WIRRAL Council have a new leader after the Labour group was kicked out during a stormy meeting at Wallasey town hall.
Tories and Lib Dems joined together to outvote the largest party and appoint Conservative group leader Jeff Green at the helm of the authority.
It followed dissatisfaction of the opposition groups over the way Labour’s leadership dealt with a damning report into allegations raised by whistleblower Martin Morton from Wirral social services.
Mr Morton’s allegations of financial abuse of vulnerable people in council care led to an investigation by an outside consultant, Anna Klonowski, whose report included further serious concerns and failings in the authority.
During the meeting senior Lib Dem Stuart Kelly said the Klonowski report indicated “corporate failure of a scale previously thought unimaginable by elected members” but the council was still “no nearer the truth of who is to blame” and added: “If this were this council’s Watergate we are nowhere near Nixon yet.”
Last night’s meeting saw the row over how the Klonowski report should be dealt with come to a head as Labour leader Steve Foulkes faced votes of no confidence tabled by Tories and Lib Dems.
The Tories and Liberal Democrat groups said they wanted a three party cabinet and a new leader of the council.
After he won the vote new leader Jeff Green said he would delay announcement of the new full cabinet to allow Labour “a period of reflection”, but said he would be approaching the Labour group to ask if they would join.
Cllr Green also pledged the authority would find a job for Mr Morton by the time he meets chief officers.
