Clancy must back chief in bins strike

DEAR Editor, The Conservative Group on Birmingham City Council are calling on Councillor John Clancy to urgently and publicly state his backing for chief executive Stella Manzie following the inappropriate intervention from Unite boss Howard Beckett calling for her resignation.

In carrying out their professional and statutory duties, senior officers of the council deserve the full respect and backing of the political leadership.

The actions of the chief executive, in setting out the implications of the deal supposedly struck between Cllr Clancy and Unite were an absolute necessity and, whatever his views on the bin dispute, the leader needs to be clear in his backing for the right and duty of officers to issue such advice.

Anything short of his unequivocal backing on this matter would spell a disaster for the governance on this city council adding to the financial mess he has already led Birmingham into.

The Improvement Panel only agreed to take a step back on the grounds that Stella was in post and that the leader was agreeing to back her, with her track record of turning failing Labour councils around.

If Cllr Clancy fails to back the chief executive publicly now the risk of the Labour Council having to be taken over will grow exponentially in the coming days and weeks.

Councillor Robert Alden, Leader of the Conservative Group,

Birmingham City Council