr Clein said: “I feel fine. I’ve given the group my views on the current situation and they are now under no illusion as to what I think.

“I think we have to unite or we will lose control of the council in 2010.”

Labour group leader Joe Anderson was re-elected unanimously last night.

OPINION: PAGE 10

davidbartlett