EXCLUSIVE: Highways whistleblowers speak out following departure of council's legal chief (From Wirral Globe)
Send us news by text, start your message Globe News and your send photos and videos to 80360
EXCLUSIVE: Highways whistleblowers speak out following departure of council's legal chief
3:00pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News Exclusive By Leigh Marles, Editor
EXCLUSIVE: Highways whistleblowers speak out following departure of Bill Norman
A chorus of disapproval is growing against Wirral Council's decision to allow its legal head to leave with a £146,000 payment.
Bill Norman, who left the employment of the authority last week, was one of four chief officers suspended from work in the wake of a critical report by the Audit Commission investigating the way an "outsourced" highways contract had been handled.
The investigation was sparked after a group of highways department whistleblowers raised their concerns with Birkenhead MP Frank Field over aspects of the council's £40m contract with the Colas company.
A spokesman for the five whistleblowers said today: "We are extremely disappointed with Wirral Council's recent course of action.
"This investigation has continued since November, 2008, and has cost the Wirral taxpayer a staggering amount of money.
"The way the council is responding since the publication of the audit commission report is not about due processes.
"Their chosen course of action at almost every step of this inquiry has been totally unjust.
"Having provided the evidence which led to the Audit Commission's report, it is our view that the council is leading Wirral people down the garden path.
"We will not allow the truth to be buried by the bureaucrats and spin doctors at the town hall.
"We will be releasing our full and unredacted story, naming names, over the coming weeks."
A statement released on Wednesday by the council said an independent consultant commissioned to undertake a preliminary review of Mr Norman's actions concluded he had "no case to answer" and should be immediately allowed to return to work.
However, in the light of a recently-announced major restructuring of the council's senior management, his legal representatives approached the authority requesting he be allowed to take redundancy.
On learning of Mr Norman's departure, Frank Field told the Globe: "It is disappointing that a high-ranking officer of the council, against whom no fault was found, prefers to take nearly £150,000 of taxpayers' money and leave rather than go back to his job."
Now his parliamentary Labour colleague Wirral South MP Alison McGovern has joined the row saying: "There is a growing need in Wirral to ensure taxpayers are getting value for their money.
"It also seems to me there is a pressing case for more equality in our council when it comes to pay.
"There is an enormous gap between those at the top of the organisation and others, who in some cases are not even in receipt of a living wage."
She said she is seeking an urgent meeting with the council’s chief executive, Graham Burgess, to raise her concerns with him face-to-face.
Speaking as the annoucement regarding Mr Norman was made, Mr Burgess said: "Mr Norman will leave under a compromise agreement but I wish to stress this does not include a confidentiality clause.
"The planned senior management restructure will enable the council to make an overall saving to contribute to the budget deficit.
“We wish to thank Mr Norman for his service to Wirral and wish him well for the future.
Mr Norman joins finance director Ian Coleman and chief internal auditor David Garry in leaving the council's employment in the last fortnight.
Highways chief David Green is still suspended from work pending the outcome of an internal inquiry.
Comments(36)
No.9
says...
12:44pm Fri 19 Oct 12
And about time they sorted wages out too. End the greedy practice of pay rises by percentage of the wage as it only really benefits the highly paid senior management.
Hugo1008
says...
12:47pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Pay off the entire senior Council Employees, decalre Wirral Bankrupt, disband the total 66 elected Councillors.
This would trigger off National Auditors and Commisioners to take over.
Hold elections so the population have a chance to properly select good honest capable representatives to ensure the right and proper governence of Wirral with the interests of the population at the forefront, regardless of Party Political Influence.
That way we get to clean and clear out the rotting stench of corruption from WBC once and for all and start with a clean sheet plus proper transparent Governance and Management that the population of Wirral deserve.
hobroW
says...
12:48pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Now why would he do so?Why so coy?
Certainly Mr timmins referred to a report , a year in the making, that was @unfit for purpose@. a year of wasted opportunity to set a wrong right, to expose inefficiencies and worse and to discredit a program that had been lauded repeatedly by the Regeneration officers to their supervising councillors.
And a further 3 months and at least #50,000 of much needed public funds.
I dont criticise the incoming chief executive but do query the teflon-coating of the old guard. NASA s space program was to coat saucepans , not council officers
council officer
says...
12:52pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Ben Beaconsfield wrote:Ben,
At last, our sleeping MP's seem to have woken up.
This whole mess is becoming more of a cover-up as the days go by.
It's very interesting that - with the exeption of the Leader of the Council - not one single, solitary councillor has put his or her head above the parapet and commented on this sorry state of affairs.
Too busy protecting their own backs? After all, they were acting as scrutineers for the actions of senior officers - weren't they?
And if they weren't, then they have been derelict in their duty to act on our behalf.
I totally agree with you regarding the Councillors. Experience tells me we have a few committed members who are in it for the right reasons.
Unfortunately, most of these are not political animals and get lost in the hurly burly of the big council machine.
We then have the political animals who are more interested in their own party politics and covering their backs than doing the right thing for Wirral.
Then we have the others who to be quite frank are a pretty useless bunch. This lot just do as they are told by either their party or council officers and toddle along in complete ignorance.
I also firmly believe that there is still a big problem at Wallasey Town Hall that needs to be sorted out as it is firmly attached to the past and all its bad practices. This needs to be tackled before the Staff have confidence that all the bad apples have been dealt with.
I hope Burgess realises that the Council can do without a really big spin department as it gives no value to the people of Wirral and it definitely is not an essential service.
Time will tell!
Hugo1008
says...
1:39pm Fri 19 Oct 12
So remember whatever poor decisions that you may believe have taken place, it has only happened becuase your elected representative agreed to it.
All the corrupt and scandalouse goings on decisions taken behind closed doors, pay off, hush money, early retirements and golden handshakes are and have been approved by the elected Councillors on every occasion.
The departure of the so called legal advisor and members of his team with a clear consience, could mean one of two things.
The decisions to carry out certain acts and agreements were taken despite recieving the correct legal advice but choosing to do it anyway.
Or the Councillors recieved wrong information from senior council employees and acted accordingly.
Either way the final and subsequent decisions to use your money to pay off huge number of very senior staff employees, consultatnts, and investigators, without revelaing the true information to the public electorate is the decision of your elected representatives all 66 of the councillors must have agreed to this on your behalf.
If this is not the case then lets hear from the elected councillors in every ward accross the Wirral so we can make an informed decision when we are next allowed to vote.
niggle rumps
says...
2:04pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Q
frustratedfred
says...
2:49pm Fri 19 Oct 12
council officer
says...
2:53pm Fri 19 Oct 12
When all this mess started way back then, I suggested the only way this way going to be rectified was if ALL the senior management team went.
My feelings remain the same now. Maybe Burgess will deal with this and then we maybe able to move on!
And just to say no " I'm not a bit mad".
Willow Sherbet
says...
2:58pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Well said niggle rumps old chap.
At long last the Whistleblowers are talking!
.
Now get the truth out and expose everyone of the snakes involved in this cover up.Town Hall Clowns, on your own head's be it, you have a major problem now!
The Whistleblowers have already outfoxed you all!
Bureaucratic Buffoonery Mr sham Gamekeeper !
council officer
says...
3:01pm Fri 19 Oct 12
frustratedfred wrote:I've heard that the areas for cuts have already been identified and targets set. The consultation is being used by the spin machine as a smokescreen and to reflect the blame back onto the Community. You can bet one thing...there will be not cuts made in the "Communication" empire. Oops, I mean department even though this is most definitely not an essential service despite the many people who work there updating the Councils Facebook and twitter accounts amongst other non essential things.
All those involved in setting the overspent budget are either getting out with their stack or keeping very quiet until they need to get votes when they should be being held to account. Instead it will be staff whose jobs will go
montague1
says...
5:37pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Surely the bottom of the cess pit looms large now, with the sluice gates having been opened on full throttle to allow the excess scum out!
The remaining scum must be beating seven bells out of one another to try and get a few remaining crumbs.
Well, as Marie Antoinette put it "let them eat cake"
MX
says...
6:31pm Fri 19 Oct 12
What was it Mr.Field? " "Too incompetent to organise a cover up".
Incompetence is not the driving force behinda cover-up - dishonesty and avoidance of accountabilty is - and that leads directly to where the blame ultimately lies........with Councillors.
daggers drawn
says...
8:20pm Fri 19 Oct 12
council officer wrote:Meanwhile all this is going on, but no mention of Dave Green, perhaps they are trying to spin the public away with another smokescreen. Its almost 8 months away from the office, on full pay, nice work if you can get it. Communication means you talk to, and with people, something the council fails to do. As to essential spending, i suppose new ipads are essential. Are lease cars essential as well? Are complimentary coffee machines for members essential? There are some things that are essential -TRUTH no more spin. Will Bill Norman sue for being suspended when there was 'no case to answer'? what if there is no case to answer for others? Who takes the blame? We all know who pays, US the council taxpayer. Meanwhile the few dedicated staff who do care, are tarnished with the same brush.
frustratedfred wrote: All those involved in setting the overspent budget are either getting out with their stack or keeping very quiet until they need to get votes when they should be being held to account. Instead it will be staff whose jobs will goI've heard that the areas for cuts have already been identified and targets set. The consultation is being used by the spin machine as a smokescreen and to reflect the blame back onto the Community. You can bet one thing...there will be not cuts made in the "Communication" empire. Oops, I mean department even though this is most definitely not an essential service despite the many people who work there updating the Councils Facebook and twitter accounts amongst other non essential things.
Willow Sherbet
says...
10:18pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Thank god they have now finally spoken.
I also notice how professional their statement is to the globe. They must absolutely appalled by this debautury.
This kind of professionalism is obviously why the MP Mr Field speaks so highly of them.
Indeed it is also this type of professionalism that is clearly absent at the town hall.
Mr Field the next step surely is the government commissioners?
Labour council or not they must be invoked!
Sherbet.
PaulCa
says...
10:25pm Fri 19 Oct 12
http://tinyurl.com/9
nr9ogp
water1lily
says...
2:25am Sat 20 Oct 12
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
9:43am Sat 20 Oct 12
council officer wrote:At the risk of starting a mutual admiration society, your analysis of the various type of councillors is spot on, council officer.
Ben Beaconsfield wrote:Ben,
At last, our sleeping MP's seem to have woken up.
This whole mess is becoming more of a cover-up as the days go by.
It's very interesting that - with the exeption of the Leader of the Council - not one single, solitary councillor has put his or her head above the parapet and commented on this sorry state of affairs.
Too busy protecting their own backs? After all, they were acting as scrutineers for the actions of senior officers - weren't they?
And if they weren't, then they have been derelict in their duty to act on our behalf.
I totally agree with you regarding the Councillors. Experience tells me we have a few committed members who are in it for the right reasons.
Unfortunately, most of these are not political animals and get lost in the hurly burly of the big council machine.
We then have the political animals who are more interested in their own party politics and covering their backs than doing the right thing for Wirral.
Then we have the others who to be quite frank are a pretty useless bunch. This lot just do as they are told by either their party or council officers and toddle along in complete ignorance.
I also firmly believe that there is still a big problem at Wallasey Town Hall that needs to be sorted out as it is firmly attached to the past and all its bad practices. This needs to be tackled before the Staff have confidence that all the bad apples have been dealt with.
I hope Burgess realises that the Council can do without a really big spin department as it gives no value to the people of Wirral and it definitely is not an essential service.
Time will tell!
I have known many councillors of all parties over a long number of years and this is the most mediocre crop by far.
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
9:52am Sat 20 Oct 12
Hugo1008 wrote:The key word in all this, Hugo1008, is SCRUTINY.
I think its woth noting, there is not one council employee including Mr Burgess can act or make major decisions without the full approval of the Elected Council.
So remember whatever poor decisions that you may believe have taken place, it has only happened becuase your elected representative agreed to it.
All the corrupt and scandalouse goings on decisions taken behind closed doors, pay off, hush money, early retirements and golden handshakes are and have been approved by the elected Councillors on every occasion.
The departure of the so called legal advisor and members of his team with a clear consience, could mean one of two things.
The decisions to carry out certain acts and agreements were taken despite recieving the correct legal advice but choosing to do it anyway.
Or the Councillors recieved wrong information from senior council employees and acted accordingly.
Either way the final and subsequent decisions to use your money to pay off huge number of very senior staff employees, consultatnts, and investigators, without revelaing the true information to the public electorate is the decision of your elected representatives all 66 of the councillors must have agreed to this on your behalf.
If this is not the case then lets hear from the elected councillors in every ward accross the Wirral so we can make an informed decision when we are next allowed to vote.
Councillors, not officers, determine policy, and then SCRUTINISE the work of officers.
We in turn SCRUTINISE the effectiveness of councillors at the ballot box.
Unfortunately, whilst all 66 councillors vote at council meetings, only around two in five of us do so at council election times.
You also make a point about councillors possibly receiving misleading information from officers. On occasion I concede that this might happen. But in the case of Wirral Borough Council, there are so many things that have gone wrong that I cannot believe councillors have been misled time and time again by their officers. I think they have simply been negligent - too interested in party political advantage to notice what was happening under their very noses.
EnjoinMoss
says...
2:10pm Sat 20 Oct 12
reliant22
says...
6:14pm Sat 20 Oct 12
It is so encouraging to read these comments and yet there seems not a thing we can do about the `wrongs` (mild, instead of the words I really want to use) at the Town Hall.
We, the taxpayers, not at all involved with decision making and yet, consultations are taking place (allegedly) about issues of importance.
So right is the comment about when it all goes wrong they will blame the taxpayers` we consulted them`.
Worry not though folks on that score. Rumour has it that the `Labour Trotskys`are asking to be forgiven and to make a comeback!!
I would like to say `no chance`to that.
What we already have on board at the Town Hall is trouble enough.
Please, whistleblowers, keep up the pressure and let`s see those names in print and `thank you` for your honesty.
Willow Sherbet
says...
6:47pm Sat 20 Oct 12
The Whistleblowers must now get the town hall names into print.
I also thank them for the honesty and professional integrity that they have showed us all!
Well done to the Globe for this campaign. Like with Mr Morton the Globe will let the Whsitleblwers speak out!
Sherbet!
johnbrace
says...
8:53pm Sat 20 Oct 12
hobroW wrote:No it's not I mentioned the meeting at which the Chief Internal Auditor Dave Garry & Bill Norman left the employ of Wirral Council under compromise contracts (a month ago) on the 20th September 2012.
this is first press mention of the chief internal auditor, Dave Garry, leaving the councils employ by the press.
Now why would he do so?Why so coy?
Certainly Mr timmins referred to a report , a year in the making, that was @unfit for purpose@. a year of wasted opportunity to set a wrong right, to expose inefficiencies and worse and to discredit a program that had been lauded repeatedly by the Regeneration officers to their supervising councillors.
And a further 3 months and at least #50,000 of much needed public funds.
I dont criticise the incoming chief executive but do query the teflon-coating of the old guard. NASA s space program was to coat saucepans , not council officers
However the names (Dave Garry and Bill Norman) weren't released to the press and public until 17th October 2012, which meant all I could tell the public was that they were getting >£30,000, that they weren't school staff, that they were a senior officer and the councillors (and officers) that decided it. See http://johnbrace.com
/2012/09/20/employme
nt-and-appointments-
sub-committee-compro
mise-contracts-wirra
l-council-20th-septe
mber-2012/ . The reason it took so long for the names to be released was because they had to wait for the full Council meeting of the 15th October 2012, before they could do it, and the I&DC meeting of the 21st September 2012.
woodyres2
says...
2:14pm Mon 22 Oct 12
council officer wrote:I suspected as much CO !!
frustratedfred wrote: All those involved in setting the overspent budget are either getting out with their stack or keeping very quiet until they need to get votes when they should be being held to account. Instead it will be staff whose jobs will goI've heard that the areas for cuts have already been identified and targets set. The consultation is being used by the spin machine as a smokescreen and to reflect the blame back onto the Community. You can bet one thing...there will be not cuts made in the "Communication" empire. Oops, I mean department even though this is most definitely not an essential service despite the many people who work there updating the Councils Facebook and twitter accounts amongst other non essential things.
This "consultation" is a waste of time, and I did not attend a recent Area Forum as I am sickened by all the rubbish the councillors give us about how having your say is so important. I'm fed up ticking their boxes, and still not being listened to.
Yes, I believe the cuts are already decided, so, if they try to close our local library again they will have another fight on their hands !!
PaulCa
says...
5:55pm Mon 22 Oct 12
If the measures within them don't work out, which is generally the case, the hoodwinked public can come forward and take the blame, rather than councillors or officers.
Willow Sherbet
says...
8:57pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Good Wordsmanship as ever.
What is that link you posted?
Sherbet.
Willow Sherbet
says...
9:49pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Retract my last request. Just read it all.
Your tuned in like a fine guitar son.
Keep up the good work Paul!
http://www.whatdothe
yknow.com/request/se
nior_officers_requir
ement_to_d#incoming-
323500
Sherbet.
PaulCa
says...
9:55pm Mon 22 Oct 12
I'm told he's not employed currently and is a whistleblower who was forced to resign by an employer later found to have become severely dysfunctional and up to its corporate neck in bullying and making life hell for its staff and for subsequent whistleblowers.
Touch-typing at 80 words per minute, he can just about keep up with each disaster, and get it finished and uploaded, as the next carefully massaged report on the latest disaster is being released to the local media.
He sometimes tries to look between the lines and pick up on anything that may have been missed by the local papers.
Here's a good example of one such issue, compromise agreements, which relates very strongly to gags, pay-offs, dodges of accountability, and even hints at undeclared relationships between councillors / officers / auditors busily ££scratching each others' backs:
http://tinyurl.com/8
kzqqzy
Willow Sherbet
says...
10:47pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Sherbet.
woodyres2
says...
1:32pm Tue 23 Oct 12
PaulCa wrote:You do put things so well Paul ...
Consultations are NOT a waste of time. They do serve a purpose, and that's why elected officials are spending our money on promoting them and bringing us the public onboard. If the measures within them don't work out, which is generally the case, the hoodwinked public can come forward and take the blame, rather than councillors or officers.
RL 1952
says...
12:39pm Wed 24 Oct 12
There is little or no point seeking the views of the Wirral public it is just a smoke screen to divert attention from the inept practices of senior management and councillors alike. Until commissioners are brought in and corrupt practices flushed out from the top down nothing will ever improve it will just fester and grow.
Come on Mr Burgess get your at act together and start the clear out from the top, new untainted blood is required.
niggle rumps
says...
1:36pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Page 10.
According to the article they went to council five months before Colas Ltd even signed the contract. Shocking failures by our council to act in light of the evidence.
Willow Sherbet
says...
2:56pm Thu 25 Oct 12
What in gods name are we paying for?
I wounder what the Council has done to them? Martin Morton all over again?
Sherbet!
niggle rumps
says...
3:18pm Thu 25 Oct 12
johnbrace
says...
10:31pm Thu 25 Oct 12
ral.gov.uk/documents
/s50007420/Appendix%
20Two%20BNorman%20AG
REED%20FINAL%202.pdf .
PaulCa
says...
12:17am Fri 26 Oct 12
niggle rumps wrote:Niggle Rumps. If you're a senior officer, and you KNOW what's gone on, and you're NOT paid off then that can be 'problematic' shall we say for those left in situ after you've done one.
The main thing I can not get my head around or understand is why if Mr Norman CHOSE to leave then why was he paid off? If someone could possibly explain this to me, maybe Graham Burgess or perhaps Bill Norman himself, then I would be a happy person.
Which is exactly what's happened with every other senior officer that's had their silence bought. If you're senior enough to know who's involved and where the bodies are buried and they don't ££grease your palm, then they are opening up a can of worms for themselves - because you're going to be in a spiteful frame of mind.
I'll be surprised if what Mr Burgess says is strictly true, and Norman hasn't been gagged. There is an FoI request in at the moment, trying to get to the bottom of this.
But it would be unwise for anybody to hold their breath. Despite the wonderful figures issued in Wirral's latest FoI report to councillors, with thorny issues like this one, people can be left waiting for well over a year for answers, that's if they get any answer AT ALL.
Ben Beaconsfield says...
12:22pm Fri 19 Oct 12
This whole mess is becoming more of a cover-up as the days go by.
It's very interesting that - with the exeption of the Leader of the Council - not one single, solitary councillor has put his or her head above the parapet and commented on this sorry state of affairs.
Too busy protecting their own backs? After all, they were acting as scrutineers for the actions of senior officers - weren't they?
And if they weren't, then they have been derelict in their duty to act on our behalf.