Sunday, November 19, 2006

THE UNTOLD STOREY (PART 3): THE ATTEMPTED COUP D'ETAT


The Storey so far: Liverpool city council have turned down a £340,000 pension deal for Henshaw, who has announced his early retirement. Henshaw has now used emails from the Leader of the Council, Mike Storey, to blackmail the council into agreeing an even more expensive retirement deal and Storey agreeing a dishonest and humiliating press release.

Storey tells how, a month later, on 17 May, 2005, four Executive members - Councillors Clucas, Clein, Antrobus and Fielding - were asked to meet in Henshaw's office at 8 am.
"They were given no reason as to why they were to meet in his office and assumed it was for a number of different reasons," says Storey.
"Paul Clein, for example, had been trying to fix a meeting to do with the appraisal of the Executive Director for Education.
"I was not informed that this meeting was taking place. The other 5 Executive Members, some of whom were more senior, were not invited.
"At the meeting with Mr Henshaw, Mr Halsall and Mr McElhinney they were shown copies of a draft S151 report (the emails) which they read.
"At the end of the meeting they were concerned and shocked and came out of the meeting. Marilyn Felding contacted Paul Clark, (right) knowing of his legal background and told him what had happened. Paul Clarke suggested that we met."
Storey tells how he and Councillor Clark then went to Henshaw's office to read the S151 Report.
"Henshaw introduced Dr McElhinney and himself. We read through the drafts which he wanted to keep in his office. At the end, Councillor Clark said, where do we go from here - what do you want?
"David Henshaw said 'I am not prepared to speak to Councillor Storey. I will speak to you over the phone.'
"We left that meeting and met with our four colleagues and discussion carried on there. Executive members informed me that David is trying to set up meetings with them.
"Paul Clark contacted me to say that he had had a phone call with David Henshaw. Paul says his behaviour is unbelievable - David saying that I work for a Labour controlled council - how would my Governors feel - I could lose my job.
Paul made it clear that David Henshaw was threatening my professional career.
"I was at my lowest ebb, both my political career and professional cereer were being threatened. That evening, I told my wife - that if my job is on the line, as a result of what the chief executive said, then I would resign."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why did Henshaw suddenly renege on the deal he had done earlier with Storey then? Did he just lose the plot?

Anonymous said...

Youve got to pick a pocket or two

Tori Blare said...

No Storey called his bluff and reported himself to the standards board or whatever it is called.

Tony Parrish47 said...

In fact, Tori has it slightly wrong. Storey did call his bluff later - but the interesting question is why did Henshaw change his mind a month after first agreeing with Clark and Storey that he would take early retirement? The answer can be found, surprisingly, in the pages of the Liverpool Echo. Joe Reilly wrote a column from emails which had been leaked to him which made Henshaw look a complete fool. Henshaw blamed Storey for the leak and decided to wreak revenge by trying to 'get' Storey. Storey claims that it was, in fact, Bernie Turner who leaked the emails to Joe Riley. But in essence Henshaw suddenly went bonkers and caused absolute mayhem for the city of Liverpool because his precious ego and vanity was hurt by an article in the local paper! Which shows what kind of man he is, doesn't it? Of such things is history made, people....

Tori Blare said...

Ooohh the plot thickens!
I am waiting with anticipation for the next instalment.....