Following reports that the Deputy Leader of Sefton Council has failed to declare his interest in a family property company, Conservative Group Leader, Mike Prendergast, has issued a statement:
I think it is deeply concerning the that Deputy Leader of the council, one of the most senior politicians in Sefton, has failed to declare his interest and majority stake in a family run property company for such a long period of time.
Debates are regularly held in Council and motions passed, which impact upon landlords and property management companies. Indeed, at the meeting in January this year, a notice of motion concerning private landlords was debated by Sefton Council.
During that meeting, the only people who disclosed interests, in accordance with the rules, was a member of the Conservative group, Councillor Joe Riley, and one of the independent councillors, Councillor D’Albuquerque.
(Link to minutes https://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=143&MId=10743)
I would like to know why other councillors at that meeting, saw it fit, as per the rules, to disclose their interests as landlords, but Councillor Fairclough, who was also present during that meeting, did not consider those rules to apply to him? Is he not subject to the same rules as the rest of us?
Councillor Fairclough, voted for the motion even though he had a pecuniary interest in what was being discussed. How is that right? Did he forget he was a landlord?
At pretty much every council meeting I have attended since being elected, Labour councillors, including Councillor Fairclough, have criticised various individuals within the current Conservative government, questioning their principles, morals and adherence to various rules.
It now seems that Councillor Fairclough didn’t think the rules in Sefton applied to him, and the rank hypocrisy from him and his Labour colleagues is there for all to see.
One rule for us but another for them.
I sincerely hope at the next council meeting, at the bare minimum, Councillor Fairclough, apologises, for failing to disclose his ownership of a property company and also apologises for taking part in debates and voting on matters when he hadn’t declared the appropriate interest.
The people of Sefton deserve to have people in charge, who not only know the rules, but follow them.
It begs the question what else do Labour councillors need to tell the people of Sefton about?
