FORDE FIRST WARNED OF POTENTIAL MATHEW ST CANCELLATION IN MAY 2006

-----Original Message-----
From: Forde, Lee

Sent: 17 May 2006 12:59

To: Harborow, Jason; Donaldson, Kris

Subject: Mathew Street Festival

Guys,

Merseytravel have disagreed with closing the Strand for three days in order to keep the event in the city centre.

I have requested this in writing by end of week.

It is likely I will need a high level phone call to bottom this out and if no change can be agreed then we either go to the parks or cancel.

I would appreciate if one of you would assist with a call to Neil Scales next Monday if as I expect we get a negative written response.

Cheers

Lee Forde

General Manager of Events

-----Original Message-----
From: Harborow, Jason

Sent: 17 May 2006 13:36

To: Forde, Lee; Donaldson, Kris

Subject: RE: Mathew Street Festival

Ok, provide me with a brief that I might ask colin (presumably Colin Hilton) to pursue

Jason Harborow

And Forde's deputy gave another warning a year later….

-----Original Message-----

From: Grant, Eddy

Sent: 29 March 2007 09:46

To: Green, ChrisCc: Forde, Lee

Subject: RE: Updated: Mathew Street Music Festival

Strategic Partners &Director briefing

We need to make this a priority as based on current information we as events team have extreme difficulty in staging the festival in this city for 2007.

Director level understanding and input is essential at this stage.

We are approaching the point where we will not meet with license conditionsand as such the most senior support input and understanding is essential

Eddy Grant

Operations & Safety Manager

HOLIDAY CAPTION COMPETITION AS THE HARBARROWBOY DOES A RUNNER WITH OUR MONEY

LEE FORDE'S MATHEW ST DOSSIER: THE BATTLE BETWEEN STOREYTELLER AND THE HARBARROWBOY

The following emails between Councillor Storey and Jason Harborow illustrate the rising tensions between the two over budgets, but also that Councillor Bradley; the Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Clark; and Mr Hilton were also all aware of the problems faced by Mathew Street in March 2007.

-----Original Message-----

From: Fogarty, Sandra On Behalf Of Harborow, Jason

Sent: 12 March 2007 11:39

To: Storey, Mike

Cc: Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council); Hilton, Colin (Chief Executive); Green, Chris; Forde, Lee

Subject: Son et Lumiere - Mathew Street Festival

Dear Mike

I understand that a meeting took place between yourself, Warren, Colin and Chris Green on 21st February. At that meeting the Son et Lumiere was discussed and also Mathew Street Festival. As you are aware, the planning for one off events for 2007 took place in the second half of last year. At that time the Son et Lumiere event was not being considered. Following a request to look at this a more accurate budget was produced highlighting that £160k would be required to deliver the event, we were asked to look at the budget to see if this could be found and to increase the budget for the pageant and square activities on the 28th August.

Following a thorough review of the budget I regret to inform you that it is impossible to find this budget without looking to reduce the budget for the fireworks on 28th August, however, this would undoubtedly create a serious PR issue if a decent display did not take place.

I felt it was important to inform you of this as soon as possible.

In relation to Mathew Street Festival, there are other issues which I will highlight as soon as discussions with my colleagues are concluded. These do include serious logistical issues around the closing of major roads and the utilisation of space not normally used for Mathew Street Festival, these issues of course do not have an impact on the event taking place but may have on the duration.

I will provide this information as soon as possible.

Best Regards

Jason Harborow
Chief Executive

-----Original Message-----

From: Storey, Mike

To: Harborow, Jason

Cc: Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council); Clark, Paul; Hilton, Colin(Chief Executive)

Sent: Mon Mar 12 17:11:47 2007

Subject: RE: Son et Lumiere - Mathew Street Festival

Jason

Not happy about this. wondered why nobody was talking to me about this!

Amazing how we can fin £50,000 for Summer pops in Sefton and other non essential items yet the opportunity for Liverpool folk to celebrate the opening of St Georges Hall is pushed out. Would want to meet up tomorrow morning to discuss this and to go through the Budgets to find the money. This will happen

Regards

Mike

-----Original Message-----

From: Harborow, Jason

Sent: 12 March 2007 20:18

To: Storey, Mike

Cc: Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council); Clark, Paul; Hilton, Colin(Chief Executive); Green, Chris; Molyneux, Lorraine

Subject: Re: Son et Lumiere - Mathew Street Festival

Mike

Thank you for your note.

I am afraid I am not available tomorrow but chris green is.

The issue is we don't have this type of budget without cutting other events, which chris has already propised to you. Chris will contact you tomorrow to discuss

Best regards

Jason

Jason Harborow

Chief Executive

So Storey and the Harbarrowboy were at each other's throats in March 2007, in the familiar Liverpool battle for power between councillors and officers.

Storey wanted one thing - his Son et Lumiere pet project - without any notice and without any money being identified to pay for it.

And the Harbarrowboy was refusing to let him have it.

The scene was set....Storey's pet project would eventually get the £100,000 it needed, while the Harbarrowboy would then, in petty revenge, slash the Mathew Street budget by £100,000. The games people play with public money....

And of course that £100,000 budget cut then triggered the entire Mathew Street fiasco.

ANOTHER WORLD EXCLUSIVE: FIREMAN BRADLEY'S EMAILS TO LEE FORDE:

FIREMAN Bradley sent five emails to Lee Forde in the space of three minutes (not very computer literate then, eds) the day after he had promoted a council report which blamed Forde for the Mathew Street debacle. (what a dishonest little hypocrite the Fireman is, eds)

Three of the emails were identical. They are shown below. But this is the killer phrase:

“I am as pissed off as you … how the report can finger people - and not others…” - Warren Bradley

Bradley did not have either the guts or the honesty to tell the press this was his real view the day before, when Lee Forde was fighting to protect his professional reputation which had been disgracefully attacked by a censored and biased council report which blamed Forde for the cancellation. And the report let off the hook, the real culprits - the Harbarrowboy, CoverUp, Storey-teller and the Fireman.

What morally bankrupt and corrupt bastards these people are.

The emails:

-----Original Message-----

From: wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk [mailto:wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk]

Sent: 17 November 2007 13:49

To: leeforde

Subject: Re: FW: Capacity issues>

Lee,

Really need to speak to you, to discuss the next steps. I am as pissed off as you, I really do think we need to get together to talk?

Warren

-----Original Message-----

From: wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk [mailto:wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk]

Sent: 17 November 2007 13:50

To: leeforde

Subject: Re: FW: Capacity issues>

Lee,

Really need to speak to you, to discuss the next steps. I am as pissed off as you, I really do think we need to get together to talk?

Warren

-----Original Message-----

From: wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk [mailto:wj.bradley@blueyonder.co.uk]

Sent: 17 November 2007 13:52

To: leeforde

Subject: Re: FW: Capacity issues

Lee,

Really need to talk to you and discuss the next steps. I am as pissed off as you regarding this whole episode, and how the report can finger people and not others?

Warren

EDITOR'S NOTE: Bradley has now apparently claimed that the secret meeting was at Lee Forde's instigation, but we think the emails show something completely different. Bradley is an unmitigated liar. He cannot help but be thoroughly dishonest. He will say anything to save his own neck. Damage anyone to save his own unimpressive political career. He deserves to be hounded out of office for the way he has framed Forde. So how are you going to wriggle out of this one now, Fireman?

THE FIREMAN: STILL THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX?????

We couldn't resist reproducing this spectacularly appropriate quote below from Councillor Warren Bradley, (Leader of Liverpool city council, aka The Fireman, and hero of the Mathew Street report) from one of the many press releases which 'Randy' Newman recently issued to the world's unsuspecting meeja. Enjoy......

.........Councillor Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool city council and deputy chair of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: “Put simply, Treasures is about placing your life into a box. The project will start in schools, but eventually we want everyone living in the city – and the surrounding areas – to have a go at creating their own Treasure box.
“It’s a great project which gives everyone the chance to get involved in celebrating what they love most about Liverpool – I can’t wait to start making my own box!”

ENDS

And nor can we. Talk about digging your own grave....

THIS WEEK'S CAPTION COMPETITION....POLICE PROTECTION FOR ONE ASPIRING LIB DEM LEADER AND ONE FAILED LIB DEM LEADER

One of Jase's ice creams to the provider of the best picture caption.

SUPPORT EBBS AWAY FROM THE FIREMAN - JUST LIKE MING!

INTERESTING that not all Lib Dems feel able to support Fireman Bradley's inept handling of the Mathew St debacle.

At the full council meeting, it was noted that Councillors Jan and Paul Clein abstained from voting with their besieged Leader.

Whether Bradley will end up being stabbed in the back like Ming the Merciful remains to be seen.

But the Cleins could not bring themselves to praise his handling of the Culture cock-up and the ridiculous notveryindependent investigation into what went wrong.

Whatever people might think of the weak and incompetent Fib Dems, the Cleins were amongst the few who stood up to the personality cult propagated by the disastrous Sir Diddy Henshaw.

Jan Clein, who can be nine bob short of a shilling on other matters, was the only Lib Dem who had the bottle and principle to refuse to join the public toadying led by two-faced Bradley at Henshaw's enforced departure.

(When will the Lib Dems ever learn that hypocrisy does the city no good? eds)

Hubby Paul, of course, was one of those who unsuccessfully challenged Bradley for the Leadership after Storey-teller walked the plank.

With the other failed contender, Flo 'shall we dance?' Clucas now thoroughly discredited, it would seem Clein might be the only Lib Dem left who is still able to mount a serious challenge to the floundering Fireman.

There is no doubt that a substantial number of Lib Dems are now having serious mis-givings about Bradley's misbegotten leadership.

As well as damaging the city and costing council taxpayers a fortune, he has also succeeded in making his own party a laughing stock and publicly ridiculed.

Judging by the panic-stricken Fireman's desperate swivel-headed scanning of the Lib Dem ranks behind him on Wednesday night, he fears any one of them could plunge the dagger between his shoulder blades.

At any moment...

CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE?

WHY has the media failed to expose the evil cabal?

Why have they largely ignored the corruption and wrong-doing at Henshaw's city council, despite the current council leader handing a secret dossier last year to the chief constable?

Why have the media been largely silent on the waste of millions of pounds in public money by the current city council and the Culture Company?

Is the answer to any of these questions explained by the ownership of the media?

("You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment," Francis Urquhart)

That's what members of the National Union Of Journalists think anyway.

And it's what many in Liverpool think when they see the cosy deals being done between unholyTrinity Mirror and the Culture Comedians and the local media's failure to hold the Harbarrowboy to account.

Any chance that commercial considerations could be interfering with editorial integrity?

Journalists are today reduced to a cross between call-centre workers and data processors. Stuck at their desks re-jigging press releases. Who knows what corruption, lies, and law-breaking is going on in the corridors of power – no-one has the time to look. Or is even encouraged to delve a little deeper.

Except the occasional brave blogger...

Members of the NUJ descend on Manchester on November 5 to urge their bosses to stand up to greedy media owners.

The NUJ is organising a lobby of the Society of Editors conference at the swanky Radisson Hotel on Peter Street, Manchester.
Union president Michelle Stanistreet said: “The media is owned by a smaller and smaller group of extremely wealthy corporations.
“They make big profits but they want more. So journalists face a constant round of job cuts and dwindling editorial budgets. This means that more and more news is just recycled press releases.
“We want our editors to join with us and stand up to the culture of cuts. If they believe that journalism is important for democracy and for local communities they must take a stand.
“They are meeting on a site that was developed to commemorate the Peterloo massacre. We hope they will take courage from history and seize the moment.”
The Manchester event is one of the focul points of Stand Up For Journalism Day which will involve events all over Europe.
There will be lobbies at the European Parliament and in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland.
In Manchester journalists and their supporters will gather outside the offices of the Manchester Evening News on Hardman Street, off Deansgate at 12.30pm on November 5.
They will march to the Radisson Hotel, on the site of the old Free Trade Hall, to lobby the editors’ conference. There will be a rally in defence of journalism at 1.30pm in the Friends Meeting House on Mount Street.
Michelle Stanistreet and NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear will be among the speakers. For furtherinformation visit http://www.standupforjournalism.org.uk/

'SECRET' PROBE INTO CLUCAS AND IRISH CENTRE CONTINUES....

The ‘secret’ investigation by the Standards Board into Lib Dem Flo Clucas and the Irish Centre continues apace.
The self-styled “watchdogs” have been in and out of Lime Street like Maggie May during the last few weeks.
Indeed, they have become such familiar faces in the city council’s Planning Department at Kingsway House, that staff now regularly offer to fetch their lunchtime butties.
The team of borocrats have even been given their own private office and offered secretarial, admin and photocopying support.
They have demanded copies of the minutes of all meetings, notes taken and all correspondence regarding the Centre on Mount Pleasant.
A number of staff have already been interviewed in-depth by the team of investigators.
They include Planning Chief Nigel Lee, who has been banned from taking any part in discussions or decisions about the Irish Centre because he has already compromised his impartiality.
In particular, the investigators have been interested in any documentation regarding Lib Dem Executive member Flo Clucas’s relationship with Dance Liverpool.
Readers will recall how Clucas used her position as a senior Cabinet Member and city councillor to promote Dance Liverpool’s campaign to take over the Grade 2 listed building.
Flucas is, of course, a Director of Dance Liverpool, but failed to declare her interest in the organisation – which stood to financially benefit from any move – at meetings in which she pushed their case.
Flucas promised Dance Liverpool they could have council taxpayers money and European grants – she is also Chair of the European Objective One committee, which doles out the cash.
Flucas has been interviewed by the Standards Board, and protested that she haS nothing wrong and that she is the victim of a disgraceful attempt to besmirch her good name and reputation as a leading Lib Dem councillor. (Surprise, surprise, eds)
Other senior figures been yet to be called to the wicket, including city council chief executive, Colin ‘Cover Up’.
As is the way with the borocrats, their investigation is now taking much longer than expected, such is the volume of paperwork being examined.
So their final report is not expected before early next year.
Of course, you will not be able to read a single word about any of this in the papers, or hear it on Radio Merseyside, all of which appear to have agreed to maintain a discreet silence about the investigation.
This is unusual - especially since the Standards Board is a public body, using public money to carry out a public investigation into a publicly elected city councillor.
Obviously, the public would not be the slightest bit interested in this investigation.

LABOUR GIVES 'SADLY' BRADLEY NOTICE TO QUIT - AND CLUELESS HASN'T GOT A CLUE!

LABOUR'S historic victory in the Warbreck by-election has served notice to quit on the mis-ruling Lib Dems.

A twenty-year unbroken run of Lib Dem rule in the leafy ward came to a spectacular end, with an astonishing victory for Labour's Richard McLinden.

He overturned a Lib Dem majority of more than 1600 votes, with a thumping 770 seat majority for Labour.

The swing to Labour was more than 33 per cent - a breathtaking achievement and a first for Labour in Liverpool.

It means that since taking over as Fib Dem Leader, Warren 'I'm only a fireman' Bradley has now suffered 12 separate defeats.

Labour, with no-nonsense Joe Anderson as Leader, has meanwhile chalked up a series of 16 separate wins in a row.

The result, which took even the most loyal Labour supporters by surprise, means that Joe Anderson could now grab back control of the city council next May.

And what a fantastic victory that would be in 2008 - the year of Capital of Culture which the Lib Dems have done so much to wreck with their cock-ups and bungling.

The Fireman Bradley was noticeably absent from the election count - he was advised not to turn up for fear that his bottle would go when he saw Labour storming ahead.

Lib Dems feared that he would lose control for the second time and again lash out during an official count.

So Bradley was kept in touch at a safe distance by the mastermind behind the Lib Dem's historic and crushing defeat - former councillor Richard 'Inspector Clueless' Marbrow.

Inspector Clueless comprehensively cocked up the by-election campaign - and his (and Paula Keveaney's, eds) glum expression at the remarkable result revealed his sinking realisation that comeback seats are fast disappearing.

Clueless's stupendously stupid by-election campaign reached the nadir of bad taste, when Inspector Clueless came up with the bright idea of getting a dead woman to promote the Lib Dems from beyond the grave.

(What? eds)

That's right - unbelievably, Clueless got the son of deceased councillor Joan Lang to write a letter to every elector in Warbreck proclaimning that it was her "dying wish" that Lib Dem candidate Richie 'I've got less than half a brain' Roberts should succeed her!

(Is there anything to which the Lib Dems won't stoop to try and hang on to power? eds)

This sickening little stunt backfired spectacularly when the voters told the Lib Dems what to do with their nasty little attempts at moral blackmail.

And delivered another resounding victory for Joe Anderson's principled Party.

FOOT AND MOUTH LATEST: Staff and council services suffer

Council staff from One Stop Shops are being diverted to Liverpool Direct to handle the DEFRA foot and mouth calls.

The rottweiller McElhinney is ordering them to do this within their normal working time, instead of overtime.

Readers will remember that the dirty, blonde-loving doctor, got round protests from councillors last time over the bird flu calls, by insisting council staff were collecting overtime.

This time there is no such deal.

This is illegal of course.

Council staff are doing work for someone else which they are not actually officially contracted to do.

But the Lib Dems are powerless to do anything about this breach of the terms and conditions for council staff.

And UNISON officials of course are in McElhinney's pocket so they will also stay schtum.

McElhinney is already infamous for treating staff like cattle, farming them out around the city and treating them with contempt.

This is his management style as an evil cabalist.

The result of him nicking council staff to do private work for LDL is that the One Stop Shops are short of staff.

The Dingle office had just five staff the other day to deal with more than 200 people.

So council services suffer while McElhinney prospers. No change there then.

Dr David McElhinney

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET MUCH WORSE....

YOU would have thought that new Premier Gordon Brown would have enough problems - Iraq, Afghanistan, Bush, terror attacks, global warming, floods, the support of the Daily Mail, Ruth Kelly in his Cabinet, etc, etc, etc.


Then foot and mouth disease strikes again.


Can it get any worse? Gordon must have been asking himself.


Well yes, it can, Gord.


Unfortunately, your Government department in charge of the outbreak, DEFRA, has cocked up again.


It has given responsibility for handling phone calls about the crisis to the rottweiller McElhinney!


That's right - Liverpool Direct has been handed the lucrative contract by DEFRA.



Like putting a paedophile in charge of an orphanage.


No wonder you look a bit down in the mouth, Gordon.



Pity the poor farmers who phone up expecting some sympathetic response from the dirty Doc.


He will probably accuse them of plotting the outbreak amongst themselves to get some compensation.


Or worse - he might even insist on asking them for their natural hair colour before ordering his minions to reply.


This new contract follows McElhinney's past successes with Bernard Mathews and bird flu.


What is this connection between McElhinney and sick animals?


What any of this has to do with providing a decent service to the people of Liverpool, who pay the evil, dirty little doctor's astronomical wages, is a complete mystery.


After all, it's not as if the city of Liverpool has been hit by foot and mouth disease.


(Just you wait until 2008! eds)


So Gordon, you have been warned...

Dr David McElhinney

CITY COUNCIL MAKES 150 CARE WORKERS REDUNDANT

LIVERPOOL City Council is to make 150 care workers redundant to help pay for Capital of Culture.

The cowardly council deliberately made the announcement late this afternoon to try and avoid more damaging headlines in today's newspapers for the third day running.

Letters were sent out to the 400 care workers, who are on the lowest wages of all council staff, from the £195,000-a-year Executive Director Tony Hunter (right).

As part of its carefully-timed spin operation, the council's statement claims there is less demand for the care workers.

"This is because all new cases are handled by the independent sector, which has more flexibility to handle calls at times when people who use the service need them," it claims.

"The city council's in-house staff are contracted to provide 10,000 hours of care per week, but are only providing 5,000 hours - which means 5,000 hours remain unused. "

But the real reason of course is very simple: getting rid of staff saves the council money.

Why does the city council need to save money?

Because it needs £29million to pay for Capital of Culture.

So here we are witnessing the disgraceful spectacle of the city's poorest paid workers, mainly women, being made the sacrificial lambs for 2008.

While the hangers-on and the VIP's swig their free booze and munch their canapes at yet another civic reception, the care workers are being thrown out on their ears.

It is disgusting and disgraceful - a cynical, dishonest, cost-cutting exercise, being dressed up as some kind of 'efficiency' drive.

We sincerely hope that the care workers and their elderly clients will take on the city council and force them to stop.

How much will the council raise by cutting the workforce in half and slashing the service provided by half?

And how many bottles of wine and canapes will they buy with it, instead?

MORE FANCIFUL BOLLOCKS ABOUT THE ARENA...

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/capitalofculture/news/tm_headline=echo-arena-will-be-culture-winner%26method=full%26objectid=19284539%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

with thanks to A

THE ROTTWEILLER ATTACKS THE UNIONS AT LIVERPOOL DIRECT

THE ROTTWEILLER McElhinney is trying to force Liverpool Direct staff to do whatever he wants.

The dirty doctor has written to the trade unions to try and get a clause in the LDL contract scrapped.

The clause prevents him from forcing council staff - ie, secondee's to Liverpool Direct - to work for any external business.

If the unions agree, it would mean the evil McElhinney could have Liverpool Direct staff answering calls on behalf of his own private interests, such as Corrupt Bastards Inc, or that infamous local company, Evil, thieving, lying Cabal or the legendary TakingthepissoutofLiverpool.com or anyone else, more reputable, who is prepared to pay through the nose.

The move to scrap the clause follows the blog's recent exposure that Liverpool Direct was handling calls about Bernard Matthews's bird flu crisis for DEFRA.

This caused huge ructions for the thieving McElhinney, with protests from trade unions and politicians that calls to care staff were going unanswered while Liverpool Direct staff answered calls about turkeys.

The evil McElhinney is blaming the unions for leaking the story to the blog (wrongly, ed) and is now trying to get them to agree to the clause being scrapped so he can make sure that, in future, he can take money from anyone he likes.

He wants to take the clause out of the contract that states he has to consult with staff and unions on any changes in contracts and then use the staff in anyway he see's fit.

No union in its right mind would give McElhinney carte blanche like this, of course. But stranger things have happened in Liverpool...

In his letter notifying the unions of an official consultation period for removing the clause, McElhinney's motives become transparent.

He first tries to blackmail the unions over jobs, clumsily reminding them that LDL was originally set up as an alternative to outsourcing (in other words, we can always outsource your jobs again lads, unless you agree to this, ed)

He claims that the council wanted LDL to win "third party work" (who exactly is supposed to have agreed to that then? ed)

He then goes on: "You will know that the success of LDL's support to Defra during the recent outbreak of Avian influenza was heralded by the city as a major achievement." (Who was the numbskull 'herald' in this case then, Dr? ed)

McElhinney has clumsily included the bird flu example to anger the unions (who were horrified at what he was doing, ed) and give them a slap in the face about how untouchable he is (along the lines of, 'I can do what I like lads, so get stuffed - like those turkeys', ed)

The evil McElhinney claims 80 new jobs have been created from this so-called 'third party work,' withouthout producing any evidence for his claims. Indeed so flimsy is this particular claim that he has to repeat it twice, (presumably so 'the thickos in the unions' as he calls them, get his point? ed).

Then comes the sting - unless the unions agree to scrap the clause, there will be "the potential risk of redundancy or redeployment."

Crude blackmail.

Of course, McElhinney is hoping the unions will cave in and allow him to continue running his own private enterprise, without any challenge or accountability.

He wants to use council employees - public servants - without being accountable to anyone else. Least of all the unions, or councillors.

No doubt his mates in the ABA, his boxing friends, his jogging pals, websites for members of his family - and any other blonde ladies like very-well-looked-after-employee Sarah Parr (right) who need special 'services' - could benefit again from this nasty, vicious, arrogant little megalomaniac being allowed to do whatever he likes, while he laughs all the way to the bank.

Any hope of the Lib Dems doing anything to defend the interests of the workforce is, of course, absolutely pointless.

Dr David McElhinney

SIGN THE DOWNING STREET PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THE CARE WORKERS....(courtesy of Tori Blare)

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to provide more public funding towards the care of the elderly and vulnerable in Liverpool City.

The Liverpool City Council are £29 million pounds overspent in their budget for Capital of Culture.

The Liberal Democrat controlled Administration have insisted that the Private care providers, sign a new contract for this provision of care which equates to a 30% cut across the services, having the direct effect on the staff and the vulnerable.

The same administration has decided to cease the existence of the generic council run home care service.

This again has a direct impact on the carers and the vulnerable.

We request that the Government ensures the full budgets are released for the vulnerable and elderly citizens of Liverpool and not in the form of high wages for the senior management teams of the caring profession.

Sign the petition here: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/LiverpoolCare/#detail

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE....

Below are comments posted by the people of Liverpool on the care workers dispute...

Stanford88 said...
Congratulations on attracting so many comments Tony.

It's good to be able to tell others of the way council is treating us.

I will certainly post news and comments to it !

Guess what? – more bad news !

I bumped in to one of the ex office staff where I work today. She said our company had lost a few of the areas that we are working in because of the new contract and this would affect my blocks.

It appears that I have to go and work for another new care agency if I want to stay with my service users.

What are the council trying to do to me?

What are the council trying to do to the people I look after?

Are they deliberately trying to upset us?

Are they deliberately picking on us?

First of all, a 30% pay cut, secondly, IF I manager to stay a carer, I will have to transfer to another care agency because of toopee to stay with my service users?

I don’t want to change agency.

I am happy with my wages, I am happy with service users, I am happy with the agency I work for.

Are all these changes for the good?

If so perhaps Curly, Larry and Mo (AKA Antrobus, Hunter and Brazil) be able to tell me how?

I have served this city as a loyal carer for a number of years (on less money than them).

I think I am entitled to some explanation.

PS I am a council tax payer - so I am demanding an answer...

Tepec said...

I am a social care manager.

I just can't believe where they are coming from on this one.

How can they disrupt so many vulnerable people?

Thursday, May 31, 2007 11:45:00 AM

TAX PAYER said...

Yes and I am DEMANDING to know what the hell they are up to.

I am also a tax payer. I object to my hard earning money being used to feather the nests of Social Services and P.C.T. managers also the allowances for so called 'Coucillors'.

YOU need to take some Counsel yourselves.

These are very vulnerable Liverpool Citizens and care staff you are putting at risk.

People you are not even fit to wipe there boots.

GIVE US THE ANSWERS YOU FACELESS PEOPLE instead of pocketing MY MONEY yourselves.

Thursday, May 31, 2007 12:15:00 PM

Carol said...

So very very sad. Oh! to be elderly. Nobody cares.

Thursday, May 31, 2007 5:24:00 PM

Pete said...

If you want to save money to have more to spend on yourself and Jollies to Cannes and elsewhere who do you pick on?....... The elderly and children they can't hit back.Thats about the level we have sunk to in Liverpool.

Thursday, May 31, 2007 9:08:00 PM

Anonymous said...

"Never before have so many been taken for so much and left with so little."

Thursday, May 31, 2007 9:56:00 PM

IT'S CRIMINAL: "'THE COUNCIL ARE OVERSPENT AND NEED TO FIND MORE MONEY TO FUND CAPITAL OF CULTURE..."

Stanford88 has left a new comment on your post "THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE...":

Hi Tony.

Thanks for your support.

I attended a meeting in the North of the city last week organised by the Liverpool Care Slaves United.

Over 100 people showed up and we met a local labour councillor Joe Hanson.

I spoke to carers from all different parts of the city who are all in the same position - facing about 30% PAY CUT !

The Labour Party can't believe that the council are trying to force such cuts through on the private sector workers and they are vowing to help us in our struggle for equal rights of pay.

If you dont mind I would like to take this opportunity to tell other care workers that are concerned about what the council are doing to contact Joe Hanson.

His email address is :joseph.hanson@liverpool.gov.uk

The same answers keep coming back on this when we ask why is the council changing the contract?

Answers.....1) The council are overspent and need to find more money to fund the Capital of Culture stuff. I would ask, why target the care services?

2) When they have come up with the idea of this new homecare contract, they have not thought through the knock on effect on the carers and workforce in the city. I would ask, who are the people making these decisions without speaking to us?

3) It is to increase efficiency and is better for the council tax payer. I would ask, why target just the private sector service? Home Help staff are being paid for their spare capacity and also get paid for their traveling time. District nurses and health authority staff get paid for shifts of work, that includes traveling time.

WHY ARE WE ANY DIFFERENT?

IT IS NOT EQUAL IT IS NOT FAIR

Tony, I say : CUT THE CULTURE BUDGET, NOT THE CARE BUDGET - and let us continue to do our job caring for the elderly of this city and giving them the time and quality of life they deserve.

Posted by Stanford88 to City of the Dead* at Monday, May 21, 2007 11:44:00 AM

SURPRISE, SURPRISE! City council rapped for hushing things up!

For immediate release

Press release

Date: 11 May 2007

Liverpool City Council criticised for Freedom of Information handling

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has criticised Liverpool City Council over its handling of requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
In a letter to Chief Executive, Colin Hilton, the ICO cites a catalogue of failings by the council to meet the requirements of the Act and outlines what the council needs to do to improve its performance.
According to the Information Commissioner’s Office the council does not have
adequate procedures in place to deal with freedom of information requests and
failed, on a number of occasions, to provide the ICO with the information required to investigate a complaint under the Act.
A practice recommendation issued by the ICO highlights the council’s ‘symptomatic poor practice in handling freedom of information requests’ and criticises the council’s failure to provide adequate advice and assistance to individuals requesting information under the Act.
The ICO will continue to monitor the council’s information request handling
procedures and performance and will assess its progress against the ICO’s
recommendations in 6 months.
Last year the ICO prosecuted Liverpool City Council for breaching the Data
Protection Act after it failed to provide an individual with their health records held by the Council, despite several warning from the ICO.

ENDS
If you need more information, please contact the Information Commissioner’s press office on 020 7025 7580 or visit the website at: www.ico.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
1. The Information Commissioner promotes public access to official information and protects personal information. The ICO is an independent body with specific responsibilities set out in the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003.
2. For more information about the Information Commissioner’s Office subscribe to our enewsletter at www.ico.gov.uk
3. For a copy of the Practice Recommendation issued to Liverpool City Council please go to http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/notices/liverpool_city
_council_practice_recommendation.pdf

ANDERSON DEMANDS STANDARDS BOARD PROBE INTO CLUCAS AND THE IRISH CENTRE

LABOUR Leader Joe Anderson has called for a full-scale investigation into Flo Clucas trying to waltz off with the former Irish Centre on Mount Pleasant. (see Liverpool subCulture, ed)

Anderson has written to the Standards Board protesting that Clucas's actions breach the national Code of Conduct for councillors.

The Standards Board can fine or suspend Clucas from office if they find her guilty (some chance of that, ed)

Anderson tells how Clucas 'intervened strongly' at a meeting with planning officials on 19 December to promote Dance Liverpool's crackpot scheme to takeover the Centre, which is a Grade 2* listed building.

He says Clucas also offered/promoted:

• Objective 1 European funding for the Centre


• city council support for the scheme and/or


• to slap a CPO on the Centre.

Anderson says Clucas failed to declare an interest - she is a Director of Dance Liverpool, according to Companies House records.

The Labour Leader poses six separate questions about Clucas's conduct, including:

• Has Cllr Flo Clucas used her position as an Executive Member to promote a scheme in respect of which she has interest? (of course, ed)


• Was the City Council’s recommendation to reject the (owner's) Planning Application in 2006 as a result of pressure to support the “Dance Liverpool” proposal from Cllr Flo Clucas? (very probably, ed)


• Was there any reasonable evidence to suggest that the alternative “Dance Liverpool” proposal had any realistic prospect of delivery (the report... clearly identifies a lack of funding...for the scheme) (none at all, ed)

Anderson also asks if it was appropriate for Clucas to "promise/promote that Liverpool City Council would bear the costs of any CPO enquiry (as you will be aware developers normally bear such costs)?" (highly irregular, ed)

and

"Promising/promoting that acquisition costs would be funded by ERDS (Objective 1 European Funding) before any application or approval for such funding has been obtained?"(well, she is Chair of the Committee which doles out the Euro dosh, so presumably she should know whether she was going to give herself the money? ed)

Anderson adds: "You will note from the handwritten notes from a meeting, that Cllr Flo Clucas had explored ways in which pressure could be put on the existing owner (which would have the result of encouraging him to surrender the leasehold interest) and in particular, investigating the condition of the fire safety system and demanding that Liverpool City Council serve a schedule of dilapidations on the leasehold owner."

(This one will run and run, ed)

MOURNING FOR MARBROW? - NO, CELEBRATING AND PLANNING MORE TO COME!!!!!

Dear blogosphere,

We are taking the Bank Holiday off to celebrate the well deserved demise of Inspector Clueless in the local elections and the extremely heartening results in Liverpool, dramatically bucking the national trend.

Congratulations to all concerned. Especially to those who played such a fantastic role in helping get rid of one of the most pompous, self-opinionated, puffed up (literally, ed) arrogant, stupid and naive Lib Dem tossers, it has ever been our misfortune to come across.

Revenge is sweet.

We will be back on Tuesday with some extremely interesting material about some remaining very senior Lib Dem councillors.

We are also interested in hearing more detail about the astonishing dirty tricks which went on in the local election campaign, which are already attracting the attention of the police and the Standards Board for England.

(Oh, we do love to tease, ed)

Now, pass me the champagne....

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE...

THIS COMMENT WAS POSTED ON THE HENSHAW AND THE EVIL CABAL BLOG, ABOUT SIR DIDDY BEING THE HIGHEST PAID BUREAUCRAT IN THE COUNTRY WITH HIS £340,000 PAY OFF. IT DESERVES A WIDER AUDIENCE, SO WE ARE REPEATING IT HERE:
Stanford88 said...
I am a care worker in Liverpool.
I work hard looking after the elderly people I care for. We all do.
The council are going to cut my wages by almost 30% in July for me to do the same job as I am doing now.
They have massive wages whilst I go and clean peoples backsides and take a massive pay cut.
Dont I provide a valuable service to my community?
Well the council bossess obviously dont think I do.
I earn just above minimum wages already, If they cut my wages, I will have no choice but to leave my job and work somewhere else.
Does anyone else know what is going on at the council?
Have a look at this site: http://liverpoolcareslaves.blogspot.com/2007/04/minimum-wage-vs-maximum-wage.html
The council bosses are earning over £100000 pounds a year. Why can't they take a pay cut?

AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, STANFORD 88.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT AT NEXT YEAR'S COUNCIL ELECTIONS, THE LABOUR PARTY HAS A MANIFESTO COMMITMENT TO FREEZE THE WAGES OF ALL COUNCIL STAFF EARNING ABOVE, SAY, £100,000 A YEAR. WE WILL SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE OF LIVERPOOL MAKE OF THAT RADICAL POLICY.
AND IF STANFORD 88 WANTS TO POST ANY MORE COMMENTS, THEN BE OUR GUEST MATE - WE WILL GIVE YOU A PLATFORM.

FEATHERS FLY OVER BALD LEGAL EAGLE

Liverpool city council's bald legal eagle has been left in a flap after he was snubbed for the job of City Solicitor.

Boring bureaucrat Michael Kenworthy, whose hair is as thin as his legal acumen, has been publicly humiliated by the council's decision not to appoint him to the job.

Kenworthy had been Acting City Solicitor since Graeme Careerist left last year after his disgraceful toadying to greedy Henshaw.

Creer's card was marked when he repeatedly snitched about the ruling Lib Dem group's plans to discipline Henshaw over his attempted coup d'etat.

So Creer then moved to a comfy job with Weightmans amid suggestions that he had used his council position to secure the job.

Step forward his No 2, Kenworthy, who had languished unnoticed and unimpressive in the wings of the Municipal Buildings for years.

The bald legal eagle decided to try and distinguish his chances by beginning his long, costly and ultimately doomed hunt for the legendary Tony Parrish.

This failed to endear him to anyone (except the cabal, ed) and only underlined his gross ineptitude for the top job.

Both the ruling Lib Dem group and Labour opposition were united in their low opinion of his skills, ability and judgement and have been determined to ensure he did not get the job.

The continuing saga over Bill Davies and his multi-million law suit over the Henshaw-inspired mess over Chavasse Park (another chicken coming home to roost, ed) only emphasises Ken(un)worthy's feebleness.

But his boss, the smiling assassin Hasitall, has seized the opportunity offered by the vacuum to suggest that the city council now try and buy in its legal expertise from surrounding firms in, for example, nearby Sefton. (Where Hasitall's mates live, ed).

Is Hasitall now trying to fix up another one of his well-heeled Tory mates with a lucrative council contract? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile Kenworthy continues with his hunt for TP (they seek him here, they seek him there, ed)

Or as one of our correspondents has wittily remarked: "The hunt for Tony Parrish reminds me very much of one of Elmer Fudd's hunting expeditions: 'Shhhhhhhh, be vewy vewy quiet; I'm hunting wabbits here.'"

CITY COUNCIL CAN'T DO ITS SUMS: - HASITALL CAN'T ADD UP SHOCK!!!

No surprise that the city council should get the worst possible score for its financial planning.
Guess who is responsible for this?
None other than evil cabalist Phil Hasitall, aka the smiling assassin.
He has been in charge of the council's finances for the last seven years, but obviously still can't add up.
That's why the council is £29million adrift and can't balance its books.
And why even the District Auditor, a long-standing golfing partner of Hasitall's, has been forced to publicly acknowledge his mate is not up to the job.
But nothing will happen to the £169,000-a-year Porsche driving Hasitall who will continue to disappear from the Municipal Buildings by mid-afternoon, heading for the local links.

Or to go and watch a band for free with his millionaire mate Chas Cole.

Hasitall of course gave away more than £3million of council taxpayers money to old schoolmate Chas for the Summer Pops.

Chas repaid this with, amongst other things, an appearance for Hasitall's son's band alongside Status Quo.

Hasitall also had a distinguished record of public dis-service with Henshaw, engaging in conspiracy, an attempted coup, law-breaking, blackmail and trying to fit up staff.

Hasitall, whose son was a Tory candidate in Southport and is an avid reader of the Daily Torygraph, has recently, like the slimy little hypocrite he is, been desperately trying to curry favour with the Labour opposition.

He has been quietly favouring them with the odd tip and wink in the last few weeks and been his ever so helpful self with any opposition query.

(It fools no-one, ed)

Of course, he has been careful to ensure none of this reaches Fireman Bradley.

This pro-Labour about turn is in a desperate attempt to try and ensure that if the Lib Dems get turfed out next year, he will still be secure in his well-paid job.

Colin Cover Up has meanwhile rewarded Hasitall's financial incompetence by making him acting Chief Executive while he is away on his five-star jollies.

No wonder the city goes to wrack and ruin.

PS We wonder if this year, Hasitall has had his Performance Related Pay bonus of 10 per cent of his salary for getting the city into such a financial hole? Perhaps someone should ask the question?

ALAN CHURCHMAN TRIES TO GET SOME SENSE OUT OF CHAS COLE ABOUT THE SEFTON POPS (and regrettably, fails...)

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING:

THERE NOW FOLLOWS SOME EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE VENERABLE ALAN CHURCHMAN AND CHAS 'SHOW ME THE MONEY' COLE, REGARDING THE SEFTON POPS.

We have long since given up trying to apply logic and reason to Mr Cole and his dealings with the city council, but on the basis of this rather tortuous correspondence and his somewhat paranoid and deluded reaction to Mr Churchman's perfectly reasonable questions, it seems as though poor Chas may need some therapeutic help. Thanks Alan for letting us in on this. (If anyone can shed any light on any obvious deterioration in Chas's mental health or explain what he is on about, please feel free, ed).

It's probably best to read this correspondence from the bottom up, otherwise you are all going to get hopelessly confused. Alan Churchman is in italics, Mr Cole's comments are highlighted in bold....


My position has been clear and consistent. This is a matter involving public money and is therefore of public interest. I therefore want a public (on the record response) from yourself and ideally those within the City Council who were also involved in this very unusual decision. If you have no intention of providing on the record responses to my quite reasonable questions, then I have no desire to brighten up your social life.

I suspect this correspondence is closed.

Chas Cole wrote:

Lets meet up then. When you free?

I was not aware that I was under cover. I don't have anything worth covering up.

Chas Cole wrote:

Why don’t you break from cover and meet for a chat and a drink...

I am sure you are a charming drinking companion, but the purpose of my original email was to get a public and on record response to my questions. I cannot quite understand why our elected representatives or our local media are not showing more interest in sheding light on this opaque and questionable process, but that is the story of Liverpool.

Chas Cole wrote:

Where / when do you want to meet for a beer?



Is he the guy with whiskers on his chinnigan? (presumably a friend of Old King Cole)



PS I wonder who the fiddlers three are?

Chas Cole wrote:

MATTHEW FINNEGAN – Alistair’s friend!

I don't know who "Matt" is but I would be willing to share a beer if you were willing to share some explanation and justification for your ongoing exploitation of City Council Tax payers.

Mr Cole, it is my belief that the circumstances surrounding your re-appointment are far from transparent and would (if this City was administered properly) now be subject to some form of proper scrutiny. I realise that there is little prospect of this happening and that I am quite probably waisting my time pursuing this matter.
You could of course surprise me and actually answer the questions that I put to you some weeks ago.

Chas Cole wrote:

Hi Matt
Why don’t we get together for a beer!
Chas
PS. Was watching the Queen DVD the other day and thought about you! Alistair!!

Dear Mr Cole,

Australian Pink Floyd?
What next, The Japanese Wurzels?
If this is world-class entertainment worthy of public subsidy, then I am Tony Parrish.
Yours sincerely,
Alan K. Churchman.

Chas Cole
CMP Entertainment - Music & Sport
08 Place
36-38 Whitechapel
Liverpool
Merseyside
England L1 6DZ
Tel +44 (0) 151 708 6050Fax +44 (0) 151 707 0400E-mail chascole@cmplive.com
http://www.cmplive.com

(We think Chas must have finally lost it, ed)

'COVER UP' ON HIS AND BRADLEY'S £250,000 TRIP TO CANNES

Colin 'Cover Up' Hilton has returned from his £250,000 trip to the south of France - determined to cover up what really went on.
The cash-strapped city council's current chief executive (extreme left in picture) has regaled council staff with an utterly banal account of his adventures in Cannes in his internal report.
However, Cover Up omits any details of the three informal drinks receptions and buffet lunches on the Liverpool Yacht which he and current Council Leader Warren Bradley attended, or one of the highlights of MIPIM 2007, the four course dinner with free wine at "the excellent La Potinier du Palais" five star restaurant.
This was, according to the programme notes, a fairly informal dinner, (that means it was drunken, ed)) hosted by Council Leader Warren 'I'm only a fireman' Bradley and 'Cover Up' and attended by the entire city council and Culture Company delegation, which included, bizarrely, the bullshitter, Kris Donaldson (not in picture, amazingly, ed)

Fortunately, all evidence of Cover Up and Bradley's presence at many of these 'social events' has been carefully excised from the Liverpool at MIPIM photographic record (rather in the manner of Stalin's Russia, ed).

Liverpool Confidential has even more pictures here

Cover Up's account of Cannes also omitted to mention (below) the LIVERPOOL@MORRISON’S PARTY in an Irish pub - "the best event in town", which, according to the publicity, offered "the ideal opportunity to unwind with guests at the end of a busy MIPIM week."

Cover Up and Bradley both managed to avoid getting their picture taken here with a pint of Guinness in hand and totally shamrocked.
Fortunately, the city council had, once again, "managed to secure private access to the street". As well as "live music from the Mersey Beatles, there were bar facilities both inside and out."
Cover Up also drew a veil over events at closing time on the last night at Cannes, which by all accounts featured several notable city figures, wandering around slightly the worse for wear, with one throwing up on la Croisette. (That's the prom to you and me and anyway, they were only unwinding after a busy MIPIM week, no doubt, ed).
The cost to our cash-strapped council of this continental week-long jaunt is estimated by councillors (they were not invited, ed) as at least £250,000 - including hire of the yacht for a week, hire of a five star restaurant, return flights for Cover Up, Bradley and a football team's worth of assorted city council hangers on, taxis to and from the yacht etc, a week's accomodation in a huge five star hotel , lunches, breakfasts, dinners, hire of the The Mersey Beatles, etc, etc.
But none of this - (apart from Cover Up's apparent obsession with 'the bar', see later, ed) - got a mention in his excruciating internal column for city council staff.
If you can bear the boredom and the turgid prose, here it is:

"Last week I spent three days with the Liverpool delegation at MIPIM - an event which keeps growing both in importance and size. The general feedback at the end of the week was that it had been the best ever for our city.
The new stand produced better footfall and increased contacts as well as giving us the opportunity to promote the city outside on the main concourse (he's in a world of his own, ed).
Apart from the set presentations, which continued to develop the theme of Liverpool as an international city ripe for investment, my time was divided between meeting key business contacts and speaking to other cities representatives (notice he doesn't say who he had a three minute chat with, ed).
There is a strong interest in the plans for North Liverpool both from existing partners and other companies looking to invest for the first time.
I had a long discussion (more than five mins, ed) with developers about getting the right quality in place and the balance necessary to protect the heritage environment.
In particular, people were excited by the 'Liverpool Waters' presentation of Peel Holdings and the potential regeneration effect of both Project Jennifer and the investment in Liverpool FC by George Gillett and Tom Hicks (nothing whatsoever to do with the city council, however, ed)
Three new promising contacts reflected the growing reputation of Liverpool as a centre for biomedical research, the health sector and wealth management (the £250,000-a-year Cover Up gave them some good advice on managing their wealth, ed)
On the other city stands I was particularly impressed by Toronto who are continuing to develop their waterfront and have a connection with Liverpool through George Gillett - in terms of developing sports stadia and the surrounding infrastructure (absolutely fascinating, ed)
Also there in significant numbers for the first time were the emerging cities of the Russian Federation fuelled by the wealth of natural mineral resources and seeking considerable building development opportunities (perhaps Cover Up is anticipating a move to Siberia in future?, ed)
My favourite piece of architecture on display (is this guy for real? ed) was the Empire Tower in Abu Dhabi, part of a region where status is being symbolised in an ever-increasing rivalry to build spectacular buildings. In terms of quality and accessibility, one of the most interesting developments was the new leisure and tourist zone on Sentosa Island Singapore (this will go down well in Anfield, ed)
I came away with a clear impression that Liverpool has a distinct and positive offer to make on a global stage but that there is still a need to raise the bar (see, he has got booze on the brain! ed) on delivering those things which create prosperity and economic growth to a level which makes us competitive with the top global locations (utter bollocks, ed)
(But not a word about the council's £29million cuts, or the cover-ups, or the cock-ups. And not a word about what specific and tangible benefits this jaunt has ever brought to Liverpool, ed)