Labour admits leak forced their hand over chief exec plans

Published 15 Jan 2012 12:00 7 Comments

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READING'S ruling Labour group has admitted it was forced to reveal its plans to axe the borough's chief executive because of an information leak from the town hall.

Reading Borough Council leader Jo Lovelock said the administration released details of its intentions to make Michael Coughlin redundant earlier than planned because of a blog post on the Civic Minded In Reading site.

The anonymous blogger claimed to have overheard a front bench Labour councillor talking about the plan in a Reading supermarket. It was posted in mid-December and Labour released the details days later.

Cllr Lovelock told the personnel committee on Thursday: "We as an administration had been talking about this for a while. At some point, somebody decided it was a good idea to start talking publicly about it and once people start doing that it is not fair if the press, or anybody else, phone up and say 'is this true?', to say we are not thinking about this.

"Rather than pretending it was not happening, we decided we would not be disingenuous, given someone had decided to talk outside when they should not have done. I accept it is not good. I can only condemn anybody who thinks it is either amusing or clever to do that sort of thing."

Cllr Lovelock said Labour had planned to inform the then Tory group leader, Andrew Cumpsty, and his Lib Dem counterpart, Daisy Benson, after Christmas of the administration's plans.

The committee was meeting to decide whether or not to continue with the plans to abolish the post of chief executive and director of resources, and combine the two into a new job. The recommendation was passed without Tory and Lib Dem support.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 12 Jan 12

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BarbaraC
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Jan 15, 14:38
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I think the entire council should be made redundant - the bunch of self-serving w@nkers!

Recommend? Yes 44 No 21
confused...
Unregistered User
Jan 15, 17:07
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I would like to understand what you mean by "I think the entire council should be made redundant - the bunch of self-serving w@nkers!"....If you were to work at the council as an employee not on management grade, how would you do things differently?

Recommend? Yes 12 No 64
Colin Lee
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Jan 15, 23:17
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And who in Labour masterminded this plot? Where was the transparent debate? Who in Labour would want to be in total control with no dissension or opposition? Who in Labour wants ill-conceived plans passed? Wake up Reading you are being robbed of your democracy.

Recommend? Yes 30 No 3
Spiddly
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Jan 16, 20:54
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"Rather than pretending it was not happening, we decided we would not be disingenuous..."

Interesting choice of words, councillor. Par for the course?

How about the wishy-washy 'We Need To Talk' consultation at £1,000 of public expense, engineered to provide positive feedback and set to be used as a campaign tool?

How about Cllr Jon Hartley keeping the £3,816 Special Responsibility Allowance, despite only having attended only half of the required cabinet meetings? Did he jump, or was he pushed?

How about the £30,000 'transitional grant' given to RCRE, effectively restoring their full funding and ensuring their participation in canvassing on your behalf come election time?

No, don't answer that. Wouldn't want you to be disingenuous.

2012 - time to kick the corruption out of local politics.

Recommend? Yes 19 No 1
Mischievous
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Jan 17, 22:00
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It makes me wonder who the Labour Party are loyal to, other than themselves and who is next on their hit list - the head of legal, or the director of leisure, culture and sport. Maybe finally the head of transport will go. Let me add this: how many major towns and cities do not have a chief executive? Perhaps we are going for an elected mayor - in which case, who?

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
Zion Lion
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Jan 18, 20:29
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I'm with Barb on this one, spot on my dear. Although as an aside would add this is the party that employs the foul racist Diane Abbott so dubious tactics are par for the course...

Recommend? Yes 7 No 0
Camel Jacker
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Jan 18, 22:14
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Nevermind that Lion, this is the party that in our very own borough employs Tony Page! 'nuff said! Or typed rather.

Recommend? Yes 6 No 0
******
Jan 22, 16:11
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******
Jan 24, 14:56
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