JUSTICE delayed is justice denied. The people of Liverpool have waited long enough for the revelation of the Standards Board reports on their council leader Warren Bradley and his predecessor Mike Storey.
The councillors may have been found guilty, innocent or something in between, but it is intolerable that we don’t know the outcome of the investigation.
The inquiry was into claims that Cllrs Bradley and Storey conspired to remove former Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow. Both deny this.
Another charge under investigation, and denied, is that Cllr Storey leaked details of Mr Harborow’s health to the press.
The Standards Board aims to complete 90% of their investigations in six months. Quite right, too. Expeditious inquiry is in everyone’s interest, including the person who is immediately put under a cloud of suspicion, and the voters.
So what’s going on? We reported last Monday that the draft findings concerning Cllr Bradley were sent to the people involved in the complaint over a week ago.
Cllr Storey’s report is still not ready. It will be remembered that Mike Storey stood down as leader in 2005 after being found guilty of conspiring to remove former council chief executive Sir David Henshaw. I understand the Standards Board were surprised when he returned to the council Cabinet shortly afterwards.
The absence of news is fuelling speculation around the Town Hall about the future of the leader (Warren Bradley) and the next mayor (Mike Storey).
If the Standards Board have taken a tough line, then it is open to Cllr Bradley to discuss the nature of the sanctions to be taken against him if he admits his guilt. Negotiations about this may be an explanation for the lack of news, indicating a real question over his future as leader. It could take a while to resolve because the council leader has been convinced of his own innocence.
If the Standards Board has come down heavily against Cllr Bradley and is preparing a similar verdict on Cllr Storey, then the council could be looking for a new leader and somebody other than Cllr Storey to don the plumed mayoral hat next May.
But, assuming that Cllr Storey survives to gain the top civic honour after 35 years’ service, he won’t be taking part in any votes during his year of office.
He seems to be getting into practice. Although attending the last council meeting, Cllr Storey did not record his support for the controversial decision by his Liberal Democrat administration to scrap the post of Executive Director, Finance and Legal.
Eyebrows have been raised in local government circles at the decision by Liverpool to abolish this key post. Indeed, there is speculation as to how long that change will remain.
But that’s enough speculation for now. Although we journalists thrive on it, it will be a good thing when an unedifying chapter of council infighting can be closed, and we can reflect that, in the end, we’ve had a capital Year of Culture.
