COMMUNITIES secretary Eric Pickles and the head of the audit commission have been asked to intervene in a defamation row at transport authority Merseytravel.

Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd is threatening to sue fellow transport authority member Andrew Makinson for defamation – and the taxpayer is helping to cover Cllr Dowd’s legal bill.

Liverpool Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp has written to Mr Pickles and Michael O’Higgins, chairman of the Audit Commission, asking them to step in.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Makinson was sent a legal letter on behalf of Cllr Dowd after he issued a press release to journalists raising questions about the Labour chairman’s authorised use of Merseytravel’s credit card.

Merseytravel refuses to discuss the case while the legal action is ongoing.

“You may find it surprising that I am writing to you asking you to intervene in the running of a quasi-local authority,” Cllr Kemp wrote to Mr Pickles.

“However, I have always believed that the Secretary of State needs to be the final back stop in case of problem authorities.

“I believe that The Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority is one such authority.”

Cllr Dowd used the credit card to fund his attendance at Labour Party conferences, theatre tickets and tickets to the famous Alcatraz prison while on a trip to the USA.

Merseytravel insists all personal spending on the credit card was reimbursed under a pre-existing agreement. Cllr Kemp sets out a series of questions on whether it was right Cllr Dowd was allowed to use the Merseytravel credit card. He also asks whether it was fair that one councillor had his legal expenses paid and the other did not.

“For the avoidance of doubt I do not believe that members should have credit cards and I do not believe that political disputes should be settled in court – no matter who is paying for them,” Cllr Kemp added.

District auditor (DA) Julian Farmer said he could see no reason to take any formal action over the use of the credit card. But Cllr Kemp now wants the Audit Commission to review Mr Farmer’s decision.