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| E-rated Town Hall boss seen
as leader’s ‘stooge’ |
Labour rival claims ‘political
patronage bred culture of cynicism’
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Former Labour group leader Mary Creagh
Chief executive Helen Bailey
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TOWN Hall chief executive Helen Bailey was branded the council
leader’s “stooge” at a hearing on Friday into alleged
misconduct by five Islington councillors.
Former Labour opposition leader Mary Creagh, the woman behind accusations
of “cronyism” at Islington Council, was giving evidence
at the hearing brought by government watchdog the Standards Board
for England.
She claimed Ms Bailey was appointed to the £130,000-a-year
post despite being poorly graded in an independent recruitment assessment.
Ms Bailey scored an E. Mrs Creagh, who sat on the selection panel,
said she had never before recalled a candidate with such a low grade
being accepted.
Mrs Creagh, now Labour MP for Wakefield in Yorkshire, told the hearing
of her disgust at the way the selection process for council chief
executive was undermined.
She criticised fellow selection panel members, labelling one a “bully”
with a “bad temper” and two others “weak yes women”.
Five councillors, including Town Hall leader Councillor Steve Hitchins,
are fighting for their reputations in Britain’s longest-running
case of alleged misconduct by councillors. It has now been going
on for three years.
Lib Dem councillors Bridget Fox, Dorrie Valery, Margot Dunn and
Jyoti Vaja are the others under scrutiny.
It is alleged Ms Bailey’s appointment was “political”
and influenced by her close friendship with Cllr Hitchins.
Mrs Creagh told the hearing fellow councillors had favoured internal
candidates with lower grades above higher-achieving external applicants.
She said in a statement that panel members pushed for the inclusion
of policy consultant Ms Bailey, even though Mrs Creagh believed
she did not fit the job specification.
From her conversations with middle and junior managers, Mrs Creagh
concluded that Ms Bailey was seen as Cllr Hitchins’ “stooge”
and was not highly thought of in terms of what she had delivered
in her previous role as policy consultant.
Mrs Creagh described Cllr Hitchins as a “very powerful controlling
figure with a bullying style and a bad temper”. She added in
her statement: “I believe many staff members are afraid of
him.”
Mrs Creagh referred to Cllrs Vaja and Valery as “yes women”,
with Cllr Vaja labelled the “weakest” and “least
capable” member of the cabinet.
Mrs Creagh described Cllr Fox as “feisty and independent”
as well as being a “serious member of the executive”,
and Cllr Dunn was considered a “sensible” and “tough-minded”
lady.
Mrs Creagh claimed Ms Bailey “was shortlisted because she was
a friend of the Liberal Democrat councillors”.
On learning of Ms Bailey’s appointment, she said: “I was
furious that I had spent seven hours on a predetermined outcome.
She added: “I consider it actually extremely demotivational
for other council employees to see Helen Bailey had been shortlisted.
It must surely breed a culture of cynicism about the political patronage
within the organisation that would not make chief officers feel
motivated or rewarded.” |
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