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...

'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.

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)