Investigation and Disciplinary Committee | 20th August 2012 | Item 1 – Appointment of Chair | Item 2 – Declarations of Interest | Item 3 – Exempt Information – Exclusion of the Press and Public | Agenda Item 4 – Update in Relation to the Suspension of Council Officers

Investigation and Disciplinary Committee Date: 20th August 2012 Time: 4.00pm Committee Room 2 Investigation and Disciplinary Committee minutes (20th August 2012) (approved 21st September 2012) Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (20/8/2012) Agenda Present Councillors (7/7) Cllr Dave Mitchell Liberal Democrat Cllr Adrian Jones Labour Cllr Lesley Rennie Conservative Cllr Mike Hornby Conservative Cllr Ann McLachlan Labour Cllr Brian … Continue reading “Investigation and Disciplinary Committee | 20th August 2012 | Item 1 – Appointment of Chair | Item 2 – Declarations of Interest | Item 3 – Exempt Information – Exclusion of the Press and Public | Agenda Item 4 – Update in Relation to the Suspension of Council Officers”

Investigation and Disciplinary Committee
Date: 20th August 2012
Time: 4.00pm

Committee Room 2

Investigation and Disciplinary Committee minutes (20th August 2012) (approved 21st September 2012)
Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (20/8/2012) Agenda

Present

Councillors (7/7)
Cllr Dave Mitchell Liberal Democrat
Cllr Adrian Jones Labour
Cllr Lesley Rennie Conservative
Cllr Mike Hornby Conservative
Cllr Ann McLachlan Labour
Cllr Brian Kenny Labour
Cllr Anne McArdle Labour

Wirral Council Officers
Shirley Hudspeth (Committee Services Officer)
Chris Hyams, Human Resources (Head)
Tony Williams, Human Resources (Acting Employee Relations Manager)
Surjit Tour, Acting Head of Law, Human Resources and Asset Management
David Armstrong
Unknown female
Unknown male

Also
Items 1-3 Two members of the press/public

The agenda for this meeting can be found here.

Agenda Item 1 – Appointment of Chair

Cllr Brian Kenny and Cllr Adrian Jones proposed Cllr Ann McLachlan as Chair.
There were no other nominations so Cllr McLachlan was made Chair.

Cllr Dave Mitchell proposed Cllr Adrian Jones as Vice-Chair, however it wasn’t seconded. There was a second valid nomination as Vice-Chair so Cllr Brian Kenny was made Vice-Chair.

Agenda Item 2 – Members’ Code of Conduct – Declarations of Interest
Councillors present made no declarations of interest.

Agenda Item 3 – Exempt Information – Exclusion of the Press and Public

The Chair suggested that the public and press were excluded from the rest of the meeting for agenda item 4 (Update in Relation to the Suspension of Council Officers) (reason given – Information relating to any individual and agenda item 5 (Any Other Urgent Business Approved by the Chair) (although there was no AOB).

Agenda Item 4 – Update in Relation to the Suspension of Council Officers

The Investigation and Disciplinary Committee received an update in a 16-page preliminary investigation report about the matters that led to the suspensions of Bill Norman, Ian Coleman and David Taylor-Smith (but also relate in part to the earlier suspension of David Green).

It related in part to:-

1) This public interest report published by the Audit Commission on 8th June 2012 entitled Highways and engineering services contract award and management.

2) The Council’s policies on senior officers declaring interests and whether these had been followed.

3) Various other matters relating to the above four suspended individuals.

The following resolution was then agreed,

“(1) the progress being made in respect of the preliminary investigation be noted; and

(2) the way forward in relation to the three Statutory Officers, as outlined in paragraph 5.6 of the report, be agreed.”

Agenda Item 5 Any Other Business 
It has been confirmed by Wirral Council that there were no items of Any Other Business agreed by the Chair tabled at the meeting.

Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (Wirral Council) Photo 1

Left (L to R): Unknown officer (male), Shirley Hudspeth (officer)

Right (Left to Right)
Cllr Dave Mitchell (Lab)
Cllr Adrian Jones (Lab)
Cllr Brian Kenny (Lab)
Cllr Ann McLachlan (Lab)
Cllr Mike Hornby (Con)
Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (Wirral Council) Photo 2

Left: Shirley Hudspeth

Right Foreground
L to R Cllr Mike Hornby (Con), Cllr Lesley Rennie (Con)

Right Background
Cllr Dave Mitchell (Lib Dem), Cllr Adrian Jones (Labour)
Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (Wirral Council) Photo 3

Background: Shirley Hudspeth

Foreground: Left to Right
Tony Williams (Officer), HR
Unknown Officer? (female)
Chris Hyams (Officer), HR
Unknown Officer? (male)

Queen Elizabeth Cruise Liner visits Liverpool

Following Wirral Council two years ago agreeing to lobby for an end to restrictions on cruise ships coming to Liverpool, it was pleasing to see last Friday on a Mersey Ferry trip the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship docked at the new cruise liner terminal. A photo I took of it from the ferry is below.

Queen Elizabeth Cruise Liner visits Liverpool

Liverpool Pride 2012 A collection of photos Parade, pirate, Royal College of Nursing, Karamba, NASUWT, University of Liverpool, Angry Women of Liverpool, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

Yes, there isn’t much of a Wirral Council connection, other than Merseytravel’s sponsorship of the event, but below are a series of photos I took of the Liverpool Pride event on the 4th August 2012 (mostly of the parade). You can click on each thumbnail for a high quality photo.

Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 1 Pirate Stilts
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 2 Banner
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 3 Royal College of Nursing
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 4 Karamba band
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 5 Karamba band
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 6 Karamba band closeup
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 7 Dog in pink
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 8 Karamba band closeup
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 9 NASUWT
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 10 University of Liverpool
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 11 University of Liverpool
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 12 Angry Women of Liverpool
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 13 Blue Puppet
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 14
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 15
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 16 Pink Fire Engine
Thumbnail Liverpool Pride 4th August 2012 Photo 17 Crowdscene

A clear conscience – Yes, Prime Minister – Parallels with Wirral Council?

This clip from Yes, Prime Minister reminded me of how minutes at public meetings at Wirral Council used to get produced. In the culture of Wirral Council though there are still shades of this going on, hope you enjoy.

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