Senior Wirral Council officers suspended (From Wirral Globe)

Cheesy Peas wrote:
Not odd, Ardle. Because he was "ill" they couldn't suspend him, if ever that was the intention.

Anyone would think someone knew how a system worked and used it perfectly.

GoneButNotForgotten wrote:
Well isn't this just priceless?

How long before so many are suspended / off sick / running off on early retirement etc .. that we end up with a cleaner as acting Chief Exec!?

Granted a cleaner would at least be more in touch with the people of Wirral, would be hard working and at least have a decent bone in their body!

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:

GoneButNotForgotten wrote:
Well isn't this just priceless?

How long before so many are suspended / off sick / running off on early retirement etc .. that we end up with a cleaner as acting Chief Exec!?

Granted a cleaner would at least be more in touch with the people of Wirral, would be hard working and at least have a decent bone in their body!

There's nothing wrong with the acting Chief Executive now in place.

David Armstrong is an honourable man who has made a tremendous contribution to Wirral in his career. I think your comments do him a dis-service, GBNF.

djrimmer wrote:
Ah, they have come back...must have been a bug in my PC.
Modern technology....not all its made up to be

PaulCa wrote:
In "The Bad Old Days", the four staff who have been suspended so far, and the two now ex-DASS staff who were suspended, reinstated and then paid off could (and did) suspend their own juniors at the drop of a hat - or go on to bully targetted staff, particularly whistleblowers who had the potential to expose them and drop them in it from a great height.

The moral of this story is: for change to happen, all officers and councillors right across the public sector should:

1. Be honest
2. Serve only the public
3. Work hard & earn your money
4. Blow the whistle on any public servant who is not meeting the above 3 requirements.

In other words, show COURAGE & preserve your DIGNITY. Take a leaf out of Martin Morton and Andy Campbell's book ~ these are the true public serving heroes of this utter shambles.

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
This is a brave move that no other politician seemed prepared to take. I hope something good comes of it, that is to say, I hope those responsible for the woes which have beset Wirral Borough Council will be sacked.

Then when we have dealt with senior officials, perhaps we can look at the role of councillors whose woeful record of non-scrutiny needs exposing.

TheLooseCannon wrote:

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
This is a brave move that no other politician seemed prepared to take. I hope something good comes of it, that is to say, I hope those responsible for the woes which have beset Wirral Borough Council will be sacked.

Then when we have dealt with senior officials, perhaps we can look at the role of councillors whose woeful record of non-scrutiny needs exposing.

No Ben, as I understand it it has nothing to do with a politician's bravery and all to do with the bravery of yet another whistleblower and the LGA.

These people must go now and with only their statutory pensions. They must not be allowed a graceful, expensive exit.

Furthermore, our taxpayers money must be recouped from those who have been allowed to slide away, and perhaps most important of all, the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral must be removed from the former Chief Executive.

hugo2008 wrote:
I must disagree with BB, if there was a vestige of moral conduct in all this mess immediate actions is required and if that means a change the present law then do it. No Delay.

Wirral Elected Councilors, should be disbanded with immediate effect, and an independent government body installed.
Elections could be scheduled to take place when the independent body have routed out all those guilty of mismanagement and deceit or misinformation in both the Employed and Elected sections of administration plus any individuals involved in Wirral Council over the past 10 years.

A panel of Lay Public and Professional members could be set up to oversee the formation of Elected Representatives to stand for election on pure democratic and professional experienced principles and not on Party Political Bias.
The Wirral divided into six districts each district with a population number about 50,000 to elect a maximum 3 representatives each.
The population to elect an overall council leader and deputy.
Overall leader, Deputy, and 18 elected councilors would form the Cabinet, with a remit to install full accountability in an honest, open, transparent, body and charged with implementing proper council management in all departments to provide a full comprehensive service to the population of Wirral.
The elected Leader and deputy with a 4 year contract with full executive powers expected to reduce the total cost of Wirral Borough Council to a manageable level including all pay, pensions, and remunerations now and in the future, No Exceptions.

That way and only that way will we ever get a truly democratic fully accountable local government organization and real value for money for the population in Wirral

sandals_wearer wrote:
http://www.guardian.

co.uk/discussion/com

ment-permalink/86896

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http://www.thisissou

thdevon.co.uk/Counci

l-workers-m-pay/stor

y-12381785-detail/st

ory.html

Cheesy Peas wrote:
How very cynical of you, GoneButNotForgotten ;-)

I've criticised Phil Davies recently but full kudos to him for finally doing what's been needed to be done for years.

Good to see all party agreement too.

Maybe finally the politicians have realised they run the council, not the chief officer group.

There does appear to be one name missing, though.

Let's stay tuned - Friday is always the night of the long knives!

PeteSheff wrote:
Good Post.

I look forward to minutes of the meeting from the 22nd.

djrimmer wrote:
Please spare a thought for the honest, hard working council employees whos morale is at rock bottom. I say "is at rock bottom" as my contacts at WBC appear to be so depressed. The reason they give me is that the organisation they work for is in such dis-array and dis-repute that they fear they are being tarred with the same brush.

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:

hugo2008 wrote:
I must disagree with BB, if there was a vestige of moral conduct in all this mess immediate actions is required and if that means a change the present law then do it. No Delay.

Wirral Elected Councilors, should be disbanded with immediate effect, and an independent government body installed.
Elections could be scheduled to take place when the independent body have routed out all those guilty of mismanagement and deceit or misinformation in both the Employed and Elected sections of administration plus any individuals involved in Wirral Council over the past 10 years.

A panel of Lay Public and Professional members could be set up to oversee the formation of Elected Representatives to stand for election on pure democratic and professional experienced principles and not on Party Political Bias.
The Wirral divided into six districts each district with a population number about 50,000 to elect a maximum 3 representatives each.
The population to elect an overall council leader and deputy.
Overall leader, Deputy, and 18 elected councilors would form the Cabinet, with a remit to install full accountability in an honest, open, transparent, body and charged with implementing proper council management in all departments to provide a full comprehensive service to the population of Wirral.
The elected Leader and deputy with a 4 year contract with full executive powers expected to reduce the total cost of Wirral Borough Council to a manageable level including all pay, pensions, and remunerations now and in the future, No Exceptions.

That way and only that way will we ever get a truly democratic fully accountable local government organization and real value for money for the population in Wirral

This is a model which deserves careful scrutiny.

There are no council elections in Wirral next year, so May 2014 would be an ideal starting block for any new, streamlined, non-political Metropolitan Borough of Wirral.

The future's bright; the future's not red, blue or gold ???

PaulCa wrote:

sandals_wearer wrote:
http://www.guardian.


co.uk/discussion/com


ment-permalink/86896


58

http://www.thisissou


thdevon.co.uk/Counci


l-workers-m-pay/stor


y-12381785-detail/st


ory.html

I imagine hordes of public servants are counting their blessings, and permitting welcome, exilharating waves of relief to wash over and cleanse them down Torbay way?

But when do we get our deep clean?

water1lily wrote:
Why cannot all local MP's be invited to meeting on 16 July 2012 if there is nothing to hide. Otherwise we know what to expect it will be business as usual yet more dodgy decisions and even more cover ups.

PaulCa wrote:
Accountability please. Nothing more. Nothing less. No pay offs; no gags; no secret deals; no incompetence; no swanning off to leafy Cheshire gaffs.

And more importantly, no risk of forseeable and avoidable abuse raising its ugly head elsewhere due to the cowardly and calculated thrashing out of obscene "mutual consent" deals that fly directly into the face of the legitimate public interest.

Even the aptly named "Rob Diamond" isn't above accountability, and will fall on his sword and retire in abject luxury in a few days' time.

council officer wrote:

PaulCa wrote:
Accountability please. Nothing more. Nothing less. No pay offs; no gags; no secret deals; no incompetence; no swanning off to leafy Cheshire gaffs.

And more importantly, no risk of forseeable and avoidable abuse raising its ugly head elsewhere due to the cowardly and calculated thrashing out of obscene "mutual consent" deals that fly directly into the face of the legitimate public interest.

Even the aptly named "Rob Diamond" isn't above accountability, and will fall on his sword and retire in abject luxury in a few days' time.

We haven't dealt with the person who called Martin Morton " a bit mad" yet. I wouldn't trust that department as far as I could throw it!

hugo2008 wrote:
Message to Martin Morton, if you have not already done so, get yourself an agent, launch a legal aid fund, with the aim of full legal accountability into the actions against you, and any comments made. Take any action against all or some members of Wirral Borough Council, employed or elected, past or present. Then all the evidence will have to come out into the open. Maybe start with ex mayor or devious councilor.
I am sure the Globe would publish the details on how to contribute to the fund, I for one will make a contribution, just to see some real justice take place.

hugo2008 wrote:
Message to Martin Morton, if you have not already done so, get yourself an agent, launch a legal aid fund, with the aim of full legal accountability into the actions against you, and any comments made. Take any action against all or some members of Wirral Borough Council, employed or elected, past or present. Then all the evidence will have to come out into the open. Maybe start with ex mayor or devious councilor.
I am sure the Globe would publish the details on how to contribute to the fund, I for one will make a contribution, just to see some real justice take place.

PaulCa wrote:
In "The Bad Old Days", the four staff who have been suspended so far, and the two now ex-DASS staff who were suspended, reinstated and then paid off could (and did) suspend their own juniors at the drop of a hat - or go on to bully targetted staff, particularly whistleblowers who had the potential to expose them and drop them in it from a great height.

The moral of this story is: for change to happen, all officers and councillors right across the public sector should:

1. Be honest
2. Serve only the public
3. Work hard & earn your money
4. Blow the whistle on any public servant who is not meeting the above 3 requirements.

In other words, show COURAGE & preserve your DIGNITY. Take a leaf out of Martin Morton and Andy Campbell's book ~ these are the true public serving heroes of this utter shambles.

hugo2008 wrote:
Important Message to the whole of the 66 Councilors at present in office, you know that among Wirral Borough Council employed or elected there are some very disreputable characters who have been more than complicit in the disgraceful scandals and abuse that have taken place certainly over the last decade.
In the name of decent humanity get rid of the parasites that you know we do not need regardless of Party Politics.

Any failure to do the decent thing taints every last one of you with the same stench of deceit and corruption and distrust.

Now is the time to clean out the filth, deceit, misinformation, mismanagement, and usless parasites, do not miss it.

Truth_sayer wrote:

hugo2008 wrote:
Important Message to the whole of the 66 Councilors at present in office, you know that among Wirral Borough Council employed or elected there are some very disreputable characters who have been more than complicit in the disgraceful scandals and abuse that have taken place certainly over the last decade.
In the name of decent humanity get rid of the parasites that you know we do not need regardless of Party Politics.

Any failure to do the decent thing taints every last one of you with the same stench of deceit and corruption and distrust.

Now is the time to clean out the filth, deceit, misinformation, mismanagement, and usless parasites, do not miss it.

Have you got anything nice to say? You seem to be a very anxious individual. Have you tried going on holiday for instance ;o)

PaulCa wrote:
As they are public servants and paid by us, I'd say it's imperative that somebody, perhaps a local blogger is allowed in to film the proceedings and then relay them on to the paying public, who want transparency and need to know what goes on behind closed, locked doors.

PaulCa wrote:
See today's Liverpool Echo re: "Boiled Frog Syndrome" story.

This is an interview with Michael Frater (just had his stay extended until October). It's quite revealing (insular behaviour; not recruiting externally; abnormal; initially, Frater thought the AKA report was overstated, now realises it was understated) and appears to promise much.

But that has happened before. We need accountability and a clear out. Please don't let Frater become another false dawn. Please don't let them "carry on as abnormal."

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
The unfulfilled promise of an unredacted Klonowski Report was made by the now-discredited former Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Jeff Green, as was the unfulfilled promise to have Martin Morton brought back on board.

Perhaps Cllr Phil Davies might like to make his position clear on these two matters?

As an aside, it's interesting that, since losing control in early May, Cllr Green still heads up his website "Leader of Wirral" on which is the latest, breaking news that he has resigned as leader!!

Talk about being 'In Touch' !!

PaulCa wrote:
See today's Liverpool Echo re: "Boiled Frog Syndrome" story.

This is an interview with Michael Frater (just had his stay extended until October). It's quite revealing (insular behaviour; not recruiting externally; abnormal; initially, Frater thought the AKA report was overstated, now realises it was understated) and appears to promise much.

But that has happened before. We need accountability and a clear out. Please don't let Frater become another false dawn. Please don't let them "carry on as abnormal."

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
Here's part of what will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting on 10th July in relation to the role of councillors (or as they are referred to - 'elected members', which begs the question: Do senior officers consider themselves to be 'unelected members'?):-

•We will put the interests of all the people of Wirral above other considerations.
• Elected members and staff will behave with honesty and integrity at all times.
• We will practice openness and transparency and remain focussed on positive change.
• We will welcome suggestions on how the Council can improve and positively encourage members, staff and the public to tell us when we have got something wrong.
• We will be a “learning” organisation, where good practice is captured and rolled out across the Council, and where we actively seek ideas from other local authorities and
external agencies.
• We will make sure our decisions are based on clear evidence.
• We will welcome public involvement in the work of the Council and we will carry out
effective consultation, where appropriate, with the public and key stakeholders.
• We will make sure that Council services fairly and transparently take into account the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups when changes are made and that the
Council is responsive to equality considerations and the diversity of Wirral’s communities.
• We aim to be excellent in everything we do.

All givens in a normal local authority, I would have thought....

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
Here's part of what will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting on 10th July in relation to the role of councillors (or as they are referred to - 'elected members', which begs the question: Do senior officers consider themselves to be 'unelected members'?):-

•We will put the interests of all the people of Wirral above other considerations.
• Elected members and staff will behave with honesty and integrity at all times.
• We will practice openness and transparency and remain focussed on positive change.
• We will welcome suggestions on how the Council can improve and positively encourage members, staff and the public to tell us when we have got something wrong.
• We will be a “learning” organisation, where good practice is captured and rolled out across the Council, and where we actively seek ideas from other local authorities and
external agencies.
• We will make sure our decisions are based on clear evidence.
• We will welcome public involvement in the work of the Council and we will carry out
effective consultation, where appropriate, with the public and key stakeholders.
• We will make sure that Council services fairly and transparently take into account the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups when changes are made and that the
Council is responsive to equality considerations and the diversity of Wirral’s communities.
• We aim to be excellent in everything we do.

All givens in a normal local authority, I would have thought....

water1lily wrote:
Thanks for that PaulCa.
But why hasn't Michael Frater had a meeting with all the parents of the Learning Disabled many of whom are in total despair at the way their young people are treated.Despite vast amounts of money involved nothing is done when DASS are advised people are not getting the care that is paid for.Despite promising Robust Monitoring it doesn't happen.DASS only looked into financial abuse after 4 years of complaints when asked to do so by the Ombudsman.
I have lost count of the number of ineffective managers and departments we have dealt with it's not just staff who have been bullied. It also appears DASS have never heard of the human Rights Act.

council officer wrote:

Ben Beaconsfield wrote:
The unfulfilled promise of an unredacted Klonowski Report was made by the now-discredited former Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Jeff Green, as was the unfulfilled promise to have Martin Morton brought back on board.

Perhaps Cllr Phil Davies might like to make his position clear on these two matters?

As an aside, it's interesting that, since losing control in early May, Cllr Green still heads up his website "Leader of Wirral" on which is the latest, breaking news that he has resigned as leader!!

Talk about being 'In Touch' !!

He's lost his right hand man who is all things technical for the Tories!