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THE SUDDEN U-turn to halt the closure of eleven Wirral libraries was made within hours of the council learning that the Government was about to publish its findings of an inquiry into the controversy, the Globe can reveal.
The Charteris report into Wirral library closure plan remains secret
On Tuesday, September 29, the council's press team was told by its counterparts in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that an announcement was imminent.
In an email sent today to Conservative group leader Jeff Green, the council's director of law Bill Norman said the press office were told the announcement, by Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw, was "70 per cent likely" to be made on Thursday, October 1.
That night, September 29, members of the council's ruling Lib-Lab cabinet committee held a late night meeting at Wallasey Town Hall.
Also in attendance, although not in the actual meeting, were four senior council officers including the deputy chief executive, the regeneration director and the head of the press office, said Mr Norman.
Shortly before 6pm the following day - Wednesday, September 30 - the media were alerted to a statement from the Lib-Lab cabinet that the library closure programme was being scrapped.
They said the length of the inquiry had meant any cost savings they were hoping to make - and reinvest in "fewer but better" multi-purpose facilities borough-wide - had been lost.
Tonight council leader and Labour group leader Steve Foulkes said he had not seen the email from Mr Norman to Cllr Green, but insisted the cabinet's U-turn on the closures was a purely budgetary decision.
"People can speculate as much as they want but the fact is, the savings we wanted to make to reinvest elsewhere were not being realised and we had to consider the budget," he said.
"I don't know about about these timings because I haven't seen the details you're telling me about, but my timings were based on making sure the council is run efficiently, which we're managing to do."
Cllr Green has been locked in negotiations with Mr Norman after learning that five of the ruling Lib-Lab cabinet members had seen a draft copy of inspector Sue Charteris' report into the library closures, along with several senior council officers - one of whom had shared it with a number of his staff.
Cllr Green's Tory group opposed the library closures, part of the borough's controversial strategic asset review which is also seeing the lease or sale of Birkenhead Town Hall, Pacific Road Theatre, two leisure centres and several village halls and community centres.
Neither he or any member of the Tories were allowed access to the report, the contents of which still have to remain confidential until the Secretary of State publishes it.
In an email to Mr Norman, Cllr Green had asked: "Can you tell me exactly what the council knew and when it knew it regarding the imminent publication of the Secretary of State's decision and who communicated this information to whom and by what means?"
Mr Norman replied today: "On Tuesday 29 September the council’s press office was informed in a phone call from the DCMS Press Office that they expected the minister to sign off the matter that day.
"It was 70 per cent likely that an announcement would be made on Thursday 1 October."
It has also emerged tonight that senior council officers have been given a lesson in law by Mr Norman.
Councillor Green has repeatedly claimed that he was lied to by council officers when he questioned them about the report.
Mr Norman said in his email: "Significant and unusual circumstances surrounding the confidentiality of the draft report were contributory factors to the misjudgements that were made.
"The officers concerned have been dealt with in an appropriate manner to ensure that this does not happen again."
Tonight, Cllr Green told the Globe: "The director of law, in what I still consider an incomplete answer to my questions, has now been forced to reveal what the administration knew and when it knew it.
"He has made it clear that the Lib-Lab administration had been told when the Wirral public would see the results of the Sue Charteris inquiry - and also makes it clear that the administration were aware of what would be in it.
"He has confirmed that the midnight town hall meeting held by the administration and officers, which the council later denied took place, occurred immediately following information received from the DCMS press office.
"I have yet to receive an explanation regarding who decided that this critical piece of information should not be shared with the Conservative Group at the time.
"Unfortunately however, the council is still spinning an ever-more complicated web in their attempt to justify their original actions and the fiasco that has followed it.
"What remains clear is that the Wirral public had closures imposed on them that nobody wanted, from leaders who don’t listen, and implemented by officers who appear unable to provide answers to the most basic of questions.
"The Wirral public will not forgive or forget this administration's behaviour throughout this self imposed debacle."
After the council announced its U-turn, the DCMS extended the public inquiry - which began with a two day meeting chaired by Ms Charteris at the Floral Pavilion in June - a further 21 days for people to give additional evidence with regards to the non-closure announcement.
It is still not known when the report will be published, but Mr Norman insisted in his email to Cllr Green that it is a case of "not if but when".
You can read a full transcript of the email from Mr Norman to Cllr Green by clicking on the related link below.
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Comments (17)
06/11/09
piggymalone says...
IF YOU THINK THE ELECTORATE BELIEVES YOUR RUBBISH, MR FOULKES, THEN YOU UNDERESTIMATE AND INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF WIRRAL AND WITH ANY JUSTICE, THE NEXT ELECTIONS WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY TO GO HOME
06/11/09
Jayo says...
This seems a bit odd if after this small amount of time foulkes threw the towel in because any savings had been lost.
Surely 7 months of savings could still be "reinvested" to cover the pensions shortfall.
Just tell the truth will you Mr foulkes !!!
____________________
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"Amin in the mood"
06/11/09
Jayo says...
06/11/09
Jayo says...
07/11/09
slumdog says...
..
Amin the mood! Yes to a Tea Pot Dictator!
07/11/09
hugo2008 says...
07/11/09
piggymalone says...
09/11/09
slumdog says...
09/11/09
Jeff Green says...
Yes we will do all we can to ensure that the Sue Charteris report is made available to the people of Wirral who after all did so much to ensure that an Inquiry was held in the first place.
Frankly it is my opinion that it should be the Administration and those that voted to go along with their proposals that should be removed from office - after all Officers advise Cllrs decide.
09/11/09
hugo2008 says...
09/11/09
slumdog says...
..
Both have been out in pubs and bingo halls, informally recruiting, and in some cases seeking donations, for some time, while the 'big three' have seemed increasingly aloof and detached.
09/11/09
piggymalone says...
09/11/09
piggymalone says...
09/11/09
pcs1980 says...
Also all parties need to come out fighting now, not at the next election. Money should not be a problem (like some councillors make out) to get your word out, when there is free blogs like this & web pages that can be regularly & freely updated that all parties, MP's & councillors can take part in to let the voter know what they are doing/ will do for us.
If they don't the voter will become more complacent & we will end up with more BNP councillors & potentially MP's.
However it doesn't matter which party you usually vote for or if you believe they are all the same/ as bad as each other. We the electorate need to go out & vote for someone (party affiliated or independent) otherwise it will be the electorate's fault if the BNP do succeed in gaining seats locally or nationally. Don't sit back & protest, get out & vote for someone, or we will end up with elected fascists & racists. I am sure that this is one thing all the main party,s will agree on.
10/11/09
Jeff Green says...
Well said and I absolutely agree.
I can assure you we are out on door steps listening and talking to Wirral residents all year round.
10/11/09
hugo2008 says...
What have your constituents remarked about MPs expenses, and would you care to enlighten us as to your opinion on how to clean up Parliament, and the whinging MPs now expected to make recompense.
10/11/09
slumdog says...
..
These places are the modern equivalent of the old 'shop floor' for working class people. I'm sure you are aware that the shop floor was where many successful politicians started out.
..
I'm not suggesting that all councillors should spend their spare time playing bingo or drinking in shifty boozers, but I think it is an important matter for the major parties to take into account.