MPs kick up a kitchen stink
Reporter: Janice Barker
Date published: 29 January 2010
Oldham’s three MPs are calling on the region’s top financial watchdog to investigate the “fiasco” prosecution of kitchen company boss Vance Miller.
Phil Woolas, Michael Meacher and David Heyes want chief executive Charlie Parker and council leader Howard Sykes to answer questions about the “reckless pursuit” of the Crown Court case which collapsed on January 12.
They say they don’t feel that an inquiry already set up by Mr Parker and headed by lawyer Stewart Dobson, a former Birmingham City chief executive, will be truly independent.
And they are calling on district auditor Mark Heap, whose job is to oversee and approve council finances, to carry out his own inquiry.
Mr Meacher said: “It is ludicrous for us to be expected to believe that a case of this magnitude would have been the sole responsibility of a single, relatively junior officer of the council, without regular reference to and oversight of the most senior politicians and officers in the borough.
“For the people of Oldham to have any confidence in this investigation it must be seen to be completely independent and that is why it should be conducted by the District Auditor.”
Mr Woolas said: “The public needs a swift and thorough investigation into the roles of which politicians and which chief officers were responsible for deciding to prosecute Vance Miller and his fellow directors, once all the evidence had been gathered and examined.”
Mr Heyes said: “This calls for a completely independent inquiry, not by someone hand-picked by the council’s chief executive, Charlie Parker.”
At Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Foster threw the case out after 17 weeks, calling it misconceived from the start and an abuse of the court process. Three other defendants were also cleared.
Oldham Trading Standards head Tony Allen was suspended immediately afterwards.
The MPs’ letter says: “As a result of the reckless pursuit of this case, the costs of this fiasco both to date and in terms of potential claims from Mr Miller, could run into many millions.”
The three Labour MPs, — Government minister Phil Woolas, Oldham East and Saddleworth; David Heyes, whose Ashton constituency includes Hollinwood and Failsworth; and Michael Meacher, Oldham West and Royton, — want private reports from senior officers and councillors and briefing papers about the case to be reviewed.
Their letter says: “In essence, the questions should be about who knew what and when — and if they did not know, they should surely have been closely involved in such important decisions.”
