27 May 2005
Liverpool City Council chief executive Sir David Henshaw has accused senior figures at the authority of a 'conspiracy' to kick him out of office.
In a remarkable statement published on May 24, Henshaw said the actions of a 'senior member of the city council and a senior officer' plus 'others outside' the council were designed to whip up a media campaign to force him out of his job.
He threatened the possibility of legal action after a dossier compiled by the council's section 151 officer, Philip Halsall, backed the chief executive's claims.
'These actions expose the council to potentially very significant claims for damages for constructive dismissal, damage to reputation and claims under whistle-blowing legislation,' said Henshaw.
The senior figures that Henshaw was referring to are thought to be council leader Mike Storey and head of communications Matt Finnegan.
Storey countered by claiming the dossier was 'based on confidential e-mails that I am concerned are being misused to try to undermine my position'.
He has sent a copy of the dossier and e-mails to the Standards Board for England, claiming that it is the only body competent to decide whether there has been a serious breach of conduct.
Finnegan has subsequently been suspended as part of an internal investigation.
The dossier has been shown to all 90 members of the council.
Reports suggested the e-mails were concerned with speeding up the exit of the chief executive, who is leaving the council next March.
However, in his statement, Henshaw said he could now remain in his job until 2008 – the year in which Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture.
It is the most serious rift at Liverpool since the days of Militant in the 1980s. Matters apparently came to a head when the ruling Liberal Democrat party refused to back a £200,000 enhancement to Henshaw's pension fund earlier this year.
Days after this decision, an investigation was launched into the news department and Finnegan was suspended over 'alleged procurement irregularities'.
The chief executive 'utterly refutes' the row was connected to pension arrangements.
Storey appears to have the backing of his party. In a private meeting of 54 of the city's 60 LibDem councillors earlier this week, he was supported unanimously.
PFmay2005
