Sykes hits out in Miller trial row

OLDHAM’S council leader has hit back at the borough’s three MPs for calling on the region’s top financial watchdog to investigate the disastrous Vance Miller prosecution.

As revealed by the Chronicle, Labour MPs Phil Woolas, Michael Meacher and David Heyes wanted district auditor Mark Heap, whose job is to oversee and approve council finances, to carry out his own inquiry.

They don’t feel that an inquiry set up by chief executive Charlie Parker and headed by former Birmingham City chief executive Stewart Dobson will be truly independent.

It prompted council leader, Councillor Howard Sykes, to write to Mr Heap to clarify his position.

In his reply, Mr Heap makes it clear that the investigation and the way it is conducted is a matter solely for the council to determine.

He explains: “I do not have a general power to review action taken by the council and would, in general, only become involved in individual cases if there is evidence of unlawfulness relating to the council’s accounts or allegations of fraud and/or corruption.”

The MPs wanted Mr Parker and Councillor Sykes to answer questions about the “reckless pursuit” of the court case, for private reports and briefing papers to be reviewed and the council’s appeal against a potential £5 million costs awarded against it to be halted.

But Mr Heap says the arrangements are a matter for the council. He adds that he had an opportunity to comment on the terms of reference of the review before they were finalised and is meeting Mr Dobson regularly during the process. Mr Parker also outlined to him his considerations when appointing Mr Dobson.

Councillor Sykes said it had been “yet another smokescreen from Labour.”

The Lib Dem councillor added: “Not for the first time Labour have blatantly marched the public to the top of the hill, only to be forced into marching them back down again in the face of the full facts - a familiar pattern wouldn’t you say – for evidence look no further than the Whit Friday Band contest, former Royton Assembly Hall, Dr Kershaw’s and car parking fine collection to name just a few.”

In his letter to Mr Heap, he said: “I take the independence of the inquiry extremely seriously and in order to ensure that independence is not compromised, I have purposefully stayed away from any involvement or media comment to date.”

The fraud case against the kitchens boss was thrown out on January 12, after 17 weeks at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, by Judge Jonathan Foster who called it misconceived from the start and an abuse of the court process. Three other defendants were also cleared.