Former Walsall Council leader hits back on sacking fallout
Former Walsall Council leader Mike Bird says he and his cabinet were not to blame for the controversy surrounding sacked social care boss Paul Davies.
It emerged this week Mr Davies had lost an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal and council leader Sean Coughlan claimed the legal battle had cost the authority £6.5 million.
But Councillor Bird, who was in charge at the time, said: "Those of us who were on the cabinet at the time have been assured by the chief executive that no elected member was to blame for what happened.
And he added: "The figures that Sean Coughlan has quoted are absolutely and totally untrue."
Mr Davies was sacked over allegations he disclosed confidential information, and gave a credit union responsibility for £3.5m without permission.
Councillor Coughlan said: "It was important for the council to act when these matters regarding Paul Davies came to light. Clearly if we are to learn from these terrible mistakes we have to be open and transparent with taxpayers about how much it is costing to deal with this very bad situation.
"The last time we found ourselves in a similar position was over the Peter Francis whistle-blowing affair that cost taxpayers millions of pounds also when the previous Conservative administration was in control."
