Join us for the second part of our journey down the red carpet to hell.
JULY
“Five years ago, we were a local authority in crisis: focused on cuts and on the verge of government intervention. Since then, we’ve been recognised as the Local Government Chronicle’s ‘Most Improved Council’, experiencing the fastest turnaround of any council in the UK. So what’s changed? In a nutshell, we refuse to give up; we never stop moving. Our pragmatic, innovative and bold plan, ‘2020 Vision’ will ensure that we’re getting the basics right; that we’re achieving more; that we’re changing the way we do things. In this role, you’ll take us to the next level and create a legacy for yourself in the process.” – Wirral Council advert to recruit a new Director of Finance will make you laugh , vomit or both.
Full story : A LACK OF DISCRETION
“They don’t seem to realise I’m at the top of the pecking order ” and referring to the investigator : “She doesn’t scare me and a little councillor involved might just shut her up.” – Cllr Louise Reecejones (LRJ) texts used as evidence against her during Standards Panel Code of Conduct investigation. LRJ describing herself as top of the pecking order brings visions of an Animal Farm hen coop in desperate need of a cock. The cock in question being Foghorn Leghorn!
Full story : AN LRJ REACTION
AUGUST
” ‘Sustainable’ = slashed budgets and services.· ‘Transformed’ = cut, demoralised and damaged beyond recognition. ‘Partnership’ = developed in secret, operating in secret, condemned by local councils, a total lack of public/patient consultation, and the only happy partners are Richard Branson and a series of US ‘healthcos’. ” Defend Our NHS provide a definition of STP (Sustainability & Transformation Plans)
Full story : BANK HOLIDAY BULLETIN BOARD
SEPTEMBER
“An economic value below the legal minimum wage……..(would help employers) to take on low-productivity disabled workers.” – Frank Field ,Birkenhead MP demonstrates his deep understanding of disability and equality rights .
“For anyone in this day and age to hold those views, and especially someone in Frank Field’s position, is abominable. It is exactly the same sort of thinking as the Nazi ‘useless eaters’ rhetoric.” Linda Burnip from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) responds to Field’s comments
“The right to equal treatment and equality are human rights. Human rights are not privileges. That’s why they are called rights. I suggest Mr Field goes back to the drawing board. His comments are a disgrace and he should now apologise. Furthermore, if the Labour Party wishes to prove that it has truly changed its tune, it will need to demonstrate that the New Labour old guard are no longer calling the shots and put the voices of disabled people first.The last time we looked, Mr Field was not a spokesperson for disabled people.” – John McArdle from campaign group Black Triangle also responds to Field’s comments. By the way people from Birkenhead , just a reminder, you are allowed to disagree with your MP.
Full story : THE SKWARKING CANARY COMES HOME TO ROOST
“It had adversely affected the staff morale and the reputation of the authority and rebuilding trust and transparency is still ongoing” – Simon Cuerden – Corporate Business Support Manager, Wirral Council comments on the conviction of Wallasey Town Hall petty cash thief who would have evaded justice if an attempted cover up by officials hadn’t been uncovered by Wirral Leaks
Full story : EXCLUSIVE : THICK AS THIEVES UPDATE
OCTOBER
” Wirral is officially the happiest place to live in the North West” – Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies , ‘Leader’ of Wirral Council in peak Pollyanna mode latches onto a bogus Rightmove survey as if it somehow negates an Ofsted report deeming Children’s Services ‘inadequate’ and a Care Quality Commission assessment that over half of care homes on Wirral are inadequate or require improvement. Yeah, Pip, whatevs.
Full story : HAPPY TALK
Hotel Prestige ,Sorrento try to apologise to holidaymakers for alleged conduct unbecoming a former Wirral Council Mayor and his consort.
Full story : SORRENTO SHAME 2 : NO LAUGHING MATTER
Comrades, “Now is the time” to stop acting like a “Party within a party” – and even like a “Momentum within Momentum”.
It is time to grasp that the mainstream (often called the “Left”) has won back the heart and soul of the Labour Party. I do not know of a single member of the Seacombe Branch who has not fully supported my own declarations for Corbyn on the two websites or who does not support him now. So why introduce friction where there need be none? Let’s try now to be a single Labour Party in Seacombe Ward.
Some comrades will remember that we also, for a while, held “Songs of the Labour Movement” musical evenings in the Park View Social Club – an opportunity for comrades to perform – or just listen and rub shoulders informally. But, since then, we have had the difficulty of the Party being suspended so long that many of us don’t even know each other. – Cllr Adrian Jones keeps the red flag flying and addresses Wallasey CLP members seemingly in denial about the circumstances that led to the local branch being suspended by the Labour Party.
Full story : SONGS OF THE LABOUR MOVEMENT – TWO TRIBES
NOVEMBER
“To ensure the promotion of “professional curiosity” when vulnerable children seek advice” – The final recommendation made following the (unpublished) Serious Care Review report following the Rajenthiram Brothers Child Sexual Exploitation case. It comes to something when you have to ask those who get paid to protect vulnerable children to actually try and do their jobs properly!
Full story : A REPULSIVE EXCLUSIVE
“Wirral Council has to ensure every pound spent is wisely invested and we get the best value for our residents.This decision is the right decision at the right moment – the contract with BAM Nuttall was coming to an end and we believe we can deliver this service more effectively by taking direct control.” – Council ‘leader’ Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies announces the surprise return of highways services to council control which is in the opposite direction of all other council services. There are suggestions this decision was influenced not by best value but by personal and political interests.
Full story : WHAM! BAM! THANK YOU SCAM
” Just goes to show what’s going on out there . We live in a sheltered world . We’re all too good for our own good“ – Cllr Ron Abbey comments on the conduct of councillors in other councils clearly demonstrating he’s in denial and utterly deluded.
Full story : APOLOGIES AND APOLOGISTS
” I’ve always bought my houses, I’ve never inherited them……” Frank Field , MP bitch slaps fellow Labour MP Hilary Benn and manages to unite all members of the House of Commons in condemnation of his comment.
Full story : BIRKENHEAD MP’S BREXIT BITCHFEST BACKFIRES
“The darkness around us is very deep” – Cllr Tony ‘Tight-fit’ Norbury reads a poem urging elected members to ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ whilst every single Wirral councillor appears to be oblivious to the darkness around them.
Full story : SHOW INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS THE RED CARD
“Basically, it is the same thing over and over and over: incompetence, very poor communication (with me, but also with other agencies and between themselves), rudeness, poor or non-existent note-taking, people leaving at short notice and with no proper explanation, etc etc. It just goes on and on.
When the Klonowski enquiry produced its damning report, I briefly hoped that the people found to be grossly incompetent (and, in some cases, corrupt) would be removed. Disheartening, to say the least, to see people like Steve Foulkes still in place. Where is the accountability? There simply is none.
It beggars belief that Wirral Council has not been placed in special measures. I daresay the reasons behind that are political. The Tories asking for it are being hypocritical because part of the problem is chronic underfunding from central govt but I do think that being placed in special measures would be the best thing. The only thing, actually, that would give people like me and my son the chance at least of a semi-decent service. I know special measures are not a panacea but they would be our best chance.” – A Carer contacts us to describe her experience of trying to get a much needed service for her disabled son.
Full story : THE NEVER-ENDING STORY
Private Eye report of Wirral Leaks exclusive featuring some choice quotes.
Full story : INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
“As the Labour member on the (Standards) Panel it was very difficult for me to hear that a Labour councillor had used her position as a councillor to damage the reputation and the livelihoods of other people. It goes without saying that people who come into this council were elected to serve the residents of the borough and not to use our position to do damage to them………” Cllr Moira ‘Matron’ McLaughlin proves to be another councillor in denial and conveniently forgets her role and that of other Labour councillors in damaging reputations and livelihoods of various former council officers who dared challenge them.
Full story : IT HAS TO STOP
DECEMBER
“Phil’s Folly “– Cllr Gerry Ellis proving there’s life in the old dog yet at a standing room only public meeting where he described Wirral Council ‘leader’ Cllr Phil Davies and his plans for development of the Hoylake Golf Resort.
Full story : ADVENT FAREWELL 10 – QUESTION EVERYTHING
“LABOUR COUNCIL LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC!” – Wirral Needs campaigners repeated chant in the public gallery during last full Council meeting of 2017.
Full story : ADVENT FAREWELL 14 – WHY WIRRAL LEAKS SPEAKS IN PARABLES
Wirralleaks 
Wonderful !
Love it that neither the departing Tory leader nor the one replacing him got a mention in either Part One or Two, or anything recently (?). They perform their public roles, come and go and have ‘seismic’ changes without anybody really noticing. Why? Because how do declared TORIES sit in effective opposition against undeclared TORIES, and nobody can tell the damn difference?!
I know they both read Wirral Leaks, so they will both feel personally hurt and aggrieved.
G’day Paul
Who are they?
Who are they?
Who are they?
Ooroo
James
Latest Wirral Conservative tweet includes group photo of local cons supporting their latest candidate M..Collins in the Pensby ward.
All boxes ticked..when myself and colleagues approached Conservative leader Cllr Green about the control room shenaganings at first there was interest in what would be a damning indictment of the Labour led council, but after many more fruitless meetings at the town hall the case went cold perhaps when certain names were mentioned and they happened to be pro active members of the Conservative family.
Evidence held by Wbc but certainly never disclosed shows the collusion between ex council officers and ex super directors to privitize a certain service as recognized by the branding of Wirral Community patrol as a Ltd company by ex Councillor officer Adderleys favourite private security company Atlas Security Patrol..main Contracts manager M.c.ex union rep now Conservative appointed candidate for the Pensby ward.
Amazing that this collusion has lasted this long and now action has to be taken to stop an avalanche of doom for council workers.
The Conservatives have long been in an unofficial local ‘coalition of chaos’.
It’s all about pretend politicians ,fake ‘outrage’, the power and the glory and nepotism.
Didn’t Leah Fraser briefly champion this cause before disappearing back into obscurity?
So was Mike Collins a *Unison* rep and feathering his own nest before jumping ship to private management? Because to me and many others who have been betrayed by Unison here on Wirral, that would add up.
He’s also joined WhatDoTheyKnow last November, placing FOI requests with the council and added to the workload of the hard-pressed, Tory-beseiged local police for his own electoral purposes.
Latest…
Yes he was a former union rep swapping between t£g and Unison before using his position to climb the council ladder transforming from poacher to gamekeeper.
Allegations of bullying female colleagues and countless final warnings before his rise to J.Kennys understudy and their quest to dismantle the service that employed them for their own future financial gain which may still be the case as still nobody in the Town Hall nearly 4 years later has publicy questioned why a local security company who are members of the Wirral Chamber would see fit to register a council Community safety operation as a Ltd company – WIRRAL COMMUNITY PATROL LTD still listed at companies house.
Perhaps new Conservative leader Councillor Ian Lewis could raise this point or ask the proposed candidate for Pensby M.Collins seeing as 7/8 months after the service was registered he became the contracts manager for the security company alongside old adversary J.Kenny.
My Lord,
I am highly persuaded by the nomination/comments by the Wirral Carer….
‘It beggars belief that Wirral Council has not been placed in Special Measures’
I know the Aussie has called for us to go down this route in the past. Well I would like to call for us to go down this route in the future….
And rest assured I do have an Aussie on my sat nav……. which sounds very rude, so I will stop…. haha
It sort of has – twice – with Improvement Boards for children’s and adult social services. Improvement Boards are special measures by any other name and are the compromise of the political classes. We don’t think bringing in Commissioners are the answer either. Just more overpaid chinless wonders with political ambitions bolstering their CVs and with an eye on the next lucrative gig.
We think the answer is take politics out of local government altogether. Never mind reducing councillors from 66 t0 44.Get rid of the lot of them and get some professional, honest,robust , external scrutiny in – (and no we don’t mean Grant Thornton).Anyone with previous experience of working within a local authority would be disbarred – as they tend have this warped mindset that what goes on within the walls of Town Halls is somehow ‘normal’.