STANDARDS BOARD REPORT ON FIREMAN BRADLEY NOW 'IMMINENT'; DUE 'VERY SOON'; 'ANY DAY NOW'; 'JUST YOU WAIT', ETC, ETC, ETC

UNELECTED, UNACCOUNTABLE, UNPALATABLE - The new Leader of Liverpool greets the Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown and Phil Redmond
Originally uploaded by Downing Street

OUR Lord Redmond, denied a knighthood in the New Year's Honours, was hanging on the Prime Minister's coat-tails during his visit to Liverpool.

The self-appointed Tribune of the People was never far from Gordon's side whether at Lime Street, the Echo Arena, new Museum of Liverpool, or even on the River when the PM went for a sail.

Whenever Gordon swept into view, there was the lagubrious Redmond at his side, making him chuckle with tales of Scouse weddings, Scouse anniversaries, and how much public money he had frittered away on '08.

Redmond's ego had successfully managed to shove Fireman Bradley out of the way early doors. The Lib Dem leader was later overheard bitterly complaining about being out manouevred from the Oldham Echo's photos.

Nor was there any room for the city's first citizen, Labour councillor Steve Rotherham, who would normally have accompanied the PM on such civic engagements.

Nor was there any room for Labour's elected leader in Liverpool, Joe Anderson.

Nor was there any room for any of Liverpool's Labour MPs.

Instead the Prime Minister's escort was the mastermind behind....Brookside.

What a boost for Liverpool in 2009.

Redmond had turned up to greet Gordon the day after attending a special '08 'Official Thank You' to the staff at the Fun Palace, who have kept the show on the road while the Harbarrowboy, Redmond, CoverUp and Bradley, etc, combined to cock everything up.

Redmond was so busy taking credit for everything and slapping himself on the back at this 'do', as the totally smitten Culture Secretary Andy Burnham looked on admiringly, that he actually forgot, er...to thank the staff.

Our Lord had to be reminded by an underling to do the honours at the end of his lengthy speech about all his great triumphs during the past year.

Let us not forget that Redmond was first given a bunk up onto the '08 gravy train by his mate, the evil Sir Diddy Henshaw, who appointed him to the Culture Board.

Redmond then sat on his hands for two years as Robbing Archer got to work (sic), the Harbarrowboy topped up his tan and Mathew Street was cancelled.

In the resulting fall-out, our Lord seized his chance while the Fireman's attention was diverted.

Desperate to get Culture, Redmond and Bryan Gray from the North West Development Agency, did a deal to take over the reins of 2008, in return for a Government bail-out.

Wisely, the Government later refused the bail-out.

By the time the penny had dropped with the Fireman, Redmond had his feet under the desk and his picture in the papers.

Easy as pie.

So. This is the monster which the Lib Dems have now created - a multi-millionaire dealer in Scouse stereotypes; an unelected, unaccountable, resident of Tarporley (not Frodsham), who insists on being called 'Professor'; who can spend public money willy nilly while affecting a thick Scouse accent; who now, astonishingly has been doled out more public money to launch his Cultural Collective - a rag, tag and bobtail collection of his mates and sycophants to succeed the unmourned Culture Company.

STANDARDS BOARD LATEST: 'I'm a fighter - not a fireman!"

LIB Dim leader Warren Bradley takes the stand today as a 'character witness' for fellow fireman Steve Hurst, who is accused of breaking election law.
This is likely to provide a courtroom dress rehearsal for Bradley, who is set to be hauled in front of a separate court to face charges from the Standards Board that he repeatedly and flagrantly broke the Code of Conduct for councillors.
Both Bradley and Wavertree Lib Dim Parliamentary candidate Colin Edridge have decided to give public support to Hurst in court (see previous posts for the utterly outrageous and totally untrue explanation for their presence.)
Meanwhile the secret Standards Board report continues to exercise members of the Lib Dim group who are terrified that it will sound the death knell for their 10 years in power.
(Okay then, 10 years in office, if not in power).
Bradley has been going around in the last few days, insisting to worried Lib Dim colleagues, who have been asking what's going on: "I'm a fighter!" (Not a fireman, apparently.)
Which means, as we exclusively predicted ages ago, that he is set to resist all attempts by the Standards Board to bring him to book.
Which means also, that he will heap more shame and disgrace on the city of Liverpool with a public appearance in front of the Adjudication Panel for England.
They will hear evidence in public that the Lib Dim council leader tried to lure former Events boss, Lee Forde, into a plot against The Harbarrowboy.
The Panel will also hear evidence that he undermined the Harbarrowboy's position after the Mathew Street fiasco.
Hopefully both Mr Forde and Mr Harbarrowboy will be called as witnesses to give their side of the story.
All of which will make a fascinating spectacle as Fireman Bradley tries to wriggle off the hook.
Bradley has already hired a team of expensive lawyers to try and escape the rap - we wonder who will be footing the massive bill for this?
Meanwhile, we confidently predict that the Standards Board's long-awaited report on Bradley will be finally made public within the next few days - probably before the end of the week.
At which point, even the Oldham Echo, having sacked 43 journalists, may take a dim view of the leader of the city council.
(If there is anyone still left in the newsroom to report it.)
Quite what the judge in the Hurst trial will make today of Bradley as a 'character witness' remains to be seen.
Especially since, within just a few days, his character is likely to be roundly, comprehensively and officially condemned by the Standards Board.
With friends like this for the accused Hurst, who needs enemies?
Meanwhile Liverpool subCulture is forced to reluctantly issue an official apology to our loyal reader. (That's you in the back!)
It seems, if you believe the rumours sweeping the city, that Bradley's accomplice, The Storeyteller, may actually escape censure from the Standards Board!
We know this is difficult to believe, but please bear with us...
Seems The Storeyteller may have managed to persuade the ethics watchdogs (complete numpties) that he had nothing at all to do with leaking details of Jase's heart trouble to the Oldham Echo.
And that, similarly, he is prone to spending regular Sunday evenings sipping Peroni around at Bradley's gaff - and that his presence there had nothing at all to do with trying to get dirt from Lee Forde on the Harbarrowboy.
So even though he may have been found in the library with a dagger, a bottle of poison and a pearl-handled revolver while Jase's sun-tanned body lay face down on the carpet, it had nothing at all to do with him.
Honest guv.
We know this is laughable - but then, so is the Standards Board.
Which means that The Storeyteller may yet live to fight another day - what price a future leadership challenge to Flo Clueless?

QUESTION: Why did Colin CoverUp write this email to standards watchogs - but never send it...?

ABOVE is an email that Colin Hilton, the chief executive of Liverpool city council, wrote to the Standards Board to officially complain about the conduct of former council leader, Mike Storey.

Amazingly, and for reasons best known to himself, CoverUp NEVER SENT this email to the Standards Board.

It was written after a council investigation into the Storeyteller leaking details of The Harbarrowboy's heart condition to Joe Riley at the Oldham Echo.

The email outlines nine potential breaches of codes of conduct by the Storeyteller.

CoverUp told Jason Harbarrowboy that he had sent the letter and had made an official complaint to the Standards Board about the Storeyteller's conduct.

This was a lie. He did nothing of the kind.

The Harbarrowboy was astonished months later when he discovered that Hilton had never sent the email! He had kept it.

After a complaint by Jase, the Standards Board are now finally investigating the circumstances outlined by CoverUp's email - and how Storeyteller leaked details of the Harbarrowboy's health to the Oldham Echo.

If the Standards Board eventually find against the Storeyteller on this charge - one of several - it would also be curtains for Hilton.

It would mean that he had been complicit in a grave breach of the city council's Code of Conduct.

Yet he failed to draw it to the attention of the proper authorities.

We might also conclude that CoverUp has 'gone native' and thrown in his lot with the Lib Dims, forever compromising the last tatty remnants of his professional integrity.


The plot thickens.

Now read on...


16 July 2007




CH/KD/1607




Confidential




The Standards Board for England,
Fourth Floor,
Griffin House,
Lever Street,
Manchester.
M1 1BB

Dear Sirs,




I write to refer to you details of what I consider to be a breach of the Council’s Code of Conduct by Councillor Mike Storey CBE. I enclose a copy of my recent letter to Councillor Storey in which I set out the grounds for this referral.

As you will be aware Councillor Storey is a senior councillor and a member of the Council’s Executive Board. My Investigations have led me to conclude that he has supplied a story to the media consisting of confidential information about the health of a senior employee without any attempt to either check the particular facts or to discuss internally whether or not such information needed to be released and, if it did, what would be the best way to present such information so as to exercise care towards the employee and protect the reputation of the council.


Whilst the councillor is also a Director of the Council’s Capital of Culture Company (to whom the senior employee concerned reports directly) neither the service nor the employee comes directly within the councillor’s portfolio and the matter was not, therefore, within the responsibility of the councillor. I can think of no proper motive for the councillor having directly approached the media to disclose the information but, in any event, the councillor denies so doing. I set out below extracts from the Council’s Constitution which I believe to be relevant.
Member Officer Protocol (copy enclosed):-

Para 6.1 – must keep confidential information confidential


Para 6.3 – information about someone’s private or business affairs – will normally be confidential (in my view this must include the health of an employee and even if it were necessary to make a public announcement about the health of a senior employee that should have been done properly through the Council by the appropriate people).
Para 7.1 – personal relationships must be based on mutual respect

Para 7.3 - must strive to avoid developing antagonistic competitive relationships with each other.


Para 10.2 – members should not become personally involved in staffing matters

Employees Code of Conduct (also in Council’s Constitution)


Page 5/26 of the Constitution reproduces Paragraph 74 of the National Conditions of Service for APT&C staff:-
“Information concerning officers’ private affairs shall not be supplied to any person outside the service of the employing authority unless the consent of such officer is first obtained.”

Members Code of Conduct


Paragraph 2(b) - treat others with respect

Paragraph 2(c) – not do anything which compromises or which is likely to compromise the impartiality of those who work for or on behalf of the City Council.


Paragraph 3(c) - a Member must not disclose information which he believes is of a confidential nature without consent.

Please note that in view of the importance of this matter the Council’s Monitoring Officer has been involved in advising me and, therefore, in the expectation that you will decided to investigate this matter I would request that the investigation be carried out by one of your own Ethical Standards Officers.


Yours sincerely


Colin Hilton
Chief Executive

FAMOUS FIVE DISAPPEAR FROM TREASURE ISLAND by Enid Blyton

WHATEVER has Colin CoverUp done to the Famous Five?

His 5-man Executive Management Team (EMT) has now all but disappeared from the law-breaking city council.

The only two left are CoverUp's mate and chief 'yes' man Stuart Smith, who was last spotted hiding under a desk with his hands over his ears and regeneration boss John Kelly (who has had such an impact on the city that we had quite forgotten him, until reminded by one of our commentators below).

Its the end of an era and no more lashings of Cains ginger beer and ham-fisted sandwiches for the super-directors.

The smiling assassin Hasitall has been booted out of the Municipal Buildings with a half a million pay-off after making the council the worst in the country.

Social Services Executive Director Tony Hunter, last seen looking like death warmed up after years of bullying by the rottweiller McElhinney, has legged it to become chief exec of Cleethorpes or somewhere equally obscure.

The 'Cultural' Exec Director, otherwise known as the Harbarrowboy, has been given a £250,000 pay-off, a season ticket to Tans R Us and a hammock on the Costa del Cock Up.

As one blog contributor has aptly noted, that leaves only Cover Up and nonentities in charge of the lawbreaking city council - the worst in the country.

Difficult to get a quorum for EMT meetings then.

Good to know that the city's biggest employer is in such safe hands, if you will forgive the pun.

Never mind though.

We are sure it won't be too long before Cover Up again appoints a costly firm of headhunters (breaking all the city council's procurement rules) to scour the country looking for 'top talent'.

"We are determined to appoint the best possible leaders," said a grim-faced council spokesman "to take Liverpool forward to a bright new dawn where children play happily in sun-kissed meadows, couples skip hand in hand through the latest shopping mall and literally millions of journalists from the Washington Post visit the city to witness a huge £1.8million thing lumbering through the streets (obviously Lord Redmond's ego, eds)"explained a council spokesman.

With the post of City Solicitor now being advertised for the third time (still no takers) perhaps word has got about?

Maybe we can stand-by for a whole new team of overpaid, lacklustre bureaucrats appointed on £225,000 a year, plus Performance Related Pay, to transform the worst council in the country into a new Jerusalem.

Yeah, right.

Historical note: You will recall that it was the evil Henshaw who first appointed four yes men (and one woman) as £150,00-a-year Executive Directors soon after being named chief executive by The Storeyteller.

The Famous Five then were:

• Colin CoverUp (Education)
  
• Hasitall (Resources)
  
• The rottweiller McEhinney (specially brought by Henshaw from Knowsley to mastermind dirty tricks)
  
• Annie Shepperd (daft as a brush)
  
• Charlie Parker (cockney wide boy).

A new hit parade for Liverpool subCulture...

WE are delighted to officially announce that the Liverpool subCulture blog, banned by the Lib Dim city council, has now attracted more than 100,000 readers.
We thank you all.
Our most sincere thanks of course, must go to all those who have made Liverpool subCulture a small, but such a beautifully formed, footnote in the proud history of the blogosphere.
We mean of course, our rich cast of characters:

• The evil Sir Diddy (first and foremost)
• The rottweiller McElhinney (still in our sights)
• The smiling assassin Hasitall (who has undergone several reincarnations, but who has now turned history on its head by conspiring against the current chief executive - my how times do change!)
• Chas 'show me the money' Cole (still raking in forests of cash from the city)
• The Storeyteller (still unable to hold his own water)
• Fireman Bradley (wounded badly, but limping to meet his coup de grace at the Standards Board)
• Colin CoverUp (seriously unimpressive and comprehensively discredited after going native)
  The Harbarrowboy (more brass neck than gold medallions)
• Our Lord Redmond (rampant egotism and fake celebrity of a true phoney)
• Donald Bullshitter (cocking up on a daily basis, but still taking the money)

We know them all so well now.
And so, thankfully, does Liverpool.
And there are a whole host of supporting extras - Mr Bumble, Randy Newman, Sexy Rexy, the craven Echo, Clare McCogloose, etc, etc, who have all added to the fun and games.
But most of all, we wish to thank and congratulate some 'real' Liverpool stars - Tori Blare, Prof Chucklebutty (and his missus) and Pete Price - without whom Liverpool subCulture would never have continued.
Good on you.
We hope that we may also take a little credit for encouraging these great new voices in the Liverpool blogosphere - long may they continue.
Meanwhile the city council continues to protest to Google in an attempt to ban the blog - demonstrating their daily contempt for the city council's taxpayers.
And, of course, their total contempt for truth, justice and democracy.
Which is were it all started...

The Harbarrowboy's health: Did Mr Bumble shop the Storeyteller?

TRANSLATION: Did the Liverpool Echo's Joe Riley reveal that the source of an exclusive story about the poor health of the Culture Company chief executive, Jason Harbrow (sic) was the former Leader of the city council, Councillor Mike Storey, CBE?

That is the rather convoluted question we ask following mounting (sic, ed) allegations about the conduct of Mr Riley, Councillor Storey and the city council.

Readers will remember that the Storeyteller is well and truly for the high jump by the Standards Board when they eventually blow the cobwebs off their quills, loosen their starched wing-tip collars and finally give their verdict on their interminably long-running, long-awaited, long anticipated investigation into Bradley and Storey.

The Harbarrowboy, who pocketed £250,000 as a reward from the Lib Dim city council after cocking up Mathew Street, is now hell-bent on exacting his revenge on Storey, the Fireman and Colin CoverUp.

The Harbarrowboy has alleged to the Standards Board that, as well as being buillied by Bradley, the Storyteller told the Echo that poor Jase had suffered a heart attack when in charge of the Culture Co.

This was clearly contrary to Rule 37, Paragraph 47, Sub Clause 34, of the city council's Rules Which We Dream Up But Which We Only Ever Follow When It Suits Us, Otherwise We Tend To Quietly Forget About Them Because We Are In Charge You Know, Buster.

In other words, Storey broke all the rules by talking about a council employees health to the world's press. And the craven Echo.

This is what actually happened.

Bradley was riding in the city council Jaguar with the Storeyteller who was having a go at Jase and the Culture Company cock-ups, when Bradley told him told him that Jase had taken a powder and was in hospital with a dodgy ticker .

The Harbarrowboy had gone off work from the Fun Palace to have tests.

Bradley and Storey, thick as thieves in the Jag, then went into a huddle and began plotting what to do with such useful information. This was on Thursday night (28th June, 2007 - pre the Mathew Street debacle)

On Friday morning, on his way to the Executive Board meeting at the Town Hall, the Storeyteller (not untypically, ed) immediately rang Joe Riley to spill all the beans.

The Storeyteller told Riley that he and Warren did not want to be quoted in the Echo (not untypically, ed) but poor old Jase was on sick leave and looked to be on the way out.

Riley, not known in unholy Trinity Mirror as Mr Bumble for no reason, then set about trying to 'stand the story up' for Page One.

Like a true investigative journalist, Riley immediately rang the city council's newscentre for the truth (sic, ed) and told them something along the lines of: 'Warren and Mike have told me that Jase has taken a sicky with stress. Can you give us a quote?'

This was all news to the newscentre staff (not untypically, ed) and there was much huffing and puffing and phoning around by various functionaries. (Randy Newman was uncontactable in the morning for some strange reason.)

Uncle Tom Cobbley and all were involved and it was all hands to the pump as the city council leapt into action (well, stumbled about a bit, ed).

Mr Bumble phoned various council functionairies literally a dozen times, telling all who cared to listen that 'Mike' had told him off the record that poor Jase was on his last legs and could he have an official statement in response from someone who was vaguely in officialdom.

Apparently Mr Bumble, the Echo's longest-serving and most experienced journalist, did not realise that to all and sundry at the Municipal Buildings he was cheerfully and repeatedly breaking the First Rule of Journalism: Thou Shalt Not Reveal Thy Source.

Quite what the journalists union, the NUJ would make of all this is an interesting question.

Even more interestingly, CoverUp himself then woke up, lurched about a bit and then phoned the Echo, begging them not to publish the story because Jason was only just a bit off colour and would be returning to work soon. (Cover Up is not, surprisingly, a qualified doctor, but then he is paid £250,000 a year, plus Performance Related Pay, so he does know the health status of all 19,500 city council employees.)

Thus the story did not appear.

But poor Jase was forced - against a genuine doctor's orders - to return to work the next week to avoid shock horror headlines in the craven Echo.

The Harbarrowboy went bananas when he discovered the Storeyteller's role.

A huge internal investigation was launched into precisely who said what, when, to whom, and why, which involved interrogating anyone found holding a biro in their hands at 8.30 am on the morning in question.

Even the Jag's poor chauffeur was quizzed as a torch from the pound shop was shone in his eyes and Ken Unworthy wound up the rack.

The chauffeur 'didn't hear a sausage about Jase taking a sicky', of course.

Meanwhile the Harbarrow demanded that Cover Up take serious action against Storey and immediately report him to the Standards Board.

And guess what happened then?

Colin CoverUp wrote a formal letter of complaint about Councillor Storey to the Standards Board.

But he never sent it.

He put it carefully in his bottom drawer (shades of the Rottweiller McElhinney) and kept schtum.

And Cover Up never admitted he had never sent the letter to the Standards Board until confronted by the suspicious Harbarrowboy six weeks later when all the fuss had died down.

By which stage, poor old Jase was busily cancelling Mathew Street (in revenge? ed) and planning his lucrative exit.

The smiling assassin Hasitall has been dining out for the last three months on this story, telling anyone who will listen all the intricate and interesting details and highlighting both the actions of the Storeyteller and the complicity of Cover Up.

The Fireman appears to have got off the hook, so far - no doubt the Standards Board will be more interested in his email to Hilton calling for Jason's neck and the Perroni plot in the front room of his home in Wavertree.

Meanwhile Labour's Joe Anderson has well and truly fingered Cover Up for, er, 'covering up' for the Storeyteller and thus sealing his own death warrant.

So what lessons do we learn from this interesting city council saga?

1) Don't trust Storey.

2) Don't trust Bradley.

3) Don't trust Cover Up.

4) Be careful talking 'off the record' to Riley.

5) Don't go on the sick.

6) Always look after the chauffeur.

Doing anything remotely interesting the week beginning July 14th??????

SADLY, Pete Price is going on his jollies in July, so we won't be treated to his truly amazing radio show on City Talk-but-no-one-listens.

However, all is not lost.

As Pete informs us on his rather excellent blog, his place as "dj" is going to be taken by The Harbarrowboy, fresh from the hacienda.

This could be fun....

ANOTHER LEAK ABOUT VIVA LAS VEGAS: "WARREN THOUGHT IT WAS MAGNIFICENT - EPECIALLY SINCE HE DID NOT HAVE TO PAY A CENT FOR HIS VIP TICKETS!"

The Story So Far:

Lib Dem Council Leader Warren Bradley, aka The Fireman, has gone to Las Vegas with his missus Pauline to celebrate his 40th birthday. Despite being on a private holiday, Bradley abuses his position as Leader of the Council to privately ask Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow to arrange free VIP tickets for Bradley and Pauline to see the Cirque du Soleil LOVE show about the Beatles. Bradley has texted Harborow: "Jason, can you arrange for the show? If you manage to do it, let me know.”

Now read on....

PS. Dontcha just LOVE LEAKS, Phil?


------Original Message-------

From: Coraci, Dawn (mailto:Dawn.Coraci@cirquedusoleil.com)
Sent: 25 August 2006 19:17
To: Lorraine.Molyneux@liverpool.gov.uk
Subject: Bradley 8/26/06 LOVE


I am emailing to let you know that your request has been confirmed for Warren Bradley 8/26/06 at 7:30 p.m.

Seat locations are 108 b 11-12 with confirmation number - 83-563639.


PLEASE NOTE: Tickets will be held under the guest's name at the LOVE Ticket Office's VIP Line at The Mirage, and are available up to five days prior to the day of the performance. All tickets must be picked up one hour prior to show time. Reservations are final. Tickets are guaranteed and non-refundable. Guests must present a photo ID and the credit card used for the reservation to obtain the tickets. If you should encounter any problem when picking up your tickets, please inform the Ticket Office personnel that the reservation was handled by the Cirque du Soleil Ticket Administrator.

Thank you and enjoy the show!

-----Original Message---------

From: Molyneux, Lorraine (mailto: Lorraine.Molyneux@liverpool.gov.uk)
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 11:49 PM
To: Coraci, Dawn
Subject: RE: Bradley 8/26/06 LOVE


Dawn

Can you please send me the invoice.

Best regards


Lorraine Molyneux


Personal Assistant to Jason Harborow, Chief Executive Liverpool Culture Company
PO Box 2008
Municipal Buildings
Dale Street
Liverpool L2 2DH
Tel: +44 (0) 0151 233 5441
Fax: + 44 (0) 0151 233 6333
Web: www.liverpool08.com/www.liverpool.gov.uk

Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008

--------Original Message-------

From: Dawn, Coraci (mailto:Dawn.Coraci@cirquedusoleil.com)
Sent: 29 August 2006 18:01
To: Molyneux, Lorraine
Subject: RE: Bradley 8/26/06 LOVE


See attached for invoice. Did Warren enjoy the show?


Dawn

Dawn Coraci

Administrative Assistant for Public, Social and Cultutral Affairs

702.352.0164

------Original Message-----------

From: Molyneux, Lorraine
Sent: 29 August 2006 18:03
To: 'Coraci, Dawn'
Subject: RE: Bradley 8/26/06 LOVE

Dawn



He thought it was magnificent especially as he is the Leader of the City of Liverpool, the home town of the Beatles.


Many Thanks



Lorraine Molyneux

Personal Assistant to Jason Harborow, Chief Executive Liverpool Culture Company
PO Box 2008
Municipal Buildings
Dale Street
Liverpool L2 2DH

Tel: +44 (0) 0151 233 5441

Editor's Note: Loyal readers of Liverpool subCulture will recall that Bradley never reported his visit to the LOVE show, never had any official meetings with Cirque du Soleil officials, never declared his freebie, never paid for his own, or his wife's tickets - and never did anything to enable the people of Liverpool to enjoy the same privileges which he enjoyed in seeing the show. Chief Executive Colin CoverUp has so far failed to investigate Bradley's abuse of his position as Leader of the Council - or his abuse of council taxpayer's money. The freebies for Councillor Bradley and his missus cost between $102-$165 each.

REVEALED: SENSATIONAL COST OF 2008 OPENING CEREMONY AT ST GEORGE'S

The 45 minute show at St Georges Hall, which opened Capital of Culture 2008, cost an astonishing £4.5million.
That's the shocking tab which will now have to be picked up by Liverpool's council tax payers.
It works out, by our calculations, at about £112,500 per minute (£4,500,000 divided by 40).
Or £118 for every man, woman and child in the audience! (£4,500,000 divided by 38,000)
The show, which police estimated drew 38,000 people in front of Lime Street, featured Ringo as the special guest star with his 'Liverpool 08 - I Left You" dirge.
Other highlights included:

• some non-Liverpool bearded bloke providing the commentary
• quite a lot of people standing on roofs pretending to be playing guitars
• a parade of 'C' list celebs, including the Lib Dem Lord Mayor and Our Lord Redmond, who came on and waved at the crowd
  
• and the quip from one bloke in the audience as he was showered with paper confetti: "that's my council tax money".

Loyal readers will also recall our exclusive photo of Colin CoverUp and the Harbarrowboy having a free drink together at the after-show private party for the great and the good.

The £4.5 million cost is double the amount which was forecast - no surprise given the appalling incompetence of the Culture Company, overseen by the worst council in the country.
The cost escalated after Fireman Bradley told CoC chiefs:"The show must go on - whatever the cost."
He warned them that he would not tolerate a repeat of the Mathew Street fiasco.
Culture Company bosses, including the holidaying Kris Donaldson and Our Lord Redmond, have been desperate to try and keep the final cost covered up.
To no avail.
We expect them to do everything possible to avoid answering a potential Freedom of Information question, clearly and directly.
Never mind truthfully.
But we would encourage our loyal readers to ask that question.
Meanwhile our Lib Dem run city council is £62million in debt, closing old folks homes, leisure and sport centres, raising charges and increasing the council tax by the maximum allowed - almost double the rate of inflation.

• No 38 in a Liverpool SubCulture series 'Stories you won't read in the craven Echo'.

KOP FOR THAT! LIB DIMS HAND OVER £1.9MILLION TO MACCA TO PLAY ANFIELD!

• MACCA'S ULTIMATUM TO COUNCIL - 'COUGH UP £1.9MILLION NOW, OR I'M OFF!'

• PANIC-STRICKEN LIB DIMS HAND IT OVER TO AVOID REPEAT OF MATHEW ST FIASCO
  
• HEADLESS CHICKENS IN TURMOIL AT CULTURE COMPANY, AFTER LATEST COCK-UP

• GUESS WHO IS GOING TO END UP PAYING FOR THIS?
  

Panic-stricken Lib Dims have today handed over £1.9million to millionaire ex-Beatle Paul McCartney after he delivered an ultimatum.

A furious Macca threatened to pull out of his planned gig at Anfield in June, unless the Culture Company handed over total organisation of the event to his own production company.
He demanded the cash was transferred by the close of business today, after 18 fruitless and frustrating months of trying to deal with the Culture Company.
Macca's patience finally ran out on Friday when the ultimatum was delivered to the Fun Palace at Millennnium House - sparking scenes of mass panic and headless chickens as the bureaucratic suits were forced to gather for a series of top-level meetings.

Macca told the Culture Co they had until today to agree to hand over the event lock, stock and barrell - or the concert would never happen.
Colin CoverUp then decided to leap into action (well, he got slowly to his feet and decided to politely ask a minion to send off a carrier pigeon to ask various penpushers what he should do, eds)
The upshot was that the Lib Dims decided to hand over the dosh - even though they are already £62 million in the red and are busily sacking staff, closing old people's homes, leisure and sports centres and increasing charges for anything that moves.
Macca is still waiving his £300,000 appearance fee and handing it over to LIPA - but that still takes the total cost to council taxpayers to an extra £2.25million.
On paper.
The final cost will be millions more of course - all heavily disguised by the smiling assassin, Hasitall.
And remember the Harbarrowboy originally promised the Macca gig would be 'cost neutral'.
Then, that it would cost just £1.2million.
Now CoverUp and the Fireman Bradley are desperately trying to persuade safety experts to find space at Anfield to fit in another 10-15,000 extra seats for the gig.
So that they can then sell the extra tickets to plug the bulging gap in the city's coffers.
But safety experts have so far refused to give the go-ahead. If they refuse, watch out for more cuts in services and the city's Culture year being severely curtailed still further.
Meanwhile all the bollocks about global TV rights and DVDs and corporate hospitality coining it for the city, have all proved groundless.
The tree killing media, at the craven Echo and Daily Post will hail this as a fantastic boost for the city - Macca is coming! It's Official! An extra 15,000 tickets go on sale for gig of the century!
Not a single member of the Liverpool meeja has got anywhere near asking a single relevant question about the spiralling out of control cost of this event.
The total cost will forevever remain a mystery.
Meanwhile we bet Macca doesn't play this at Anfield:

<>

ANOTHER LEAKED EMAIL: 'This could hurt us politically,' says Fireman Bradley "so keep quiet about the Royal Court"

------Original Message------

From: Warren email

To: /*Executive Members

Sent: Jan 5, 2007 22:47

Subject: Royal Court

Dear All,

Following the discussions at the joint members today, I have met with Colin and informed him of the strength of feeling.

I have asked Colin to go away and discuss with Michael Kenworthy the process that has to beundertaken to terminate the licence that RCLL presently have.

I feel I have to write to all EM's as we will ultimately have to make the decision.

Colin and I will also meet with Jason Harborow to discuss a way forward, initial ideas are that Louise Hughes who manages the Neptune, when open, maybe could manage the Royal Court, and programme the calendar for 2007/08?

The facility would exist for the Comedy Club to continue on a franchise basis, and they would provide us with the required dates to deliver the comedy programme. Louise would then build a programme when the theatre is dark.

It must be understood that this could hurt us politically!

I will do all I can to prevent political damage, but before I give the final OK to Colin, I need total commitment from all EM's that this is the course of action we all want to undertake.

If the decision is to follow this course of action, Monday at the latest, can I ask all to be silent on the decision both with the press and other members/officers, I will then undertake to work with the Officers to cultivate RCLL in believing this is the best way forward for them.

Can you please let me know as soon as possible what your view is?

Thanks

Warren

Warren Bradley

Leader of Liverpool City Council

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

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AND MORE FOLLOWS......

Macca's concert is already £2.5million in the red and will cost council taxpayers a fortune - while Lib Dims make old folks pay!

Paul McCartney's Anfield concert is to cost council taxpayers double what was forecast - while services to the public are being slashed by £62 million.

The final bill to put on the Macca show - the Liverpool Sound - is anyone's guess with almost two months still to go and the Culture Company trying to keep a lid on every last detail.

Chickens are wandering around without any heads inside the Millennium House Fun Palace and everyone involved has been sworn to secrecy.

But we can reveal that council chiefs had been banking on the gig costing the city just £1.2million - even though the Harbarrowboy originally promised it would be"cost neutral."

Editor's Note: This is an accounting term which basically means: "I am trying to pull the wool over your eyes becaus I have no idea, so I am going to try and blag my way around this one and hope that I will be off-ski with a huge pay-off before the chickens come home to roost."

The £1.2 million cost to the city council was calculated once sales from tickets (now costing between £334-£288 on t'internet) and income from the BBC and other suppliers, souvenir-sellers and merchandisers etc had all been taken into account.

The actual bill to council taxpayers so far is, however, £2.5million - double what was forecast.

And given the financial mismanagement for which the Culture Company is famed, the final tab that council tax payers will have to pick up is likely to be at least FOUR times that original figure.

Meanwhile the Lib Dim council is closing two old folks care homes at Leighton Dene and Boaler Street as part of a £20 million package of cuts to the caring services alone.

Other services are being slashed and charges increased while the Lib Dims frantically try to plug the £62 million gap created by the spendthrift and stupid Culture Company. A sorry state of affairs which the Lib Dims of course allowed to happen, through their weakness and incompetence.

Liverpool subculture comment:

Paul McCartney's concert may well be fantastic and may well create a huge amount of positive publicity for Liverpool - God knows the city needs it after the chaos caused by the Lib Dims.

And frankly, four months into Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture, it is about the only event so far which will attract global attention and enthuse local people.

But......

Paul McCartney's concert will not keep open two old folks homes which the Lib Dims are closing, nor sweep the streets of dog muck, nor give the jobless new skills and training opportunities opportunities. Nor will it make life for the city's pensioners any better.

For one brief day, it will make a lot of people happy - and that is a good thing.

But will it bring any lasting benefit to Liverpool?

The McCartney concert is part of the bread and circuses roadshow which the Lib Dim council want to cover-up their legendary shortcomings.

We are not being killjoys, but let no-one forget:

W have the worst council in the country.

It is £62 million in the red.

It is closing old people's home and slashing services.

And it has paid out a fortune to incompetents and crooks.

As the bloke on the No 38 bus said to us only the other day:

"Did you see that on the blog? This bloody council is spending at least £2.5million of our hard-earned council tax money on a multi-millionaire global superstar, who may be a terribly nice guy who has always done his bit for the city with LIPA and all that, and who thankfully has just got shut of his horrible shrew of a gold-digging missus, couldn't stand her - a complete nutter obviously, and he seems a generally all-round good egg even though he is apparently a bit tight with the readies and is normally the last to get a round in I've heard, but then musically, of course, happens to be a bit of a once-in-a-lifetime-genius who has made some fantastic stuff and still appears able to turn it on big style even though he must be getting on in years, mind you he doesn't look so bad for his age, altho i expect he must be spending a small fortune on moisturisers and stuff and his new bird doesn't look half bad does she? I say good on him, you only live once, but then you've got to live and let live - or live and let die which of course was the title of one of his best numbers when Linda was still alive, amazing how the press have suddenly rehabilitated her now that she's gone when they were forever sticking the knife into her as a carrot munching headcase when she was alive, but anyway he's alright is Macca, but then he doesn't have to live here does he with that numsbskull the Fireman in charge and Colin trying to cover everything up and the Lib Dims killing each other in the public prints and the craven Echo burying its head in the sand and hoping it will all go away and services getting worse and have you been down Kenny lately? Fucking disgrace the way things have been left to slide there.....continued Page 94

"Ok wiv u - if we go 2c Lov sho l8r in Vegas?" - Fireman Bradley's text to Jase....

FIREMAN Bradley has come up with a bizarre explanation for his freebie to the Beatles 'Love' show in Las Vegas, we can reveal.

Bradley, who is 'Leader' of the worst council in the country, has given a very full explanation to Colin CoverUp, who is chief executive of the worst council in the country.

Bradley told Colin (before CoverUp disappeared off to the annual MIPIM shindig minus the council leader) that he had been advised to attend the Vegas show by Culture Company officials.

CoverUp: "Which Culture Company officials would these be then, Warren?"

Bradley: "Errr, it was Jason Harbarrowboy, actually, Col."

CoverUp: "Jason?"

Bradley: "Yes, Jason."

Pause.

Bradley: "Errr, he said it would be a good idea if I went to see the show too, since he had already seen it twice before himself, the second time with that mad Clare McCogloose when he went back to LA for a second time even though Cirque Du Soleil had said right from the start that they wouldn't be able to bring the show to Liverpool in 2008. I remember it now."

CoverUp: "Err, the Jason who we have just paid off with £250,000 of council tax payers money to keep quiet and who is no longer a council employee, so we can't interview him or question him about any of this?"

Bradley: "Errr, yep, I think that's the lad."

CoverUp: "And I don't suppose you have any documentary evidence that this advice was given to you officially by Jason? Any reports? Or other documents? Or an email that we could examine, or leak to the Echo?"

Bradley: "No, I don't think I do, Col. Sorry, mate..."

CoverUp: "Pity, it could have been useful...."

Pause.

Bradley: "We did it by text message."

CoverUp (slowly): "I... beg... your... pardon?"

Bradley: "We did it by text message."

CoverUp "Sorry, I think I must have misunderstood. I thought you said that Jason advised you to go and see the Love show by text message."

Bradley: "That's what I did say."

Long Pause.

CoverUp: "I see."

Longer pause.

CoverUp: "And I don't suppose you still have any evidence of these text messages, or any phone records which would indicate that they existed, or any further evidence which would support your account that Jason Harbarrowboy, as chief executive of the Culture Company, advised you by text message that you had to go and see the Beatles Love show, presented by Cirque du Soleil, while you were on holiday with your missus in Las Vegas and not on official council business, even though no official meetings took place with any Cirque du Soleil officials or representatives, no report was ever made to the council and there is no minute in existence of any meeting at which you mentioned the free tickets that the city council had paid for you, as Leader of the Council?"

Bradley: "Fraid not Col, mate."

Longer pause.

CoverUp: "And just so that we can be sure, have there been any other decisions which you have taken as Leader of the Council, where advice has been supplied to you by senior officials through the rather unorthodox means of what I believe are nowadays referrred to as...text messages?"

Bradley: "Dunno, Col mate. Might have been. Might not have been. I remember sending that Lee Forde fella some text messages when I was trying to get him to do over the Harbarrowboy, but.... I mean....(hurriedly) when I was trying to see if I could be of any assistance as a loyal friend of Mr Forde's after that doctored Mathew Street report was published and got me off the hook, big time."

CoverUp: "I see."

Pause.

Bradley: "Is there a problem, Col mate?"

Long pause.

CoverUp: "No, I think it's crystal clear that we can't take this enquiry any further now and that the Opposition calls for a proper investigation must be resisted in the strongest possible terms. An investigation would be a disgraceful waste of public money."

Bradley: "Couldn't agree more. We haven't got money to waste on nonsense stuff like that about what I got up to on holiday when we are £62 million in the red."

Pause.

CoverUp: "Now Warren, I wonder if we can discuss the arrangements we are making this year for the Performance Related Pay awards for our £150,000 a year Executive Directors of this, the worst council in the country?"

Bradley: "No problem, Col mate."

Wirral Exclusive: Shock new role for Fireman Bradley...as a comedian!

by Tony Parrish48

FRESH from his freebie in Viva Las Vegas, the cowboy fireman Warren Bradley appears to have been bitten by the showbiz bug.

Appearing in inane Echo photo-opportunities grinning away as though he has lost all of his marbles, is apparently not good enough for our soon to be erstwhile council leader.

Oh no sirree!

For jumpin' jehosphat, after making Liverpool the worst council in the country, our Warren has now turned up in that other famous lone star state - of Texas!

(The irony, the irony! eds)

And what's more, the fibbing fireman has already found himself a new career in a new town - as a skilled impressionist and laugh-a-minute comedian!

(The irony, oh the irony! eds)

One of our extremely clever little friends has put us on to the sensational new Warren Bradley web site, which contains almost as many laughs as the renowned Professor Chucklebutty blog.

Here are some hilarious extracts for your delight....

Let's start with some testimonials from Warren's new found fans...

Dear Warren,

Your performance at our company's summer banquet was a resounding hit! For a group of people who can be somewhat on the reserved side, you had our employees nearly rolling on the floor with laughter. Your graciousness and your ability to connect with the audience on a personal level endeared you to our employees. My colleagues are asking me how I will be able to find entertainement for our next banquet that will be as as good as you were. I doubt such an act exists.

It was a pleasure working with you and I appreciate your willingness to accomodate us in every way possible. Thanks again!

And there's this...

This letter is one of recommendation for impressionist comedian WARREN BRADLEY.

Warren was the entertainer for our annual Music Ministry Appreciation Banquet last month and did a fine job making us laugh with impersonations of well-known personalities such as Jimmy Stewart, Tom Brokaw, Paul Harvey, George Bush, Katherine Hepburn and the like. His humor is clean and our folk really enjoyed his presentation. I have also continued to be entertained by his CD of "Classic Birthday Calls". I am pleased to add my name to the growing list of Warren Bradley fans.

And this is what some of Warren's Stateside audiences say...

"Warren will make you laugh until you hurt. He is definitely the type of entertainment for your next Dinner, Banquet, Retreat, Rally or Convention."

Or this extremely precise praise...

"Your act was definitely top notch and it was so timed and so funny that it brought big laughs from everyone. In fact you had all 225 people falling out of their chairs."

Sadly we have yet to witness such an impact on the city's councillors, who appear distinctly underwhelmed by the fibbing Fireman's performances in the council chamber. However, they will no doubt be glad to hear that:

Warren is also available for radio and television voiceovers and commercials.

And just in case that is not enough, Warren has also gone into the merchandising business. Maybe he has been taking some tips from the Harbarrowboy?

If you want to hear Warren at his best, then you'll want to buy "Warren's Classic Birthday Calls." Warren places telephone calls to unsuspecting people on their birthday in some hilarious spoofs.

To order this CD, call 903-757-9170 or send a check for $12.50 to:

Warren Bradley
102 Crestwood Drive
Longview, Texas 75601

This CD contains 16 hilarious calls, all clean. Money back guarantee if you're not completely satisfied!

To find out more secrets about our multi-talented council leader, go to the Warren Bradley web site at:

http://www.warrenbradley.com

Fireman Bradley goes bananas - shock video!

CITY Council Leader, Fireman Warren Bradley has gone bananas in a shock new video.

It's shockingly clear from the deeply disturbing two-minute film, that the fireman is now showing the stresses and strains of leading the worst council in the country - despite being able to wangle freebies in Las Vegas whenever he likes.

There can be no other explanation for the council leader gabbling away in the film as though he has completely taken leave of his senses.

But it is also the funniest thing you are likely to see this year - even better than the Christmas dancing elves which brought so much joy to us all over the festive season.

And the subject of this not-to-be-missed new vid?

The campaign to keep the Superlambanana within the precincts of the city.

CHORTLE - as the Fireman describes how the young people of Liverpool "see the Superlambanana as being an integral part of their life."

GIGGLE - as the Fireman repeatedly stumbles over his words under the hostile questioning of a Daily Post Paxman.

HOWL - as the Fireman gives the longest and most credible interview of his career about the big yellow thing behind him.

And LAUGH - as the poor numbskull stomps away on cue to the nearby traffic lights, like a 'B' movie buffoon.

The off-screen spin doctor who came up with this absurd interview idea - no doubt to show a 'more human, cuddly side of the Leader' - has succeeded in making the Fireman an even bigger figure of fun.


Perhaps Bradley thinks he is now leading a banana republic?


But you judge for yourselves. Here it is...

VIVA LAS VEGAS! FIREMAN BRADLEY FINDS 'LOVE' ON THE RATES....!

City council leader Warren Bradley has admitted that council taxpayers footed the bill for two free tickets he got to see Cirque du Soleil's Beatles 'Love' show in Las Vegas.

The tickets, which cost between $102-$165 each, were paid for by city council taxpayers while Fireman Bradley was on holiday in the States with his wife celebrating his 40th birthday.

A mystery, but public-spirited, Culture Company employee has blown the whistle on the jaunt in an anonymous, un-dated, note.It reads:
"I feel I need to bring to your attention a very serious and probably criminal act by the Leader Mr Bradley. Given his recent press comments about honesty and success in driving out respected officers we can no longer stay silent.

"Last year he visited the USA for his “40th birthday” with his wife. Whilst there he visited Las Vegas. He contacted the Capital of Culture office and demanded we pay for 2 tickets for a show he wanted to see. We were told to pay for the tickets as the leader felt they were too expensive. There is a record of this payment.

"Why? This was a private holiday and nothing to do with 08. When is this corruption going to stop? The Chief Executive, Jason, has all the details. Please investigate this matter and stop this abuse."

So the Fireman has now admitted that he blagged two free tickets to see the show while on his jollies.

Labour councillors say that he has defended his 'freebie on the rates' by claiming that he was asked to go and see the show as part of his official council duties as Leader.

Presumably the Fireman maintains that forking out for free tickets is the least the city council can do when its conscientious and hard-working Leader decides to break up his holiday by going to see a terribly tedious show somewhere in the middle of the desert and having to drag the missus with him (lah, eds)

Whether he has any evidence to support this bizarre assertion that it was all part of his official duties we do not know. Is it minuted? Does he have any non Lib Dim witnesses?

Nor do we know how many other freebies the Fireman has blagged while Leader of the city council - or whether this freebie show was unique.

And if this was the only freebie he has blagged, why this one?

We do know, however, that former Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow had already twice travelled to Las Vegas to see the show and talk to Cirque du Soleil - once in the company of Clare McCogloose.

This was despite the fact that Cirque du Soleil had made it clear when first approached about bringing the show to Liverpool in 2008, that it could not physically be brought out of its home at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas.

Quite what is the exact justification for Councillor Bradley and his wife getting free tickets to see the show a third time, is anyone's guess.

The Fireman certainly did not need to see the 'Love' show to assure himself of Cirque Du Soleil's professionalism and expertise.

That is beyond question.

Nor did he need to see The Beatles show to decide if it was suitable material for a Liverpool audience in Capital of Culture year.

That too is beyond question.

Nor is a decision to try and bring 'Love' to Liverpool something that he should or would have taken personally.

If such a thing had been possible, the decision would have been taken either by the Harbarrowboy and/or the Culture Company Board.

If Bradley wanted to know anything more about the show, he could simply have Googled the reviews and web sites from the safety of his home in Wavertree.

Why didn't he?

We have no information that he had any official meetings with Cirque Du Soleil representatives while in Las Vegas.

Did he? With whom? When? Where?

If he did not have any meetings with Cirque du Soleil while on 'official council business', why ever not?

Did he inform the chief executive of the city council of his free tickets?

Have they been declared in the register of Member's Interests?

Did any Culture Company official arrange or timetable this show?

How has the cost of these two tickets been met, precisely, by the Culture Company?

Who approved it and why?

What paperwork exists?

Did the Fireman report his in-depth 'findings' about 'Love' when he returned to Liverpool after seeing the show? Is this minuted? Is there a report? If not, why not?

WE THINK WE SHOULD BE TOLD THE ANSWERS TO THESE AND MANY MORE QUESTIONS.

Because unless and until these questions are satisfactorily answered, the suspicion will be that Councillor Bradley abused his position as Leader of the Council to gain an advantage - contrary to the Local Government Code of Conduct.

Some of his Lib Dim colleagues will no doubt say that the $204-$330 total cost is neither here nor there. (Why didn't Bradley pay for them then? eds) Especially when the city council is now £60million in the red and going cap in hand to the Government to be bailed out.

But it does indicate an arrogant, seemingly routine abuse of council taxpayer's money by the Lib Dim Leader of the council.

We do not believe an internal council investigation, along the lines of CoverUp's discredited Mathew Street 'probe', will be sufficient to allay justifiable public concern. Only an independent enquiry will do.

We also believe that the District Auditor should be asked to investigate.

It may be that another official complaint needs to be made to the Standards Board to allow a further investigation.

We await developments with interest.

But one thing is clear, the old Beatles song was wrong:

If you are Lib Dem Leader in Liverpool, money can buy you 'Love.'

SURELY NOT? JUST AS ONE STORM FADES, COULD LIGHTNING REALLY STRIKE AGAIN IN LIVERPOOL???????

AND AGAIN?

AND AGAIN????????
PERHAPS SOMEONE SHOULD CALL A FIREMAN????????

THE COWARDS WAY....

BOTH the cowardly cowboy, Fireman Bradley and cowardly Colin CoverUp were nowhere to be seen today.

Too frightened to stand in front of the cameras and defend their abysmal record of failure, they took refuge under their desks and behind closed doors.

This is the behaviour we have now sadly come to expect from the Lib Dim Leader of Liverpool city council and the £250,000 a year (plus Performance Related Pay) chief executive.

Fireman Bradley, who is getting his trade a bad name as each day passes, is not normally so reluctant to get his picture taken or to attempt to recite a semi-intelligible statement handed to him on a piece of paper by a spin doctor.

Bradley and Hilton have no integrity and no courage. They shame Liverpool.

From behind their Town Hall shields, they instead threw the smiling assassin Halsall out to face the world's press.

(We took some pleasure in this, since as Executive Director for Resources, Halsall bears much - but not all - of the responsibility for Liverpool's bottom of the league position, eds)

But displaying breathtaking arrogance and complacency, Hasitall contrived to make matters worse!

His litany of excuses and typically patronising attempt to rubbish the Audit Commission's official ratings formula, underlined how much Liverpool has to do to clean up its act.

Radio Merseyside's Roger Phillips sounded thoroughly non-plussed to find Hasitall in total denial.

The BBC's Gordon Burns looked genuinely gob-smacked as the slouching Hasitall gave the distinct impression that he was distinctly tired of all this silly nonsense.

The only voice of sanity came from the Audit Commission who may well now have lost patience with the city council and their willingess or ability to put things right.

We might see some movement here in the next few weeks.

For our part, we would strongly suggest that the decent and honourable course of action for the men who have caused this mess, would be to submit their resignations with immediate effect.

We know who they are.

You know who they are.

And thankfully, as each day passes, the people of Liverpool are beginning to know who they are.

NB: We still have Jase to look forward to on City Talk tomorrow morning. After our free plug the other day City decided to save a bit of dosh and reduce their full page advert to just a quarter page: "The gag's been lifted...let's talk".

But stand by for a load of self-justificatory tosh from the Harbarrowboy.

He too will fail to admit any responsibility or failure.

After all, it's part of the Job Description.

THE HARBARROWBOY DISAPPEARS INTO THE SUNSET WITH A QUARTER OF A MILLION - WILL HE KNIFE THE FIREMAN?

THE worst financially-run council in the country today gave £250,000 to the Harbarrowboy as a reward for failure.

(You couldn't make this up, eds)

Liverpool city council Chief Executive Colin CoverUp gave the go-ahead for the huge pay-off to the barrowboy who has spent the last five months on the sick and on full-pay at his hacienda in Spain.

His departure is due to be officially announced on Thursday - but will be front page in the Daily Post tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Audit Commission today named Liverpool as the worst financially-managed local authority in England.

The city council is now at least £29million in the red after failing to properly budget for Liverpool, Capital of Culture 2008 - which was partly chief executive Jason Harborow's responsibility.

Jase went on the sick in September after cocking up Liverpool's world-famous Mathew Street Festival and forcing its cancellation.

Since then, Fireman Bradley has got into big trouble with the Standards Board for trying to lure former Events chief Lee Forde into a 'Peroni Plot' to oust the hated Jase.

Amazingly, Jase's mega pay-off of council taxpayers money does not include a 'gagging clause' preventing him from speaking out in the future.

Which has only increased speculation amongst The Tonys, that chief exec Hilton and his sidekick, the smiling assassin Hasitall (whose 'reputation' for financial management is now irretrievably destroyed) have deliberately left the way open for Jase to try and kill-off Bradley.

(What goes around, comes around, eds)

Firstly, Harbarrowboy could sell his story to the News of the Screws for millions (just a joke - but he could sell it to the Daily Post for a Sayers pastie, eds).

Secondly, Jase could also now join Joe Anderson and submit a formal complaint to the Standards Board about Bradley.

This time Bradley would be accused of bullying Jase and undermining his position by sending an email to Hilton demanding Jase's head on a plate.

Looks like the lazy Hilton and incompetent Hasitall have therefore decided to cut their losses with Bradley and have teed it up for Jase to have a go back.

Meanwhile we can exclusively reveal details of the joint statement issued by Our Lord Redmond and CoverUp to mark Jase's departure for a life of ice-cream cones back at the hacienda.

It goes something like this:

"Jase has made an invaluable contribution to the success of Capital of Culture, blah-blah, he has been instrumental in re-building Liverpool's reputation nationally and internationally, blah-blah, we couldn't have done it without his efforts, blah blah, effective and competent leadership skills, blah-blah, thanks to Jase we have now moved into delivery phase, blah-blah, no need for Jase anymore now that we have Our Lord in charge, blah-blah, wish Jase well in future ventures, blah-blah, sorry about dodgy ticker, blah-blah, city always be grateful for everything that he has done, blah-blah, lots of ice cream and feet-up now, blah-blah, ta-ra matey, blah-blah-hope you knife Bradley on way out, blah-blah".

In other words, Harborow was an overpaid used car salesman who was promoted way out of his depth and tried to bullshit his way through the Culture Company, banking on the Government coming to his rescue in the end and baling him out, but then he cocked up Mathew Street and it all went pear-shaped so publicly, that he had to go.