The Mystery of The Missing Money

 

So let’s set the scene – a sophisticated soiree in Chester and a journalist sidles up to the then head honcho at Wirral Council and emboldened by alcohol and contempt (and tell us what journalist isn’t?) asks :

“So tell me what have you done with all the money….?”

Fast forward to a Wirral estate and a wizened Councillor who conspiratorially whispers about suspended Directors and the missing millions and click goes the record button…..

An Ode to Redundancies

Makeovers, cover ups

Piss ups and fuck ups

Toxic debts, taxi rides

Pay offs and inquiries

An improvement journey

On a runaway gravy train

Of fruitless foreign travels

‘Til the mystery unravels

They hired a consultant guru

Paid a premium to shaft you

Tell us: Is it finally understood

How you lost your livelihood ?

However as this particular roll call shows some Wirral Council staff have done rather well making “difficult decisions” when it comes to redundancies , proving once and for all there is no honour in honorariums –  it’s more about acting the part than acting up.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/245102/response/617211/attach/3/857138.pdf

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS

“There is a purpose to journalism…It is not to pander to political power, big corporations and rich men” – Peter Oborne – journalist resigning this week from Telegraph newspaper group

During the interminable run-up to the local and national elections we must learn to get used to PR and puff pieces and party political broadcasts masquerading as news so Wirral Leaks will continue to bring you the news that you won’t read in local newspapers or websites.
Wirral Council – please take note  below  are just some of the despairing correspondence sent to us recently by your adoring public…..

I Spy With My FOI

“Haven’t bothered for a while but seen John Braces video from the council budget proposals for the coming years and then was amazed to see my old job (only twelve months ago) with a hefty bit of investment and the promise of new staff to carry out a role deemed redundant only last March.
After many emails, F.O.I requests, meetings with councillors who soon disregarded me as soon as they realised I was talking sense and trying many other avenues to raise the point making us redundant was a stupid idea in the first place because their plan was built on lies and was quite shit also.

Now Philly boy has eventually decided that yes it was a shit idea and as he was told the Police couldn’t carry out the same role carried out by the council staff and for the amount of money invested in the cctv and repairs it was better left alone with the fully qualified staff carrying out their role much un-noticed but much admired and appreciated by Merseyside police officers and many other stakeholders. As previously stated they were all hoodwinked by our ex boss …… who is now failing to pitch for council contracts..thankfully.”

We Don’t Need No Education

“The level of misconduct, negligence and breach of the legal responsibilities of Wirral LEA (Local Education Authority) and Social Services confounds me.
I am being forced to take legal action against them as, even now, their behaviour (is) ridiculous.”

Our Source Is Outsourced

“I don’t know if you are aware that a company is being set up (extremely quickly!) by the council for all the services who trade / provide services to schools , it will run as a partnership with Cheshire and Cheshire West, like Cosocious. Staff will be type transferred across so they no longer will be council employees, they also will loose the option to take EVR /redundancy at the enhanced rate. No negotiations have been had with unions and staff have not been told t&cs (terms and conditions,) The financial information is not forthcoming to staff in relation to the ‘ business case ‘ that was drawn up by consultants ( which were apparently paid for by the government) so it makes the staff ask the question , is this company being set up to fail to rid the council of a number of staff at a reduced redundancy rate? I do wish to remain anonymous please, as repercussions do still happen within the council ”

Preaching to the Converted

‘Spect you’re v. busy with elections looming. Don’t know if the mormon councillor for Prenton’s standing for re-election in May but here’s some info about his ‘church’ & their latest efforts.

HERE 

“How he’s balanced commitment to this organisation with his role as a Labour councillor is baffling. Throw in his continued membership of XXX……well, just makes your head start to spin. Why is he still chair of a major committee? (Merseyside Pension Fund) & how does he find the time to fit everything in? His building company SDA’s got a lot of planning applications currently in process; the late (but unlamented) Dirty Food, Hoylake (prev Bej Vegetarian) restaurant’s been re-incarnated as Steak & Lobster & his day nursery (Little Angels), occupies a disused mormon meeting house in Moreton is pretty much full.”

Which brings us to …..

Alison McGovern wringing her hands –  HERE – & he’s coining it from this venture. Last OFSTED inspection (October 2012) reports 66 children in attendance. The mormons’ll conveniently overlook this one tho as all his income generates at least 10% for them so he’ll be filling their trough nicely & the good people of Wirral have helped those donations along over the last 4 years as his councillor allowance will also be available to tithe. Plus gift aid & if he is up for re-election, that’ll be another 4 years of creaming off the 10% from the long suffering citizens of Wirral.

Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears A Crown.

Her Ladyship has been avidly watching the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall which details the intrigues of the court of Henry VIII and she couldn’t help but draw comparisons with the modern day machinations of Wallasey Town Hall……….

As we know our new king-in-waiting Eric “Feeble” Robinson, currently deputy CEO and “Director of People” at Staffordshire County Council, is on his way in ,whilst it would appear that someone who was the power behind the throne may be on their way out ……

Curiously we understand that Eric Feeble tried and failed to get the top job at Staffordshire – and so it would seem that Staffordshire’s loss is Wirral’s , er, loss – especially as sources describe him as ” dull”.

What’s more he’ll soon have to ditch his dictator-like “Director of People” tag and realise that there’s only one “Director of People” round here isn’t there Frankenfield?

Under the circumstances his appointment comes as a great disappointment to us at Leaky Towers as our last monarch Comrade Burgesski proved to be an endless source of material for satire – especially towards the end of his tenure – talk about there’s no fool like an old fool!

Which brings us seamlessly on to our next subject who apparently has suddenly taken to that old standby of “feigned victimhood” and probably on legal advice has realised that if you’re possibly going to bang in a constructive dismissal claim then turning up for work and smoking fags out the back of the Town Hall every day won’t help their case.

Of course one of Eric Feeble’s first (of many) headaches will be to sort this particular pressing problem. Certainly it would seem the Labour group urgently want this latest development “sorting” – ie, yet another big bung before the election. However the tried and tested formula of trying to make the person concerned redundant and pretending to delete the post would mean this decision would have to be discussed at full council, something that would prove highly problematic for certain councillors…….especially if the usually docile elected members wake up and cynically smell a political opportunity.

What’s more this Boleynesque “tragic heroine” figure does indeed know where all the bodies are buried (and even further has regularly been at the graveside casually dragging on a fag as someone else’s career was turned to ashes in the name of reputation management ).

This is indeed turning out to be a salutary tale of how the the court of Wallasey Town Hall operates – the once highly favoured courtier eager to serve those ruthlessly abusing their power who misjudges their influence and authority and swiftly becomes a liability and a target of the self-same tactics they themselves once espoused.

Under the circumstances we predict this case will be expedited quicker than Stevie Wonder singing “Signed,Sealed,Delivered” on amphetamines….especially when an old alliance has been “reignited” (pun intended) with an equally addled nicotine fan. This is particularly curious development as there were all kinds of lurid accusations flying about Wallasey Town Hall before our main protagonist became suddenly indisposed.

Not indisposed enough to prevent applying for jobs elsewhere however …and where was they making that last failed attempt to jump ship? Why could it be Staffordshire County Council?, currently home to one Eric ” Feeble” Robinson…………… we can almost hear the cries of “The Queen is dead – long live the King….” ringing round the corridors of our very own local version of Wolf Hall .

Wolf Hall – Daily Mash Style

 

What A Load Of Testimonials!

We have been following yesterday’s reports in the local press who were in attendance at Wirral Magistrates court where the Jack Nolan “Teenage Rampage” case reached it’s inevitable conclusion as ” Our Jack” gets a slap on the wrist. SEE HERE AND HERE

As Nolan pleaded guilty to charges of affray and assaulting a woman by beating Judge Michael Abelson gushed:

“This is a wholly exceptional case.I can’t remember the last time I read so many testimonials from such an extraordinary range of people, from parish priests to head teachers….”

He also quite unbelievable went on to say – “”I can see what’s happened here. This young man who doesn’t really drink alcohol has had drink given to him by the gallon and feeling nice and relaxed and having a nice evening, has just drunk himself senseless”   Oh so that’s OK then…  although you missed the bit out about assaulting a woman and attempting to stab people… bless him. The poor lad is obviously the victim here.

Might we suggest that Judge Abelson gets out more or at least appraises himself of how things work on the sinful peninsula . This is NOT an exceptional case at all – and ordinarily we wouldn’t comment on the antics of a drunken, violent woman beating prick…..but in this case we will make an exception.

And the reason we comment is that this sordid little story is symbolic of EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG.

It’s the usual topsy-turvy world of Wirral which we report on week in week out on Wirral Leaks where “the great and good” run to the defence of the guilty and the tired old meaningless cliche of “lessons have been learned” is trawled out ,until the next time and the time after that……. The only lesson that “No-Mark” Nolan will have learned is that when you’re in trouble it’s not who you beat up it’s who bigs you up.

If Nolan’s mother wasn’t the Mayor’s consort – would the outcome have been different?

Who knows? – but it certainly didn’t work against him as he was able to drag on a cast of hasbeens ( Ex-Cllr Bri “Nylon” Kenny ), nonentities ( Power Boy Pip) and God -botherers ( Father Phil – who’s stock in trade is forgiveness – and Lord knows he’s had enough practice with Foulkesy).

Meanwhile we see this sinister hypocrisy on a bigger and more sickening scale with the defence of Foulkesy himself and his sidekick Georgie Boy Davies by Frank Field and Power Boy Pip as they try desperately to cover up the Wirralgate scandal. Those tapes must be worth “A King’s Ransom” (or more accurately “A Mayor’s Ransom”) by now.

So next time you see Power Boy Pip trailing behind Frankenfield like a scabby dog, shaking his head in despair at anti-social behaviour in the badlands of Birkenhead just remember his fawning testimonial from today and ask yourself would he be quite so quick to run to the defence of kids who aren’t quite so well connected ?.

On a final note we’d like to contrast Judge Abelson’s concern about how a less lenient sentence might have affected poor “No-mark” Nolan’s future career prospects with the complete lack of concern show by Wirral’s councillors to those people who’s careers have been destroyed as a result of exposing Council corruption.

WIRRALGATE! – THE MOVIE

Wirral Leaks is proud to announce the forthcoming blockbuster : “Wirralgate! – The Movie”.

This film has everything a film noir thriller should have and more – a cinematic masterpiece with more twists and turns than a rattlesnake on a rollercoaster .

Featuring…….

THE MASTER MANIPULATOR
Behind the suave presence ,the benign demeanour and the prissy pursed lips lies a ruthless mastermind hell bent on sustaining the status quo- AT ANY COST!

THE AGENT OF DEATH

Quasimodo with a comb-over. The dealmaking go-between with a fine line in casual racism. Money doesn’t talk – it whispers: ” Give us the letter and we’ll sort you out” – AT ANY COST!!

THE HARDFACED SCHEMER

Feckless and wreckless  and of late has been seen gadding about the Wirral dressed like an incongruous  Matalan outcast from Wolf Hall- but look beneath the surface, and beyond his penchant for outlandish fancy dress and you’ll find this pie eating luddite has low friends in high places,  and they’ve rescued him time and time again – AT ANY COST!!!

THE FRONT

All the substance of the invisible man.The fall guy who sees no evil,speaks no evil,hears no evil . Given the choice between right and wrong he chooses to support a cover up – AT ANY COST!!!!

THE FEMME FATALE

Don’t be fooled by the fluttering eyelashes – the eyewitness to that document knows all their dirty secrets….and they’ll pay for silence – AT ANY COST !!!!!

THE STOOGES

Can they play the players at their own game?….”SOITENLY!” They’ve got what the others want and they’ll pay for it – AT ANY COST!!!!!! ………

Wirral Leaks Welcomes Stressed Eric

So Wirral Council appoints a new Chief Executive.

And it’s not as we predicted a person of the female persuasion – no,no,no – that would be a step too far. So it’s back to the usual “M” template – male,middle aged,middle class,malleable. The only departure is that this one is apparently a Reds fan – whether this means LFC or the local Labour elite we don’t yet know.

As devoted readers of Wirral Leaks will know we don’t like to judge but the picture in Echo doesn’t instill confidence.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/former-social-worker-appointed-wirral-8595400

We’re minded to recall the character Eric Feeble from the Stressed Eric cartoon – and let’s face it if he’s not “Stressed Eric” now he will be as soon as he discovers the shameful legacy he has inherited………