Liverpool City Council: Commissioner responds to 'overpaid' claim

Liverpool City Council has been marred by a number of controversies in recent years

The lead commissioner at Liverpool City Council has said he understands people's concerns over his pay rise but hopes it will be more "digestible" when he gets value for money for taxpayers.

Mike Cunningham was responding to criticism that his team, who are overseeing three departments, were "overpaid" after a £400 daily increase.

He said there was "potentially millions of pounds of public money misspent".

Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp branded the pay rise "unmitigated greed".

The three commissioners were appointed by the government to oversee the Labour-run council's planning, regeneration and highways departments following a damning report.

The commissioners were initially paid a daily rate of £800 and £700, but that increased to £1,200 and £1,100 in December.

'Good return'

The trio have been in post for a year and are expected to be working in the city for a further two years.

Labour MPs and local councillors spoke out against the pay rise earlier this year. The cost is being met by the council.

Responding to the criticisms, Mr Cunningham said: "We are well remunerated for what we do as a team, and people are living through tough times."

But he said that ultimately his role was to secure value for money for Liverpool's taxpayers, and that was what he would do.

He said, taking the recent error over the council's energy bill as an example, "there is potentially many millions of pounds of public money misspent here and that can be multiplied many times across other poorly-managed contracts".

He added there were "all sorts of issues that have dogged the council for many years that may mean that many tens of millions of pounds have been misspent".

"My commitment is that if we can get to a position that we are supporting the council to spend public money well, spend it in the public interest with a good return on investment for local residents, I hope that the payment of commissioners is more digestible to the people who are paying it," he said.

Commissioners brought in

Recent years have seen the authority marred by various controversies.

Earlier in July the city's assistant mayor hit back at claims by former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove that "weak leadership" had led to commissioners being brought in to run parts of the council in March 2021.

Labour's Paul Brant said the situation did not reflect the current administration and the city's mayor had "acted promptly" to resolve any problems.

In May it was revealed an error saw the council's energy bill increase by £10m. A report found a lack of oversight, poor communication and staff too afraid to raise the alarm had led to the contract failing.

In June a report revealed the council failed to renew service contracts to the cost of millions of pounds.

In December 2020 former mayor Joe Anderson stepped aside following his arrest on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation. He denies any wrongdoing.

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