NADIA BITES BACK

Taken from ECHO LETTERS PAGES

Cllr Stewart speaks

MAY I put straight a few misleading statements that have been made since my joining the Liberal Democrats to support Cllr Warren Bradley as leader of the council.

Firstly, I have not been offered a thing in return, nor have I asked for anything. Some have wrongly blamed me for closing care homes and costing workers their jobs. I have done neither; I voted with the Labour group on the issue of the care homes and, along with my fellow ward councillor Phil Moffatt, have asked the Lib Dem group to have another look at retaining the current level of care homes run by the council and the jobs that go with them.

As to why I gave my support to the Liberal Democrat group; firstly the Lib Dems are the largest single group on the council and also took more votes in the elections than any other party. I firmly believe that the largest single party on the council should lead the council, not a number of minority parties.

It would have been easy for me to stay as the only independent councillor on the council and pull the strings of power, but what kind of message would that send out about Liverpool to the outside world, especially at a time when we hold Capital of Culture status and the city is rapidly becoming one of Europe's leading tourist destinations?

My decision, which I believe was the right one, was not made out of bitterness towards my political opponents but because I care about the city of Liverpool and it’s future.

Cllr Nadia Stewart, Liberal Democrat councillor for Croxteth.

AND IN REPLY

May 15 2008 Liverpool Echo

She jumped before....

J O’DONNELL voted for Nadia Stewart he claims, when she was a Labour candidate over two years ago, (ECHO, May 9). He says he supports her decision to prop up a failed administration despite the fact that significantly more people voted Labour, 40% compared to 33% Liberal Democrat.

He also says I have proved I am not the man to lead Liverpool because I said “the Lib-Dems were welcome to her”. Let me be even clearer for you Mr O’Donnell, as Labour Party leader I took the decision to expel Nadia Stewart from the Labour Party because her attendance at meetings was appalling over a two year period and in my view she failed the people of Croxteth who she should have been representing.

The people of Croxteth deserve better and that is why she was being expelled from Labour but jumped before she was pushed.

The fact that her decision alone has closed Leighton Dene and Boaler Street respite/care facilities because Labour would have overturned these savage cuts is a disgrace. But don’t worry, the people of Croxteth will have their say soon when she once again stands for election I look forward to that day.

Cllr Joe Anderson, Liverpool Labour party leader

FIRST OFFICIAL PICTURES OF LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE FOR OLD SWAN

TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING OF THE NEW LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE FOR OLD SWAN.

NEW CANDIDATE LIVES AT THE BACK OF THE HIGHFIELD SOCIAL CLUB MOST OF THE TIME, HOWEVER HE HAS RECENTLY FOUND A WAY INTO THE BACK OF THE CHARITY SHOP, WHICH IS A HOP SKIP AND A JUMP OVER THE BACK WALL TO THE CHIPPY. HIS MAIN AGENDA FOR CHANGE IN THE CITY IS MORE PUBS, CLUBS, DOSS HOUSES, SOUP KITCHENS AND PUBLIC TOILETS.

HE INTENDS TO LOWER COUNCIL TAXES SO MUCH THAT THE CITY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO KEEP OPEN LIBRARIES AND ELDERLY HOMES ETC, THIS IN TURN WILL CREATE AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR DOSSERS AND THIEVES, WHICH WILL BE THE CITIES, "COMMON PURPOSE"

BERNIE TURNIP SAID"I WISH HIM WELL HE LOOKS LIKE HE WILL FIT IN AROUND HERE, HE IS ALREADY STREETS AHEAD OF ME AND RECYCLING, HE EVEN GETS TO DOSS OUT THE BACK OF THE AFRICAN CHARITY SHOP, I'M STILL DOWN BY GOSHEN STREET!, TRYING TO SNEAK INTO THE BACK END OF TESCO'S."

KEVIN FIRTH THE DE-SELECTED CANDIDATE, WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.

LIVERPOOL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ARE THE WORST COUNCIL IN ENGLAND! OFFICIAL!!!

THE GUARDIAN UNLIMITED HAVE MADE COMMENT ON THE LATEST EMBARACEMENT FOR LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL TAX PAYERS.

WARREN BRADLEY AND HIS TEAM OF LIBERAL DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN OUR MONEY AND SPENT IT ON THEIR FRIENDS AND PAID OFF THOSE WHO MESS UP.

WARREN BRADLEY HAS LEAD OUR CITY INTO FINANCIAL CRISIS.

Liverpool council bottom of league

· Financial management is worst in England

· Minister's statement infuriated local authorities

David Hencke, Westminster correspondent
Tuesday January 29, 2008
The Guardian


Liverpool - the council which John Healey, the local government minister, said could save its council tax payers more than £100 a year each - was named as the worst financially managed local authority in England by an independent watchdog yesterday.
The Liberal Democrat-controlled authority comes out alongside Southend and the Isles of Scilly as the worst in the country in an analysis by the Audit Commission.

The findings come days after Healey listed savings which could be made by the 10 highest spending authorities in England to meet government targets to save £4.9bn, and how much cash could be saved by an average band D council tax payer. Liverpool was the highest in the country, at £101.


The statement provoked fury from the councils - seven wrote to the Guardian yesterday accusing the minister of playing party politics and saying the authorities had made huge savings already, far in advance of ministerial demands.
In his letter Paul Clein, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Liverpool's children's executive, said the minister's claim was "blatantly partisan and contradicted by the evidence".

Last night he admitted that the Audit Commission's findings showed that "it is not as good as we made out ... we have made good progress in education and children's services but I have to admit our housing has been poor, which is why we are handing it over to a mutual society."

He blamed part of the problem on the cost of Liverpool "being the European City of Culture this year, which we are funding 60% and has led to people taking their eye off the ball".

Healey was diplomatic, pointing out that the report also showed that other councils had improved their performance: "I am pleased to see that the majority of councils continue to improve the management of their finances, as all council tax payers would expect them to do, but there is no room for complacency and I agree with the Audit Commission that there is still much scope for improvement."

The Local Government Association, which had also attacked the minister for highlighting possible council tax cuts, was silent on Liverpool's plight yesterday, preferring to concentrate on the report's more positive findings.

Sir Simon Milton, its chairman, said: "This report is a ringing endorsement of the efforts councils have made to provide an ever better deal for the taxpayer. The commission has confirmed that more than nine out of 10 authorities are meeting or exceeding requirements."

Best and worst

Worst financially managed

Liverpool

Southend-on-Sea

Isles of Scilly

Worst value for money

Berwick-on-Tweed

Bromsgrove

Hart

Best financially managed

Cambridge

Chichester

Runnymede

Best value for money

Bedford

Chiltern

Chorley

Source: Audit Commission

LIVERPOOL DIRECT LIMITED IT SYSTEM NOT A GREAT AS DAVID MCELHINNEY MAKES OUT.

LIVERPOOL DIRECT LIMITED IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL AND BRITISH TELECOM.
LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL UNDER THE ASSISTANT CHIEF EXECUTIVE DAVID MCELHINNEY,(NOW A LDL EMPLOYEE), GAVE AWAY 80% OF ITS SERVICES TO LDL.
BRITISH TELECOM IN RETURN FOR THIS HUGE FREEBEE, INVESTED MILLIONS OF POUNDS IN THE UPDATING AND MAINTENANCE OF LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

THIS SERVICE IS NOT HOWEVER A FREE SERVICE IN RETURN FOR 80% OF THE CITIES MONEY GENERATING SERVICES, OH NO, IT COST LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL, £THOUSANDS PER COMPUTER.

A CONTINUOUS COST TO THE CITY IS THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT THAT WAS AGREED BY DAVID MCELHINNEY.

EACH AND EVERY COMPUTER WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A REPAIR COST PER YEAR ATTACHED TO IT THAT IS PAID TO LDL REGARDLESS OF THE NEED FOR ANY REPAIRS.

IF THE COMPUTER A MEMBER OF STAFF IS USING DOES NOT NEED ANY KIND OF REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE IN ANY GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, LDL WILL STILL CHARGE FOR THE SERVICE.

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL STILL PAY THE LDL STAFF THEIR WAGES AS THEY ARE SECONDED TO THE SERVICE AND THERFORE STILL LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL STAFF, YET THEY CHARGE THE COUNCIL FOR THE SERVICES THESE STAFF MEMBERS PROVIDE.

DAVID MCELHINNEY IS CONTINUOUSLY TELLING THE WORLD WHAT A WONDERFUL SERVICE HE PROVIDES, HE CHARGES THE EARTH FOR THESE SERVICES.

NOW THE WHOLE OF THE CITY'S COMPUTER NETWORK HAS BEEN INFECTED WITH A VIRUS THAT WAS NOT FORSEEN BY THE SUPER WONDERFUL IT, SERVICE THAT BT PROVIDE.

CHILDREN AT RISK HAVE THEIR DETAILS INFECTED, THIS COULD IN TURN RESULT IN ESSENTIAL SERVICES NOT BEING DELIVERED TO VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN LIVERPOOL!
THIS ALSO AFFECTS ALL SERVICES WITHIN LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL.

BELOW IS REPORT FROM LIVERPOOL DAILY POST ON THE VIRUS.

City council’s IT system hit by new virus

Jan 24 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

COMPUTER engineers at Liverpool City Council have spent the last six days battling a virus that infected the authority’s IT system.

Last night a council spokesman apologised to council tax payers if they had not received a prompt response to an inquiry.

It is understood more than 90% of the computer system is now up and running properly again.

The virus first emerged on Thursday, January 17.

A city council spokesman said: “Parts of the council’s IT system were infected by a brand new virus which was so new a fix hadn’t been identified by our anti-virus software manufacturer.

“A team of engineers worked around the clock last week and over the weekend to tackle the problem and prioritise services.

“As a result, our IT network is now almost back to normal.

“We thank customers for their patience and apologise if they have not received a prompt response.”

THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU VOTE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS INTO POWER IN LIVERPOOL

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL IS IN £62 MILLION DEBT!

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MISMANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC MONEY.

ROGUES GALLERY

TREVOR JONES LIB DEM

VERA BEST LIB DEM

RON GOULD LIB DEM

STEVE HURST LIB DEM

STUART MONKCOM LIB DEM

TINA GOULD LIB DEM

TOM MARSHAL LIB DEM

PHIL MOFFATT LIB DEM

RICHARD KEMP LIB DEM

RICHARD OGLETHORPE LIB DEM

ROBBIE QUINN LIB DEM

ROGER JOHNSTON LIB DEM

PAUL CLARKE LIB DEM

PAUL CLEIN LIB DEM

PAUL TWIGGER LIB DEM

PETER MILLEA LIB DEM

PETER ALLEN LIB DEM

MALCOLM KELLY LIB DEM

MARYLIN FIELDING LIB DEM

MIKE STOREY LIB DEM

NORMAN MILLS LIB DEM

PAMELA CLEIN LIB DEM

KAREN AFFORD LIB DEM

KEITH TURNER LIB DEM

KEVIN FIRTH LIB DEM

LAURENCE SIDORCZUK LIB DEM

LINDA BUCKLE LIB DEM

JAN CLEIN LIB DEM

JEAN SEDDON LIB DEM

JIMMY KENDRICK LIB DEM

JOHN CLUCAS LIB DEM

JOSIE MULLEN LIB DEM

ELAINE ALLEN LIB DEM

ERICA KEMP LIB DEM

FRANK DORAN LIB DEM

DAVID HENSHAW FORMER CITY COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

IAN JOBLING LIB DEM

FLO CLUCAS LIB DEM

COLIN ELDRIDGE LIB DEM

DAVE ANTROPUS LIB DEM

DAVE IRVING LIB DEM

EDDIE CLEIN LIB DEM

BARBARA MACE LIB DEM

Beatrice Fraenkel LIB DEM

BERNIE TURNER LIB DEM

BOB OUSBY LIB DEM

WARREN BRADLEY LIB DEM

ANDREW MAKINSON LIB DEM

ANDREW TREMARCO LIB DEM

ANN HINES LIB DEM

BARBARA COLLINGE LIB DEM

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS OF LIVERPOOL HAVE PUT THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY INTO SO MUCH DEBT ,DUE TO THEIR TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT OF COUNCIL TAX SPENDING, PAYING TOP OFFICIALS SUCH AS SIR DAVID HENSHAW AND JASON HARROWBOW OFF TO KEEP THEM QUIET, ALLOWING CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO GO UNCHECKED AND UNPUNISHED.THEY HAVE PUT LIVERPOOL CITY INTO SUCH A FINACIAL SHORTFALL
(£62 MILLION), THAT OUR BUILDINGS ARE BEING SOLD OFF AND WE HAVE TO PAY EVEN MORE COUNCIL TAX THIS YEAR, WITH NO FACILITIES OR ESSENTIAL SERVICES PROVIDED.
IT WILL ALL GO TOWARDS PAYING OFF OUR DEBT THAT THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ARE RESPONCIBLE FOR CREATING.

When Liberal Democrats came into power, they made the fantastic promise that they would not raise the council tax whilst they were in power, they kept this promise until last year, as they realised too late the promises and pledges they were elected upon, were not feasibally possible.

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL TAX PAYERS HAVE BEEN DUPED AND NOW FACE THE HUGE DEBT OF £62 MILLION, TO PAY FOR THE CORRUPT ACTIONS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.

OF COURSE THE PEOPLE OF LIVERPOOL, THE ACTUAL COUNCIL TAX PAYERS, WILL NOT RECIEVE BETTER SERVICES FOR THIS INCREASE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO ENDURE THE LACK OF LOCAL FACILITIES AND PISS POOR HOUSING. THE PEOPLE OF LIVERPOOL ARE THE ONES THAT WILL SUFFER AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CAUSED THIS MESS WILL BLAME EVERONE ELSE BUT THEMSELVES AND GET AWAY WITH RAPING LIVERPOOL OF ITS MONEY AND DIGNITY.

THE MONEY RAISED WILL BE TO PAY OFF LIVERPOOL'S DEBTS CREATED BY LIBERAL DEMOCRATS SUCH AS MIKE STOREY AND WARREN BRADLEY.

See below for Daily Post report

Liverpool City council faces a £62m hole in its budget this year with a likely council tax increase of around 3.75%, with £20m of that needed to pay for Capital of Culture.

2008 debts may force sale of Culture office

Jan 19 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

Millennium House

THE HOME of Liverpool’s Culture Company could be placed into a charitable trust and sold to help plug the £20m shortfall in ’08 finances, the Daily Post can reveal.

The unusual option of setting up a charitable trust is being explored by the city council as an option to plug the funding gap for the city’s Capital of Culture celebrations.

Last night, council officials stressed the preferred option was for the Government to give permission for buildings or land to be sold directly through a process known as capitalisation to pay for the year.

It comes as new figures show the council faces a £62m hole in its budget this year with a likely council tax increase of around 3.75%, with £20m of that the need to pay for Capital of Culture.

Yesterday, councillors at the authority’s ruling Executive Board hit out at the Government’s continuing delay in letting the council know whether the city would be allowed to break a treasury “golden rule”.

The setting up of a charitable trust would see advantageous tax relief applied to buildings, services, or the proceeds of sales put in trust.

Liverpool Culture Company is based at Millennium House in Victoria Street and it is one of the buildings that could be put into a trust.

And the Daily Post understands it is not just selling and leasing back council buildings through a trust that is being considered.

Placing services like libraries or leisure centres in trust is also being looked at.

The Charity Commission would have to approve any move to set up such a scheme.

It is understood the option is seen as a last resort, as once set up trusts are very difficult to wind up and the council would lose political and financial control over the new body.

Last night, the city’s finance leader, Cllr Keith Turner, said: “There is a whole range of potential options that have been put forward by officers as we go through the budget-setting process for next year.

“At the moment, we are completely focused on working with our local MPs to persuade the Government that they should give us permission to use capital receipts as that is the most simple and straightforward solution, because this is a one-off expense.

“Obviously, we are also looking at a number of other options and one of the many things suggested is for us to possibly consider placing a council function in a charitable trust.

“One thing is clear – our Capital of Culture year will be fully funded.”

Opposition Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “It has been made clear to me this is an option (putting Millennium House in trust).”

He said the irony of putting the home of the Liverpool Culture Company in a trust and re-mortgaging “was not lost” on him.

The council and the city’s MPs are discussing the option of selling off buildings or land to pay for the year.

This is usually only allowed to help pay for other capital building projects, but the council argues that as Capital of Culture is a one-off, it should be treated the same.

At executive board, education leader Paul Clein led the protests against the Government for not having made up its mind yet over the issue of capitalisation.

He said: “We are not asking for a handout, we are asking for a relaxation of the rules. To leave us dangling like this beggars belief.”

A council spokesman said: “The council is in the process of setting its budget at the moment but no final decisions have yet been taken.”

davidbartlett