MP wades into Miller prosecution row

COUNCILLORS should have done their jobs . . . says Vance Miller

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Blame rests with council chiefs — MP

OLDHAM MP Michael Meacher claims the Crown Prosecution Service refused to touch the Vance Miller fraud case — and councillors should take the blame for the bungled £5 million trial.

A judge threw out Oldham Council’s case against Mr Miller — saying it had been “misconceived from the start” and was “an abuse of the process of the court” — leaving council taxpayers picking up the huge bill.

Michael Meacher wants to know why the council decided to prosecute and who took the decision, after claiming the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had already turned down the opportunity.

Head of Oldham Trading Standards Tony Allen — whose evidence the judge said he could not rely on — has already been suspended ahead of an independent review of the case.

But critics say council leader Howard Sykes, Councillor Mark Alcock and chief executive Charlie Parker should take responsibility.

Mr Meacher said: “It’s very unusual to have a council prosecution when the CPS have turned it down. It’s an exceedingly serious matter and the potential liability for the council and Oldham taxpayers is £5-6 million, which is an enormous sum.

“Tony Allen is four to five rungs down the managerial ladder. I don’t believe the decision to prosecute and the manner it was done could conceivably be taken at that middle managerial level. There must have been a political decision to go ahead. That would seem to lie clearly with the council leadership and the member of Cabinet responsible, Councillor Alcock. I think they have a major case to answer.

“They are involved in and responsible for all the big decisions, that’s the point of having a council.

“What’s the point of having political leadership if they take no responsibility when things go wrong?”

Mr Miller confirmed he will sue the council for damaging his business and reputation but has not decided on an amount as he’s weighing up if it’s fair for everyone to pay for the mistakes of councillors. He claimed Mr Parker could have stopped the case, revealing he wrote to the chief executive a year ago when a council prosecution against him for selling quad bikes also collapsed in court.

He said: “It was a stitch-up from the start and I let him know about the fraud trial coming up saying it’s not what it’s perceived to be. I would like to go through the facts with you. He wrote back saying ‘not at the moment — not until we see the outcome of the case.’

“It was pathetic. He could have stopped all this. If I took Oldham Council to court for what they really owe me then Oldham would be bankrupt.”

He says any cash he receives will be spent on rebuilding Maple Mill, buying a piece of land in Oldham town centre to give Oldhamers free parking and creating a youth club for youngsters in Hathershaw and Fitton Hill.




Politics not right for me just yet



VANCE Miller says he won’t stand as a councillor in Glodwick and has no interest in becoming Mayor of Oldham — though he is interested in going into politics in the future.



He says if he were to stand it would be where his business is based in Hathershaw.

“I wouldn’t want to be the Mayor who does nothing but wear a gold chain,” he said.

“I’d want a say in what happens in Oldham. I’d want to be more of an MP.

“Right now it wouldn’t be fair for me to leave the business that I run.

“But as soon as the time is right . . . who knows.

“I wouldn’t want a salary for it or any expenses. I would fund myself.

“I would show Oldham Council what we can do with this money.

“What do we get for our money? We don’t get our bins emptied. What on Earth are all these people who work for the council actually doing? If Oldham Council was run by Maple Industries every worker would have a shovel in their hands clearing the roads and pavements of snow and ice so the people of Oldham can walk the streets without falling over.

“Driving to work I saw 70 and 80-year-old women clinging on to walls to stop them falling over.”

He also hit out at Labour leader, Councillor Jim McMahon over comments that the council had to take action against his firm because of complaints.

Mr Miller added: “The figures were not checked out. Complaints against the company were coming down. They could have checked out these figures.”

He says councillors and officers should have done their jobs by visiting his firm to discuss it, rather than taking such drastic action.