Thread by @mygibbo

The reason there are government-appointed Commissioners in this city, costing the City Council millions, is the Caller Report which revealed deep problems in running three departments.

So far, we still await any significant accountability for those failings.

Six Labour councillors, including myself, have made the decision to vote against the cuts in this year’s budget.

Part of our decision relates to cuts to citizens’ services while the Commissioners receive a 50% pay increase, which is backdated.

Their presence is a drain on the city’s scant resources and it is far from clear whether the people of Liverpool are getting value for money.

The very least we should expect is transparency about what has gone wrong and the actions being taken to put it right.

Back in the summer, I asked whether Transparency UK’s 10-point anti-corruption plan was being actioned, as pledged during the mayoral election campaign.

I was assured that all of these points were incorporated into the Council’s plan, but I am yet to see the details.

I am a member of the Standards and Ethics Committee.

It is vital that by the time of the all-out elections in 2023 the electorate are reassured that the Council has turned a corner and they can be confident that we all meet the highest good practice standards.

Over the arms fair, the budget, and other issues, questions have too often been met with silence or obfuscation. Debate has been curtailed. Opposition has been cracked down on.

I am yet to see convincing evidence of the ‘culture change’ we were promised.

As elected representatives, we are tasked with acting in the best interests of our communities.

That responsibility takes priority over uncritical party loyalty.

I will continue to press for Council decisions to be given proper scrutiny, regardless of a few ruffled feathers.