http://cllrphildavies.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/bringing-council-services-closer-to-you/

He often invokes “Transparency”.

He often speaks of “Openness”.

He often lets words like “Inclusivity” or “Empowerment” fall from his lips.

However, Wirral Council leader Councillor Phil Davies has just joined the world of blogging…  with a strangely guarded WordPress offering…  that’s had public comments carefully disabled.

What does this mean?

Members of the public can read what he’s writing, but they can’t respond.  This public servant has prevented the public from posting comments, getting involved and getting a dialogue going.  We can’t even submit comments for pre-moderation, where it’s up to him whether they’re allowed / published or discarded.  Currently, all the traffic goes in one direction – like a one way street.

So what option do we have left open to us?  Well, we can always send him an email at leader@wirral.gov.uk.

I did this today, and now await his response:

Dear Councillor Davies,

Your first blog post promises to offer an insight into what you do. I have a question about what you do, as it isn’t covered in your first blog post:

Please tell me how you or your stand-in voted when the following proposed departure packages came up before a panel of councillors, and you or your stand-in were present on the panel:

Former CEO Steve Maddocks – paid £157,000
Former Director of Social Services John Webb – paid £152,000
Former Deputy CEO Ian Coleman – paid £86,000
Former Director of Law Bill Norman – paid £146,000
Former Interim Director of Social Services Howard Cooper CBE – retired with pension
Former Social Services senior officer Maura Noone – paid £110,000
Former Social Services senior officer Mike Fowler – paid £110,000
Former Director of Technical Services David Green – paid £103,000
Former Deputy Director of Finance David Taylor Smith – paid £68,000
Former Chief of Internal Audit David Garry – paid £46,000
Former Head of Asset Management Ian Brand
Former Head of IT Services Geoff Paterson
Former Head of Cultural Services Jim Lester
Former Head of Regulation Rob Beresford

Please list clearly against each person whether you voted FOR / AGAINST the relevant package.

Best regards and welcome to the world of openness and transparency. Happy blogging!

Paul Cardin

The above list was done from memory, but sharp-eyed readers will spot that I still managed to omit former CEO Jim Wilkie.  He probably won’t be the only one either… there’s been so many.