Now if there’s one thing that get’s under Foulksey’s skin even worse than a bad dose of scabies it’s the mention of the AKA report, Anna Klonowski,Independent Review ,Martin Morton etc;.
Which explains why he had to ,ahem,take matters into his own hands and put them into someone else’s.
However less of the cryptic comments and onto the latest development in the slowly unfolding story which gives us an opportunity to repeat all of Foulksey’s favourite phrases.
It would appear that an old friend (and not a pretend friend ) of Wirral Leaks – Nigel “Highbrow” Hobro – has been keeping his hand in, so to speak , and by applying his forensic accountancy skills has finally battered the Council into submission about the full costs of the Independent Review of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council’s Response to Claims Made by Mr Martin Morton (and Others) – to give it it’s full title.
This investigation was undertaken by Anna Klonowski Associates and was famously referred to by Foulksey during a Council meeting, after he’d been deposed as Leader of the Council , as a “£250,000 ambush” by the Tory group. Thus proving once and for all that his suitability for the role as Leader of the Council and Mayor may be called into question but it can never be doubted that this man sure knows how to play the snivelling victim.
Up until now it has always been the received wisdom that this investigation cost Wirral Council an eye-watering £250,000 whereas the true figure is a truly mind-blowing £410,000.
According to this weeks response from Wirral Council on the What Do They Know website the extra costs are “for professional services and related travel /accommodation expenses”
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/anna_klonowski#comment-51417
We can now exclusively reveal how at least some of these extra costs were accrued. After reading the What Do They Know response one of the people interviewed by Anna Klonowski during the investigation let it be known that during the investigation they were asked whether they felt safe to give a statement in Wirral Council offices or at an Apart-hotel in Liverpool. This is a kind of accommodation with the facilities of an apartment (own cooking facilities etc; ) but with benefits of a hotel (servicing of rooms etc.)
We understand it was from here that Mrs Klonowski held court and would meet witnesses if they felt uncomfortable being observed giving statements in Wirral (hence we presume reference to “The Others” in the report’s title – making witnesses sound appropriately enough like the mysterious, ghostly figures from the Nicole Kidman movie of the same name).
If this is the case this alone is surely conclusive proof that there was ( and many still believe still is) a culture of fear within Wirral Council. Furthermore it also reinforces former Director of Law Bill Norman’s comment to local political commentator John Brace that the anonymity in the report was about protecting junior staff from reprisals from senior staff.
The revelation of massive extra costs comes as no surprise to our source but what does surprise them is that their statement and supporting evidence and the evidence of others appears nowhere within the final report.
Instead Klonowski states : “Despite the time taken to deliver the review it has not been possible to conclude on all matters….”.
This comes as a surprise to our source as they claimed they were interviewed months before the report was published – though they never received a copy of their statement nor was their documentary evidence ever returned!
However as Klonowski concluded in her review this doesn’t mean there was a cover up or conspiracy of any kind whatsoever ! – ultimately only time will tell whether this theory holds up and whether £410,000 of public money was well spent.
Indeed Wirral Leaks invites our readers to identify 1 lasting* positive outcome of the Independent Review.
* The vote of no confidence in Foulkesy doesn’t count as his recent appointment as Mayor proves this was short lived.
Dear readers , a cash prize of £4.10 found down the back of a chaise longue at Leaky Towers could be yours !!!!
Mark your entries : Rep Mgmnt and send to wirralleaks@gmail.com
Wirralleaks 
Here’s a link to some further helpful commentary. As is the norm, this opens up yet further questions around trust, suitability, and who should we entrust to investigate those who don’t need to labour under a pesky external investigations policy / procedure… (lovingly redacted in the style of Klonowski) …
http://goo.gl/oY8Do4
G’day My (Not Pretend) Lord
“Highbrow” has now well and truly blown his dream of being courted and feted in the “Dunny Chain Wearers” Parlour and being acclaimed a public hero. He is far to clever for these idiots.
His other dream has Gone With The Wind as well.
He will never be able to sit on his “Pretend Friends” knee again (when he has his little red suit and false beard on) and tell him of the crimes against the Wirral taxpayer as he did three years ago.
These clowns (and Santa’s) make me laugh Lordsly and make me want to sing;
Oh, lordy
Pick a bale of cotton
Oh, lordy
Pick a bale a day
Oh, lordy
Pick a bale of cotton
Oh, lordy
Pick a bale a day
Do you think they will ever be Open, Honest and Transparent My Lord and Lady????
Ooroo
James
Ps Going back to Oz is getting closer My L, will you miss me?
Pps Could be straight after the Special Fudgit and Risk It Special Meeting on 22 July 2014 (three years later) if they Do The Right Thing.
Luv you(r) piles xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the subject of the cost of the Anna Klonowski Associates’ reports, as part of producing the report Anna Klonowski Associates Limited asked for legal advice from DLA Piper in relation to the draft and final report. As far as I remember Wirral Council agreed to pay DLA Piper directly. Therefore are the costs referred to just the payments to AKA or do they include the related payments to DLA Piper too?