COUNCIL LEADER BRADLEY GIVEN UPDATE IN MAY ON MATHEW ST - "VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND LOCATIONS'

From: Green, Chris

Sent: 25 May 2007 10:22

To: Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council)

Cc: Harborow, Jason; Forde, Lee

Subject: MATHEW STREET FESTIVAL

Warren,
At our Birthday Activity review meeting with Mike Storey yesterday we made him aware of our current plans for Mathew Street this year and I thought you might also want to be aware of them.

The plans are still provisional and are due for review by the joint agencies group on 5 June.

With the loss of the Pier Head it has proved very difficult to find the stage locations without causing too much disruption to the City. The following plan is one which we think will be acceptable to all parties.

Two stages on the Strand and one at Derby Square for Sunday (and Monday), increasing to seven with the addition of Tithebarn St , Chapel St, Derby Square, Dale St and Williamson Square for Monday, (with the retention of the Derby and Williamson Square stages for the Birthday celebrations on Tuesday). Lat year we had five stages on the Monday.

The main logistical issues are the closing of the Strand for two days, and the use of Tithebarn and Chapel Street. As they are new locations we may receive objections.


Chris Green
Operations Director

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

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...

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.

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?

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

'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)

COUNCIL LEADER BRADLEY AVOIDS ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TONY PARRISH INVESTIGATION

A KELLY WRITES.......

I WROTE A SECOND TIME IN JANUARY TO CURRENT COUNCIL LEADER WARREN BRADLEY REGARDING THE TONY PARRISH INVESTIGATION.

MY EMAIL IS IN RED BELOW.

I ATTACHED MY FIRST EMAIL SINCE COUNCILLOR BRADLEY HAD NOT RESPONDED AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK. THIS IS IN BLUE.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST, HIGHLIGHTED (IN PURPLE) YOU WILL SEE COUNCILLOR BRADLEY'S RATHER TETCHY EMAIL RESPONSE TO ME,VIA ACTING CITY SOLICITOR MICHAEL KENWORTHY (the bald legal eagle, ed).

PRESUMABLY HE THOUGHT THIS WOULD SCARE ME OFF ASKING ANY AWKWARD QUESTIONS....

SECOND EMAIL

From: a.kelly583@ntlworld.com a.kelly583@ntlworld.com

To: Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council)

Sent: Wed Jan 31 13:30:43 2007

Subject: Tony Parrish investigation

Dear councillor,>

I have not yet received any reply to my email enquiry, which is enclosed below.

Inadvertently, I omitted Councillor Clark from the email although clearly he also has a strong interest and may be subject to any council investigation.>

I should be grateful if you could respond promptly. There are a number of other issues which I may need to raise with the appropriate bodies which govern the behaviour of councillors. I would appreciate a reponse before considering those further.>>

yours>>

A.Kelly > >> >

FIRST EMAIL

From: > > Date: 2007/01/19 Fri PM 03:33:18 GMT> ">a.kelly583@ntlworld.com>> > Date: 2007/01/19 Fri PM 03:33:18 GMT>

To: , >Bradley, Warren (Leader of the City Council);>">mike.storey@liverpool.gov.uk>>

Subject: Tony Parrish investigation> >> >

Dear Councillor,> >> >

Please find below a response I have received from the city council to my Freedom of Information request.> >> >
I had asked what questions Tony Parrish had asked the council and what the council's response had been.> >> >
As you will see from the reply, the council has been unable to respond with the information I requested.> >> >
In my view, there are three potential explanations for this:> >> >
1) The council's record-keeping systems and processes are so chaotic and disorganised that they simply do not know.> >> >
2) They are trying to frustrate my enquiry because it will produce information which will only embarrass them further by revealing their consistent and repeated failure to obey the law on Freedom of Information. (Presumably they don't want the council to appear in court again.)> >> >
3) They are trying to intimidate Mr Parrish with their 'ongoing investigation.' (It is also a convenient excuse for refusing to impart such information, isn't it?)> >> >
I doubt whether 3) will work.> >> >
However both you gentlemen should be aware of an apparent "ongoing investigation".> >
Who authorised this?> >
What is its justification?> >
How much has it cost?> >
Who does it involve?> >
What is its purpose?> >
When did it begin?> >
When will it be concluded?> >> >
I am sure that you may wish to put these and a number of other questions to the current chief executive. I should be interested in the answers.> >> >
As a council taxpayer, this seems to me yet more evidence of the unacceptable activities of an officer class within the city council, who are both out of control and unaccountable, as well as lacking in judgement and common sense. It also raises yet again the intriguing question of who is actually running the city council - democratically elected politicians, or unaccountable civil servants? I suspect the answer is fairly clear.> >> >
I can only presume that at the end of the day any "investigation" being conducted by the city council may eventually lead to councillors also being interviewed, leading to the possibility of further action.> >> >
I imagine there will be many people who will be willing to provide additional information. Perhaps you yourselves will be able to shed further light on all these matters in order to assist Mr Hilton in his enquiries.> >> >
In the meantime, I would like answers to my questions about Mr Parrish's questions - and the council's response.> >> >
Perhaps you can use whatever influence you may have to try and resolve this matter?> >> > regards,> >> >
AKelly



BRADLEY'S RESPONSE






From: "Bradley, Warren \(Leader of the City Council\)" Warren.Bradley@liverpool.gov.uk

Date: 2007/01/31 Wed PM 01:48:17 GMT

To: a.kelly@ntlworld.com; "Kenworthy, Michael Michael.Kenworthy@liverpool.gov.uk

Subject:

Re: Tony Parrish investigation
-->

Michael,

I forwarded the original email to you for information and advice on a response.

Can you please advise as to what I should do as a form of response: you will notice that the email is written in a threatening and intrusive manner.

I would appreciate your response by return?

Regards
Warren

Warren Bradley
Leader of Liverpool City Council--------------------------Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

SPEKE HAS SPOKEN: BRING ON THE MAY CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS!!!!!

OUR MAN AT THE COUNT WRITES.......

LABOUR stormed to a thumping by-election victory in Speke last night, overturning a Lib Dem majority of more than 800.
Colin Strickland swept to victory with a Labour majority of almost 800 - giving a huge smack in the face to the council's ruling Lib Dem administration.
The huge turnaround in Speke brought forecasts that Labour, led by no-nonsense Joe Anderson, could now take control of the council in 2008, Capital of Culture year (wouldn't that be sweet? ed)
It was a particularly sad night for Inspector Clueless, bumptious Councillor Richard Marbrow, the by-election campaign chief who masterminded the Lib Dem's stunning defeat (right)
Marbrow was last night celebrating his 73rd birthday (well he acts like an old git, ed) by bringing his shiny new birthday laptop to the count so that he could play at being a real-life election supremo (the pompous fool, ed).
Marbrow sat down with his lap top toy, while various impressionable Lib Dem types ran around trying to look like they knew what they were doing and fetching him pieces of paper.
Marbrow, whose seat in Kensington has already been abandoned in May by Lib Dem leader, Warren Bradley, got glummer and glummer on his birthday as the scale of the defeat sunk in.
Another of our favourite characters, Colin Cover Up read out the result (wonder if he also pocketed an extra £25,000 as returning officer, just like greedy Henshaw? ed) to victorious Labour cheers.
But the shocked and disappointed Fib Dems hurriedly escaped before they could be serenaded away by the triumphant Labour campaigners with a chorus of "Happy Birthday, dear Clueless..."
Now watch the in-fighting break out in public amongst the Lib Dems as they panic over which seats they will lose in May.
And keep an ear to the ground for signs of an early leadership challenge to Bradley.
(Tell me the old, old Storey, ed)

LETTER OF JANUARY 19TH TO COUNCILLORS BRADLEY AND STOREY REGARDING TONY PARRISH'S QUESTIONS...

My last post concerned my Freedom of Information request to find out what questions Tony Parrish (pictured, ed) asked and the council's answers.
The council refused to comply with my request.
I then decided - in the interests of open government - to write to the current Leader of the Council, Councillor Warren Bradley and the former leader of the Council, Councillor Mike Storey to ascertain if they could shed any further light on these matters.
This is my letter of the 19th of January....(to be continued)

Dear Councillor,
Please find below a response I have received from the city council to my Freedom of Information request.
I had asked what questions Tony Parrish had asked the council and what the council's response had been.
As you will see from the reply, the council has been unable to respond with the information I requested.
In my view, there are three potential explanations for this:
1) The council's record-keeping systems and processes are so chaotic and disorganised that they simply do not know.
2) They are trying to frustrate my enquiry because it will produce information which will only embarrass them further by revealing their consistent and repeated failure to obey the law on Freedom of Information. (Presumably they don't want the council to appear in court again.)
3) They are trying to intimidate Mr Parrish with their 'ongoing investigation.'
(It is also a convenient excuse for refusing to impart such information, isn't it?)
I doubt whether 3) will work.
However both you gentlemen should be aware of an apparent "ongoing investigation".
Who authorised this?
What is its justification?
How much has it cost?
Who does it involve?
What is its purpose?
When did it begin?
When will it be concluded?
I am sure that you may wish to put these and a number of other questions to the current chief executive.
I should be interested in the answers.
As a council taxpayer, this seems to me yet more evidence of the unacceptable activities of an officer class within the city council, who are both out of control and unaccountable, as well as lacking in judgement and common sense.
It also raises yet again the intriguing question of who is actually running the city council - democratically elected politicians, or unaccountable civil servants?
I suspect the answer is fairly clear.
I can only presume that at the end of the day any "investigation" being conducted by the city council may eventually lead to councillors also being interviewed, leading to the possibility of further action.
I imagine there will be many people who will be willing to provide additional information.
Perhaps you yourselves will be able to shed further light on all these matters in order to assist Mr Hilton in his enquiries.
In the meantime, I would like answers to my questions about Mr Parrish's questions - and the council's response.
Perhaps you can use whatever influence you may have to try and resolve this matter?

regards,

AKelly

HERE IS COUNCIL LEADER WARREN BRADLEY'S BUSY TIMETABLE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE AFTER HE MAKES £50MILLION WORTH OF CUTS - TAKEN FROM THE OFFICIAL GUIDE

THE CITY COUNCIL IS PLANNING ON MAKING £50MILLION WORTH OF CUTS TO SERVICES. AT THE SAME TIME COUNCIL LEADER WARREN BRADLEY AND COLIN 'COVER UP' HILTON ARE SWANNING OFF TO CANNES IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. (cost unknown)

Here is the undynamic duo's official timetable (We have drawn attention to some events of particular interest): SEE www.liverpoolmipim.co.uk FOR ALL THE DETAILS

The events programme for 2007 will include the following:-

LIVERPOOL WELCOME - Supporters Only
This is an informal event to help kick start the MIPIM week. All Liverpool @MIPIM supporters are welcome to attend.

Date: Monday 12th March from 19.00
Venue: Liverpool Yacht
Format: Informal drinks reception.
Audience: Sponsors/Partners/Associates

STAND BREAKFASTS - Supporters Welcome
This is an informal continental breakfast served each morning on the Liverpool stand. An ideal way to start the day.

Date: Daily between 9 – 10am
Venue: Liverpool Stand
Format: Continental breakfast
Audience: All welcome

MEET THE CITY - Invitation Only
Our traditional meet the city event will once again take place on the Liverpool yacht and gives supporters the opportunity to meet and network with key representatives from the city. Attendance will be restricted to the agreed supporter allocations.

Date: Thursday 15th March 12.00 – 14.30
Venue: Liverpool Yacht
Format: Buffet lunch and drinks
Audience: Sponsors/Partners/Associates (as per allocation)

LIVERPOOL TEAM DINNER - Invitation Only
The Liverpool team dinner proved to be one of the highlights of MIPIM 2006 and for 2007 we will once again be dining at the excellent La Potinier du Palais. This will be a fairly informal dinner, hosted by Cllr Warren Bradley (Leader, Liverpool City Council) and Colin Hilton (Chief Executive, Liverpool City Council). Invitations will be issued according the agreed supporter allocations.

Date: Thursday 15th March
Venue: La Potinier du Palais 13 Square Merimee (opposite the Palais des Festivals).
Time: 19.00 – 22.30
Audience: Sponsors/Partners/Associates (as per allocation)

LIVERPOOL@MORRISON’S PARTY - Restricted Access
The Liverpool@Morrison’s party is guaranteed to be the best event in town, offering the ideal opportunity to unwind with guests at the end of a busy MIPIM week. We have once again secured private access to the street and as well as live music from the Mersey Beatles, there will be bar facilities both inside and out.

Date: Thursday 15th March
Venue: Morrison’s Irish Pub
Time: 21.30 – ‘til late
Audience: All supporters plus invited guests


OUR MESSAGE TO THE CITY COUNCIL?

BAN THE
CANNES!

CAN YOU HELP THE CITY COUNCIL SAVE £18MILLION?

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL faces an £18 million budget deficit and is thinking about selling off the family silver to make up some dosh.
But you can help save the city's Municipal Offices and Capital of Culture from the axeman in this our historic birthday year.
We are appealing to all our loyal readers and to the thousands of council employees now labouring under the threat of cuts for suggestions about how the city council can save money.
No amount is too large or too small. No idea too stupid or inspired. No cut too savage or slight. (that's enough 'no's', ed).
We will send all your ideas to council leader Warren Bradley (if he is still there, ed). Then he will forget them. But we will have fun making the suggestions.
You can make comments in the usual way and we will post them here (in the now time-honoured tradition, ed)
To kick off this glorious exercise in democratic participation can we make our own suggestion about how to cut the budget deficit which has built up so unexpectedly? (You can, ed)

OUR SUGGESTION IS THIS: Why don't the council sack the smiling assassin, Phil Halsall?

After all he has been the sodding treasurer for the last seven years and it must be his bloody fault if the council is strapped for cash now.

What on earth has he been doing?

Sack Halsall and the council would save more than £300,000 a year.



MILDRED said...
I suggest sacking Hilton, and getting the dwarf to give back all the money he stole.Dr Dog should sell his shower to the highest bidder.In fact sack most of the AED'S they do nothing useful anyway.Stop other managers wasting money on meeting rooms posh lunches,and take away the posh cars the council pays for.Selling our heritage is not the option but as usual the people of Liverpool are the ones who suffer and the staff from the council who can't even have a decent cup of water!Cuts always affect those who most need help and cannot continue to happen, it is always the front line services who suffer, if you see the budget report you will find that once again the leaders of the council want to cut services to people who most need assistance yet they don't cut their own expenses or their overpaid salary.They will get 10% bonus for cutting services and selling our heritage.Now that would be a great saving if they cut this expenditure.One of the main areas of saving money is not to pay LDL for all the services that they provide for the Council, the services belong to the people of Liverpool, not Dr Mc, slice the payments they are giving to BT for services that we already own, we would save millions
Friday, February 02, 2007 3:55:00 PM
Len said...
my suggestion is to sue Diddy for the money he blacmailed out of the city. That's another 350 grand.
Friday, February 02, 2007 6:24:00 PM
Jimbo said...
My suggestion is to charge anyone using Mcilhenny's shower. Perhaps we should charge £10 a time. It would soon mount up with all the running he is doing.
Friday, February 02, 2007 6:26:00 PM
Tommy said...
I suggest that the council scraps its hospitality budget so that it no longer has to pay for the thousands of sandwiches that are left to curl up all over the city. It's a waste and needless expense people can buy their own.
Anonymous said...
I agree - stop the butty budget!!!!

PH and DrMce said...
You'll never take our butty budget never!!

Saturday, February 03, 2007 7:26:00 PM

Anonymous said...
give back the pooh screen ?

Saturday, February 03, 2007 7:31:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Get Robbing Archer and DH and Dr Dog and the Happy Assassin to give it all back?

Saturday, February 03, 2007 7:31:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Regrade all senior Council and Capital of Culture officers so that their packages are commensurate with their ability and performance (NB this could result in a positive cashflow to the Council)

Saturday, February 03, 2007 7:32:00 PM

Anonymous said...
seriously scrap the neighbourhood services. they are the most expensive talking shops ever

Sunday, February 04, 2007 12:36:00 AM

Anonymous said...
halve the quangos in this city.
the butty budget and the expenses of transporting them from talking shop to talking shop will save a fortune also think of the benefit to the environment cos they won't be travelling into the city from sunny southport and wirral every day

Sunday, February 04, 2007 12:39:00 AM

grass roots worker said...
i agree. put an immediate freeze on all performance related pay for senior managers. that would save an absolute fortune. what about it warren?

Sunday, February 04, 2007 4:46:00 PM

Colin 'Cover Up' finally admits: "TONY PARRISH TOLD THE TRUTH"

Liverpool city council have finally admitted that Tony Parrish told the truth on his legendary liverpoolevilcabal blog.
The admission comes in a confidential report compiled by the city council's own internal audit department and endorsed by chief executive Colin 'Cover Up' (Colin Hilton, ed)
The 12-page report sets out to try and prove that the city council's former media chief, Matt Finnegan was the real Tony Parrish.
Readers will recall that Finnegan had worked for the council for six years as Director of Communications before Henshaw suspended him on trumped up charges over his pension row with council leader Mike Storey.
The internal report was leaked to the Liverpool Echo before Christmas by the city council's smiling assassin, Executive Director Phil Halsall (left) in an unsuccessful attempt to try and damage Finnegan.
The Echo however chose not to swallow the bait and pointed out the report was littered with half-truths, speculation and conjecture, the council itself admitting that it was inconclusive.
However, what has surprisingly been ignored is the report's description of events within the council which lead to the sudden appearance last summer of the liverpoolevilcabal blog.
For the first time, we can reveal the circumstances in which the legendary Tony Parrish gave birth to the blog.
And they give a fascinating insight into what was going on inside the Municipal Buildings soon after Sir Diddy (chief executive, Sir David Henshaw, ed) was made to walk the plank and retire early.
One page of the report is headed: Access to Council Material

It describes how five Freedom of Information email requests were made by "Tony Parrish" to the then acting chief executive Colin 'Cover Up' (Colin Hilton, ed) on 20th April last year. (Henshaw had departed on March 31st, ed).
The extremely detailed questions, which were about The 08 Place, The Summer Pops and internal audit's lack of activities, requested official documents about all three. (The council has still failed to respond - a flagrant breach of the law, ed)

But the internal report goes on:

"One of the five emails...asked for documentation relating to the sub tenancy of The 08 Place. Although, at that time there was no evidence as to the identity of Tony Parrish, the belief was that these requests had been provoked by information provided by council sources. " (You betcha bottom dollar, ed) In an email to those involved, the chief executive (Hilton, left) stated: 'I received five requests from the same person under the Freedom of Information Act in relation to this complaint and The 08 Place. In view of the information in the requests it is reasonable for me to believe that only those directly involved could have supplied information to this third party ." (Our hero, Tony Parrish, ed)

So, you will be asking, who were those 'directly involved'?
Well, Colin 'Cover Up' was one. The now discredited and pensioned off Head of Internal Audit, Gerry Callaghan was another.
And there were two councillors - former leader, Mike Storey and current leader, Warren Bradley. (Take your pick folks, ed)
All four had met to consider allegations made about The 08 Place, Henshaw blackmailing the city, The Summer Pops, The Kensington One Stop Shop, etc, etc.
(It is revealing, isn't it folks? that Hilton already appears at this point to have been more interested in trying to trace the source of the leak than properly investigating the specific allegations which had been made at such a senior level. Warren should have been warned then, ed)
It was thus as a result of Hilton's failure to respond to lawful questions and to properly act against corruption and criminality that the liverpoolevilcabal blog was born.
Clearly Tony Parrish was determined that the evil cabal should be publicly exposed.
So that's when all the fun started.
The report goes on to say:

"A significant amount of the material on the liverpoolevilcabal website related to Council business that was not in the public domain or public knowledge. Examples not necessarily exhaustive, include:

• Allegations in relation to 08 Place, which contained detail that was only available to a handful of individuals within the city council (guess who folks? ed) including a reference (27th July 2006), to detailed documents being presented to the Chief Executive and Head of Audit. (ah-ha, as Alan Partridge would say, ed)
• The posting of 3rd July (told you they were following every word, ed) which reproduces extracts of Councillor Antrobus's account of events, referred to on the website as "Henshaw's attempted coup - by Coun Antrobus") (This was Henshaw threatening to report Storey to the Standards Board unless he quit, ed)
  
• The postings of 21st and 22nd July which reproduce extracts of Councillor Clark's account of events, referred to on the website as "Henshaw threatened Storey's job - shock new evidence" and "Henshaw's blackmail note". (Aaaaah, this takes us back to exciting times, ed. As the sun beat down, Tony Parrish lazed about with his laptop, sipping Chablis and detonating one grenade after another as the stunned council recoiled. It was almost Dickensian in its scope and cast of sordid characters as the seedy underbelly of Henshaw's evil cabal was revealed in all its full horror, ed. Those were the days, ed.)
• The Cream proposals for running the Summer Pops. (This was the attempted stitch-up with CMP and the Harbarrowboy, ed)

It is reasonable to conclude that material such as this could only have emanated from Council sources" the report concludes, (with amazing insight, ed).

Here's the thing though - what was Hilton doing about the allegations which were emanating from such senior council sources? (Bugger all - he banned the blog instead, ed)
'Cover Up' was clearly aware of the allegations being made - particularly about Henshaw blackmailing the city council, but repeatedly failed to call in the police to investigate. Why not? (There could still be more developments on this though, watch this space, ed)
So there you have it.
Tony Parrish was being fed confidential information from inside the council by 'you know who', decided it should be made public and not covered up by Colin.
The blog was born.
And that started the city council's witch hunt against TP (banning the blog to the public, threats of writs, letters to Google, the smiling assassin's pathetic letter to the Information Commissioner, Inspector Clueless wandering around scratching his head, etc, etc)
Oh what fun it all was.
And there's a nice little postscript.
The confidential report can barely disguise its disappointment when it describes how it had intended to raise all this stuff about confidential information with Mattie Finnegan (below) to: "ascertain if he could provide any information or shed any light as to the source(s)."
(We can imagine his direct two-word response to this particular enquiry, ed)
But he thwarted them by upping and resigning in disgust before they could question him. (Apparently Callaghan had been practising his 'hard cop, soft cop' routine in an office mirror for weeks in readiness for this confrontation, ed)
The report concludes:
"In the circumstances, in the absence of any further information, it is not possible to draw any conclusions as to the source of Council material used in e-mails or on the liverpoolevilcabal website."
And we daresay that there are one or two senior people at the city council today who are gratefully breathing a huge sigh of relief.
(We just thought you should know the truth....ed)

OH SHIT - IT'S ANOTHER 'COVER UP' BY COLIN!

Oh Shit! Colin 'Cover Up' Hilton has spent £17,000 of taxpayers money on a new roof for his car!
This is at the same time that the city council is planning to stop free school buses for 4,500 of the city's kids.
Hilton ordered the cover up to protect his gleaming paint work from the bird shit dropped by the city's seagulls and pigeons.
He agreed that the money should be spent on putting a roof over the free car park spaces that he and the smiling assassin Halsall, who drives a new Porsche, occupy at the rear of the Municipal Buildings in Victoria Street.
The scandal has been highlighted by the Liverpool Daily Post (was the Echo fast asleep again, or just being consistently craven? ed) in a fantastic story today.
Amazingly Council Leader Warren Bradley has defended the use of taxpayers money on featherbedding (ouch, ed) well paid officials like this, accusing critics like Labour's Joe Anderson of being 'mischievous.'
(Here is another lengthy editorial aside: A word of advice Warren. Being Leader of the Council does not mean that you have to justify everything the city council does, nor defend the indefensible as in this case, whatever Hilton tells you. You keep on doing this as though you are performing some kind of public duty - whether it is over the shambles that is Culture, the whitewash over The 08 Place or The Summer Pops. You do not have to keep doing this. It is stupid. Your job is to protect and defend the public interest - that is not the same thing as the council's interests. Please grow up, act like a mature politician, be your own man and use a bit of common sense and judgement, or we will not be so kind to you in the future, ed)
The roof has been built for the cars of highly paid senior executives such as Hilton and Halsall who already enjoy FREE car parking at the rear of the Municipal Buildings - unlike all other council employees.
It seems they can't afford to pay for their own cars to be cleaned so they wanted a roof building instead.
Apparently the fingers of McElhinney can be found all over the roof plan for the pooh park at the MO.
And of course, Halsall would have had to sign off the expenditure as city treasurer.
As Councillor Anderson remarked: "It's like something from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
In the meantime these luxury loving motorists want to axe free school buses for 4,500 Liverpool children because it costs too much.
See how the evl cabal still survives, folks?
Disgraceful. Write to your local councillor and get the canopy torn down.

Whitewash at The 08 Place

THE city council's internal report into The 08 Place has given the go-ahead for private firms to lobby senior council officers about lucrative contracts.
The report says there is "nothing wrong" in them making such contact.
It also admits that the thieving rottweiller, McElhinney did not tell the truth to councillors about The 08 Place contract.
But charitably, arrogantly and unbelievably naively, it concludes:
"there is no evidence that the statement was made knowing it to be untrue and in order to mislead."
The report, by bald legal eagle, Michael Kenworthy reluctantly admits that it was "not good practice" for Chas Cole's CMP Entertainment to instruct council contractors about fitting out the Culture one-stop shop.
In other words, the council now believes that a private company should not give orders to council workmen about fitting out its own offices with posher lights than normal, better carpets, more expensive decorations and fitments etc, etc. (It's certainly immensely re-assuring that the city council have now very firmly drawn the line at that unthinkable state of affairs ever possibly happening, ed. Just who the hell is in charge of this amateur outfit?)
Drawing himself up to his full 5 foot 8 inches, Kenworthy positively oozes smug pomposity, self-importance and arrogance as he concludes: "Any reasonably (sic) minded members of the public will accept that the matter has been dealt with properly by the Council, CMP and the Audit Commission."
(Oh no we won't, ed)
And anyway, quite what the findings of a council report has got to do with a private company like CMP, or why the council should now be bending over backwards to defend a private company like CMP, is beyond us. (Kenworthy has typically over-reached himself, ed)
We are ignoring the Audit Commission completely since they were fast asleep on the job when McElhinney was ripping off the council for millions on behalf of Liverpool Direct.

Kenworthy's report is:

• silent on McElhinney, Halsall and Cole's close relationship

• silent on the specific allegation about them running together in the New York marathon

• silent on Halsall's son's band appearing at the Summer Pops and of course it is also

• silent on the amount of free car parking and the rent free period given to CMP by McElhinney as part of the deal.

The report is also highly selective - it:

• fails to reveal that former council leader Mike Storey presented the report to Colin Cover Up (why? ed)
• fails to include any evidence from the city council's surveyors 20/20 (why? ed)
• fails to detail Henshaw's secret role in covering up the terms of the deal (why? ed) and
  
• fails to provide any evidence for its glib conclusions.

In other words it is the most servile, complicit and complacent cover-up imaginable. The cabal will be laughing like drains.
Kenworthy is either gullible or a fool. (Probably both, ed)
He says, for example, astonishingly:

"Given CMP's historical (sic) connection with the city's Summer Pops (he means Chas Cole's relationship with the smiling assassin, Halsall ed) and inevitable contact with senior officers of the council (two in particular, of course, Halsall and McElhinney, ed) it should not have been surprising to anyone that the lessee (CMP) should have tried to use those contacts..."

Really?
Oh, that's okay then. Fair enough. We will keep quiet in future about private contractors trying to use their contacts with senior council officers to win a better deal. Nothing wrong with that - they should be able to wine and dine them, take them to the villa in Marbella, arrange trips to New York.
Do they think we are all bonkers? Is Kenworthy certifiably insane?
Kenworthy goes on to say the free parking and rent free period for The 08 Place was agreed by 20/20. He fails to explain why they actually gave completely different advice and, in emails, officially expressed surprise at the terms of the deal. Why?
He admits that McElhinney gave the wrong information to the Select Committee about work on The 08 Place - but doesn't say McElhinney wrongly told councillors work had ceased and then failed to correct that information. (So that's ok then, McElhinney can lie all he likes in the future, too. Presumably he has not aplogised to councillors for misleading them either? ed)
It also claims that McElhinney was 'very clear' that no works should continue on The 08 Place beyond the £900,000 figure approved by the council.
So why did McElhinney fail to tell councillors that work was continuing beyond that amount?
Kenworthy says there is no evidence that McElhinney acted inappropriately or had any pecuniary interest in the transaction. (What investigations did he conduct to examine that interest then? ed)
Kenworthy finally asks us to rely on the assurances given by the Chief Executive(s) (the greedy blackmailer Henshaw and Colin Cover Up, ed).
He must be joking.
His report is based on ('trust me, I'm the very important Acting City Solicitor) mere assertion, with no evidence whatsoever adduced to support his conclusions. If he says it, it must be true.
I don't think so, bald eagle.
Crucially Kenworthy's report does not explain why the cost of The 08 Place soared from £900,000 to £1.4million. Half a million pounds of public money down the drain.
Nor does it apologise for that massive increase.
Nor does it explain what steps have been taken to prevent the same situation happening again.
Nor does it call for the appropriate distance to be observed between council officers with control of lucrative contracts and the bosses of private firms.
It is the most specious, superficial and condescending report produced by the city council in a long time.
And it now proves, without any question, just who is really in charge of Liverpool city council.

NB Contrary to the craven Echo's incorrect story last night, the report does not even deal with the allegations concerning Liverpool Direct Limited. (Spin gone into overdrive again, methinks, ed)

Dr David McElhinney