LIVERPOOL Council leader Warren Bradley last night spoke of his relief at being cleared of bullying and bringing his office into disrepute, after a 16-month ethical standards investigation.

The Standards Board for England found that Cllr Bradley’s conduct in the wake of the Mathew Street Festival “occasionally suggested lack of good judgment”.

The board also highlighted that his conduct “may have damaged his personal reputation”, but concluded that he had not acted maliciously and that no further action should be taken.

Last night, Cllr Bradley said he now wanted to draw a line under the episode and appealed for unity while the city meets the challenges of the recession.

But Labour opposition leader Joe Anderson claimed Cllr Bradley had been “lucky to escape censure by the skin of his teeth” and the city deserved an apology.

The investigation was launched in December, 2007, into allegations Cllr Bradley and ex-council leader Mike Storey had secretly met former city events manager Lee Forde, blamed for the cancellation of the August, 2007, Mathew Street festival to “get information” on former Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow.

The investigation into Cllr Storey has already concluded no action should be taken against him.

The scope of the investigation was later widened to include claims Cllr Bradley had bullied Mr Harborow.

In November, Cllr Bradley was sent a draft conclusion of the Standards Board report.

It is understood lawyers acting on his behalf have spent the last three months “discussing” the final outcome with investigators.

“The people of Liverpool will want to know the cost of any legal advice for Cllr Bradley, funded by the council, in relation to this matter,” said Cllr Anderson.

In reaching its conclusion, the board said “Cllr Bradley’s conduct occasionally suggested lack of good judgment, and that contributed to Jason Harborow feeling undermined in his role.

“However, in considering whether Cllr Bradley’s conduct brought his office or authority into disrepute, the ethical standards officer has recognised the pressure Cllr Bradley was under to deliver such a high- profile event as Capital of Culture, and that the deterioration of his relationship with Jason Harborow was played out in the most public of arenas.

“While some of Cllr Bradley’s actions could be said to have damaged his personal reputation, for conduct to be disreputable to a member’s office or authority there must . . . generally be some additional element pointing to a lapse in standards, such as an improper motive, unlawfulness, the hope of personal gain or gratuitously offensive behaviour.

“Based on the evidence the ethical standards officer saw, she did not consider this to be the case here and found that no further action was necessary.”

One of the main aspects of the investigation centred around an email in which Cllr Bradley called for Mr Harborow to be relieved of his duties.

The board said it recognised it had been sent in “the heat of the moment” and had not intended for it to end up in the Press.

But his failure to then talk about his relationship with Mr Harborow had “further undermined Jason Harborow’s ability to carry out his job”.

In relation to the “secret” meeting with Mr Forde, Cllr Bradley said he recognised it had been “unwise and possibly naive”.

“Conflicting accounts of the meeting made it impossible for the ethical standards officer to conclude exactly what was discussed,” the board found.

Last night, Cllr Bradley said he now wanted to put the episode behind him.

“I am relieved it is now over and would like to thank my family, friends and colleagues for their support over the 16 months it has taken to complete this investigation.

“I now want to draw a line firmly under the past and concentrate on tackling the challenges the city is facing in the future.

“My priorities have always been to put the interests of the people of Liverpool first. This is what I will continue to do.”

Last night, Cllr Anderson said Cllr Bradley’s conduct had cost the city £230,000 – the cost of Mr Harborow’s pay-off.

He said: “He is only lucky he escaped formal censure by the skin of his teeth this time. In the light of events, I believe that the people of Liverpool deserve an apology from Cllr Bradley.”

OPINION: PAGE 8

davidbartlett