MASSIVE PUBLIC MONEY SCANDAL ROCKS SALFORD COUNCIL WITH CITY MAYOR AT THE CENTRE - Salford Star

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MASSIVE PUBLIC MONEY SCANDAL ROCKS SALFORD COUNCIL WITH CITY MAYOR AT THE CENTRE

Star date: 20th August 2014

A Salford Star Exclusive

SALFORD CITY COUNCIL SCANDAL REVEALED AS SALFORD CITY REDS GIVEN SECRET WADS OF PUBLIC MONEY... NOW SALFORD CITY MAYOR MUST RESIGN

A complicated web of secret financial deals involving former Salford Council Strategic Director, Martin Vickers, Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart, Salford Red Devils owner, Marwan Koukash and Peel Holdings has finally been revealed in an incredible internal investigation by top Council officers.

Salford Council, authorized by Martin Vickers and with the Mayor's knowledge, agreed to hand Salford City Reds (now called Salford Red Devils) up to £164,000 in match day income from its Stadium – just weeks before Vickers took a job with the rugby club. The `informal' decision to subsidise Salford Reds was kept secret and never published, against Salford Council's own legal constitution.

The investigation report states that the City Mayor has "Primary legal and strategic responsibility for the operational management of the Council". Now Ian Stewart should resign, and a full Public Inquiry and police investigation into possible misuse of public money must be held.

Full details here...

Salford Mayor with Martin Vickers at launch of Salford Red Devils

click image to enlarge

"The City Mayor has stated that whilst he was involved in the making of the decision to fund the match day costs he does not know why the proper governance procedures including producing a Record of Decision were not followed by officers at the time..." Official Audit Report

While Salford City Council was proposing to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from services for the city's vulnerable people, it was secretly doing deals with Salford City Reds owner Marwan Koukash to subsidise the rugby club with rent free deals, and free match day costs up to £164,000, at the Stadium (now called the AJ Bell Stadium) it jointly owns with Peel Holdings.

At the centre of the scandal was Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart and former Council Strategic Director Martin Vickers, who, weeks after agreeing deals with the rugby club, took voluntary severance from the Council and got a job with Salford City Reds (now called Salford Red Devils).

An official internal investigation report into the scandal lists a whole range of dodgy, messy dealings at Salford Council...

• Martin Vickers, as Salford Council's Strategic Director for Customer and Support Services, and representing its interests as joint owner (with Peel Holdings) of City of Salford Community Stadium Ltd (CoSCoS), negotiated an `informal agreement' with the Marwan Koukash company, SCR (2013), which took over Salford City Reds - that it could use the Stadium rent free for the first two years and that it wouldn't have to pay match day costs at the Stadium.

• Peel Holdings, as joint partners with the Council in the Stadium (CoSCoS) didn't agree with subsidising the match day costs and, as the company that handled the administration of the Stadium, deducted £150,000 worth of costs (up to July 2013) before handing over the gate receipts to the rugby club.

• The Report states... "Various attempts were made to change the other joint partner's [Peel Holdings] stance on this issue, by both the Strategic Director for Customer and Support Services and by the City Mayor."

• A letter to Peel Holdings, dated 3rd July 2013 and signed by Martin Vickers, incredibly stated that if Peel refunded the money to the rugby club, Salford Council would pick up the tab, up to £164,000, by reducing charges made to the Stadium...

• ...a "Reduction in interest charged by the Council to the Stadium Company" (on a Council loan of £22million)... a "Reduction in charges from Salford City Council to the Stadium Company" and a "Reduction in Stadium Company costs due to the future delivery of services to the Stadium Company by the Council at reduced costs". In the event, the actual level of cash payment was £75,000.

• The Report states "The City Mayor has confirmed that he was involved and was aware of, and in agreement with the contents of this letter at the time it was sent and had discussed the matter with the Deputy City Mayor" [Councillor David Lancaster].

• The Report also states that Barbara Spicer, Chief Executive at the time and Martin Vickers' boss, was not aware of the letter.

• On 15th August 2013, the Report states, "CoSCoS entered into a formal tenancy agreement with SCR (2013). This agreement stated that SCR (2013) would not pay any match day costs for 2 years from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2014 up to the value of £164,000. This agreement was signed by the owner of SCR (2013) [Marwan Koukash], a CoSCoS Director from Peel Holdings, and the Strategic Director of Customer and Support Services [Martin Vickers] (in his role as the Salford City Council Director of CoSCoS)."

The Report notes the following anomalies...

1) That Martin Vickers had no authority to make such a decision, which involved finance above £100,000, breaking the Council's own Constitution rules.

2) That there was no public Record of Decision published, again breaking the Council's own Constitution rules.

3) That the secret `key decision' wasn't open to scrutiny by councillors because they knew nothing about it.

4) The person who had the "statutory role which carries with it responsibility for overseeing the processes of decision making and governance with the Council" is the Monitoring Officer...The Monitoring Officer at the time was, er, Martin Vickers...Vickers himself was responsible for "ensuring lawfulness and fairness in decision making"...

5) The Report adds: "The City Mayor has stated that whilst he was involved in the making of the decision to fund the match day costs he does not know why the proper governance procedures including producing a Record of Decision were not followed by officers at the time."...

6) ... The City Mayor, according to the Report, has "Primary legal and strategic responsibility for the operational management of the Council and the development of its plans, policies and priorities." In other words, the City Mayor, Ian Stewart, should ultimately carry the can. Especially as he admitted that he was totally aware of what was going on.

There were also financial anomalies in relation to Martin Vickers' severance package with Salford Council...

• Vickers didn't leave his job at the Council until 31st August 2013 – yet he was paid a lump sum on 26th July which included, not only the voluntary severance payment (which we now know was £78,817) but also his August salary payment which the Report notes "was not due until 15th August 2013".

• The Report also notes that "The early payment of the lump sum and salary was supported and verbally approved by the City Mayor due to the personal circumstances put forward by Mr Vickers and on the basis that the Strategic Director continued to work until the end of August to ensure a proper handover".

• The Report reveals that "In the email giving her approval on 5th August the Chief Executive comments on the fact that the payment has been made before the Strategic Director for Customer and Support Services left the organisation rather than `the usual arrangement of paying once an employee has left the organisation'.

• Vickers also had a staff car loan and the Report notes that "he requested that the balance was not to be deducted from his severance payment but that he be allowed to pay for the car by instalments after leaving the Council. This arrangement was dealt with and authorised by the Chief Executive...the monthly deduction for his car loan was not taken from this August salary payment."

• The Salford Star has been trying to ascertain whether Martin Vickers has actually paid this loan back since leaving the Council. Vickers himself hasn't responded to questions from the Salford Star. Meanwhile, under the public right to inspect Salford Council Accounts, we requested details from both the Council itself and from its auditors, Grant Thornton, arguing that the public interest should over-ride any confidentiality restrictions. Yesterday, Grant Thornton refused the request, quoting a whole battery of sections and subsections of various pieces of legislation.

• The internal investigators sought legal advice on the issue of Vickers walking into a job with Salford City Reds weeks after leaving the Council, and having led negotiations for favourable terms with the rugby club. The Report notes "restrictions that would otherwise apply to a Chief Officer leaving the Council do not apply in a redundancy situation. In the absence of a specific agreement, the City Council had no influence over any future employment offers".

HUGE AMOUNTS OF PUBLIC MONEY GIVEN TO SALFORD REDS IN SECRET DEALS...SALFORD COUNCIL CONSTITUTION SMASHED ...SALFORD MAYOR IMPLICATED – WHAT NEXT?

The whole point of the internal investigation was, in its own words, to review...

1. The governance, decision making and terms of the Strategic Director's voluntary
severance agreement.

2. An examination of the agreements between Salford City Council, Salford City Reds (2013) Limited (SCR), and the City of Salford Community Stadium Limited (CoSCoS) in the three months prior to the Strategic Director leaving the Council to ensure: Probity in the decision making processes and that the correct procedures have been followed; Value for money for the Council has been considered and achieved.

THE CONCLUSION? A COMPLETE WHITEWASH!

The report makes a number of recommendations, including...

1) On Martin Vickers walking into a job with Salford City Reds weeks after negotiating deals with them, the Report concludes that "the Council may have considered some form of binding confidentiality agreement or restriction on future employment if appropriate. A recommendation is made to strengthen the Council's consideration of such matters in future. The City Mayor supports this".

2) On Martin Vickers making `key decisions' above his station and there being no scrutiny by councillors or the Monitoring Officer (as Vickers was the Monitoring Officer), the Report concludes... "Had the Monitoring Officer's role been separate...then these governance issues may have been identified earlier and possibly prevented." So now, "the Council will consider the creation of an independent Monitoring Officer role and the appointment of a qualified solicitor to that post"...

3) On finding that "The agreement for the Council to pay the Salford City Reds match day costs up to the value of £164k was not formally recorded and therefore did not follow due process and ensure transparency in decision making", the Council is conveniently going to backdate the decision to make it legal. Or as the Report states, "A decision notice will be raised to cover the decision that was made in July 2013"...

...Meanwhile, the recommendation is that "the Chief Financial Officer should determine the best way to discharge the liability". In other words, the Council is going to carry on paying it.

The Salford Star does not think these recommendations go far enough. This is the biggest financial scandal to hit Salford Council in years. Services for some of the city's most vulnerable people were being axed while secret decisions behind closed doors were being made to, yet again, hand more money to Salford Reds rugby club.

It was only last week the Salford Star revealed that Salford Council loans to its joint venture Stadium now totalled over £1million for running costs, in addition to the £22million loan to build the structure (see here).

Now we learn that the Council, with the full knowledge of Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, and his Deputy Mayor, David Lancaster, was handing revenue from the Stadium that should have paid for match costs straight back to the rugby club to the tune of up to £164,000. And this in addition to previous rugby club loans of up to £1.5million taken on by Marwan Koukash that, according to latest draft Salford Council accounts to March 2014, have not had a penny paid off.

The Salford Star believes that this whole issue needs a full Public Inquiry and a police investigation into possible misuse of public money. In the meantime, Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, should resign with immediate effect.

* The Report will be discussed at the Council's Audit and Accounts Committee next Wednesday 27th August - read full report here

*See also previous Salford Star article - Martin Vickers Wins The Something Stinks In Salford award - click here

Update: 21st August

Anti Cuts campaigners demand answers from scandal hit Mayor - click here

UPDATE: 27th August - Watch the live Salford Star TV broadcast from the Audit Committee meeting - http://bambuser.com/channel/salfordstar

Shirley Jones wrote
at 14:15:11 on 24 August 2014

Can anyone please tell me why Martin Vickers was made a Company Director of Urban Vision?

DC wrote
at 19:14:51 on 22 August 2014

For the people by the people.If it is true get them out.

SALFORD BUSINESS OWNER wrote
at 19:14:17 on 22 August 2014

Just confirms what I have always known (been in business 35 years in the city) Salford Council is not fit for purpose and neither is the Mayor. Salford people were duped regarding the Mayor the majority who voted did not realise he would receive such an enormous salary. Demand the resignation of the major and his cronies use the money saved to reinstate services for the vulnerable in our city. How do these people sleep at night?

Verity Treacle wrote
at 13:31:10 on 22 August 2014

In response to Gareth L's comment (7:32 a.m. Thurs, Aug 21), the actions of Salford Council in this regard contravenes completely The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. The regulations were made by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (i.e. the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP) and came into force on 10th September 2012. The regulations are essentially there to ensure greater transparency and notification to the public of decisions to be made by local authorities. The legislation / regulations can be found at http://tinyurl.com/kwjb2yl. I'd suggest that seen as though Eric Pickles MP made the regulations, he might be an appropriate person to raise the matter with. He can be contacted at: eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov. uk. Love from Verity 'In the Know' Treacle x

wrote
at 10:30:27 on 22 August 2014

Joe, I'm perplexed about this senior labour politician you talk about-is it an MP or a Cllr? If its the former then as is often the case they will be a career politician who hasn't come up through the ranks and will have have very little knowledge or interest in the day to day running of councils. However if its the latter, and a SCC Cllr, a person locally elected, who is accountable the people living in HIS ward then they should have the guts to be named and tell it like it is. Cllrs hand wringing, chit chatting behind closed doors, doing things off the record is no way to run a City. Most people would take their silence as a sign of guilt. I would challenge every Cllr to respond to the concerns raised. By saying and doing nothing to address the questions raised we can only assume that the City Cllrs approve of the actions taken, thereby making them jointly culpable. Seemingly SCC is accountable to no-one these days

wrote
at 08:54:18 on 22 August 2014

Am I missing something? LIGGER-VICKERS GETS A STAFF CAR LOAN? 1.Is that a car to be used to discharge work related duties? 2.Or a private loan to a member of staff? 3.Do SCC have an equal opps policy to offer loans to all its employees? 4.What interest rate do SCC charge to obtain the best return for the Salford taxpayers? 5.Why wasn't the outstanding debt on the loan deducted immediately out of his severance pay? 6.ON HIS WAGE HE COULDNT BUY a car out of his own pocket? So, cheap or interest free car loan, probably no penalty charges for redemption of loan. WINNER=VICKERS LOSERS=SALFORD TAXPAYERS

White wrote
at 08:53:41 on 22 August 2014

It must be serious if the MEN is reporting on this scandal. Councillor Garrido is apparently seeking legal advice. Let us hope there are some legal avenues to take, for if they get away with it once they'll never stop.

Prisoner Irlam wrote
at 06:27:13 on 22 August 2014

As a Solicitor once advised, a right can of Worms!

wrote
at 18:23:26 on 21 August 2014

What's the bet that Vickers got an interest free car loan as well!

joe oneill wrote
at 13:32:36 on 21 August 2014

One question that baffles me is simple, where was the city treasurer and the Assistant Mayor tasked to oversee finance while this fiasco developed. Each month while I sat on Budget scrutiny we where offered reports each itemised the financial status of the council and we scrutinised accordingly are we saying the situation we today see was hidden from scrutiny? were representatives duly elected by Salford voters deprived of information they needed to make decisions on behalf of the people? why did the internal audit process set up to highlight this type of issue not pick up the problem? Today one Senior Labour Politician told me the stars reporting was selective I think not if the Mayor stays what next? why should we see cuts to those unable to fight go on while pet projects carry on draining funds from those in need, The choice is yours in 2015 but remember when your fruit is rotten you don't keep it surely it's time to buy fresh

wrote
at 13:32:25 on 21 August 2014

BREAKING NEWS!SECRET DEALS TOPPLE GOVT. Well it would if it happened in Westminster. So, lets get this straight. Stewart, Lancaster and Vickers the monitor okayed the £164k deal. One can only assume judging by the deafening silence on the matter coming from the Cllrs at the big house nobody else cares or is aware of the deal. No written record of the discussion anywhere to be found, that's ok then is it? Out of the blue 3 days later Vickers asks to leave. CEO Barbara Spicer out of the country or something. Less than a week later Vickers gets a pay off into his bank account. Vickers leaves SCC with a big cheque to take up his new position with Salford City Reds.

Gareth L wrote
at 13:32:16 on 21 August 2014

We have all these comments here, but who is willing to do anything about it? I.E. report them to the police. Can we even?

margaret wrote
at 11:23:01 on 21 August 2014

Life is a loud I wont send my son cause he only 16 last year he was only 15 wgen they wanted him to go to granville. My daughter is 18 and she gies to geanville.

wrote
at 10:07:40 on 21 August 2014

Verity Treacle has hit the nail on the head with her comments about Lancaster running the show. He is feared by Cllrs and officers alike, you wont find anyone willing to put their head above the parapet to challenge this head honchos decisions, they are all too fearful of being relegated or sidelined. On Lacasters watch, Bill Hinds was ousted as leader, John Merry, effectively abandoned to the ranks of the also rans, his goal of becoming an MP kicked further and further into the long grass. Then we come to the inexperienced clueless Stewart, totally reliant others. Who is sitting pretty having manoeuvred himself into the best ever position, with the "Im not in charge" get out of jail card? to pull out, you guessed Cllr Lancaster

Bernard Roberts wrote
at 10:07:36 on 21 August 2014

I agree he should go and would like an enquiry on Salford court building being sold to so wrong Thankyou Bernard

Verity'2 wrote
at 10:07:28 on 21 August 2014

The once comment that nails it is Verity Treacle's, this is the way of Salford Council, Lancaster's way or no-way. To give Credit to Ian the Mayor, he walked into this role knowing nothing of the legacy handed him from David Lancaster (& Merry), his trick was always hide behind the leader, last time John Merry, but to get his way all the time. The City Mayor has been tricked by David Lancaster,questions need to be asked of David Lancaster and his strangle hold on the City Mayor and Salford.

UoS wrote
at 10:07:08 on 21 August 2014

One would assume Mr Vickers will have his collar felt by the fuzz. Why am I not surprised to see Peel Holding's tentacles all over this one?

When will they listen????? wrote
at 06:38:15 on 21 August 2014

So Stewart is trying to blame council officers!!!! WTF if the decision that he knew about was not published on a decision notice then he is the fall guy for that, he has an obligation as head honcho to ensure such things happen. He could had just searched the council website to find the fact that the info wasn't there, then again maybe he did and he got pissed off like the rest of us that some things just seem SO hard to find. ...... What needs to happen now? Stewart needs to go and items dealt with under "part 2" need to be sanctioned by a scrutiny committee involving an equal number of members from all parties elected in Salford.

wrote
at 06:38:10 on 21 August 2014

After reading all of these fabulous comments, I'm not sure there is much more I can add to this story. What I can say is that the rest of Britain has also been hit with financial austerity, however you don't see other councils giving money away to a rugby club. I fail to understand the Salford Mayors statement when he says that he is, and always will do what is best for Salford and it's citizens. How can cutting vital services help an every growing, over developed city. Surely if your expanding a city, it makes sense to expand its services to cope with the expanding population. It certainly makes no sense to increase the size of a city, and decrease the size of the services. 1 in 4 people suffer within their lifetime, a form of mental health. Therefore common sense states that if you decrease the mental health services, they will not be able to cope. This means that we will go back to the late Edwardian, early Victorian times, where we locked up the mentally ill in prisons instead of taking care of them and rehabilitating them back into society. Closing day centres and restricting disabled travel to day centres means that most parents will have to provide 24 hour care for their disabled children, meaning that they will have to stay home, and give up work. So Mr. Mayor, please tell me how your decisions are helping and supporting the citizens of Salford?.

the bailiff wrote
at 06:37:54 on 21 August 2014

It's about bluddy time the Council starting bailing out the the real folk; all the poor victims of Iain Watsons other business ventures. Millions of pounds are still owed to local people for work carried out for Godliman and Watson. In the mean team the Watsons have started a new company Watson Construction, buying back all the old property which was taken into receivership, and it's now business as usual, leaving all their unpaid debts behind them. Absolutely disgusting.

Verity Treacle wrote
at 06:37:47 on 21 August 2014

As a person 'In the Know' when it comes financial matters of Salford Council, read between the lines. The City Mayor is a puppet and a patsy for the real villain - that is Deputy Mayor Councillor David Lancaster. He is behind every dodgy decision, he is Ian Stewart's bessie mate. Ian came from a national govt environment, very bubbled and isolated from local politics. Ian relies on David Lancaster, and decisions are made because it's David's decision - I should know, I've been in meetings with them both, and seen it in practice. It is widely rumoured at officer level, and I stress, RUMOURED, within the Council that David Lancaster is markedly less than kosher, particularly in matters relating to Social Housing which he and all his family have allegedly benefited from, when they wouldn't really have made top of the lists. Additionally, his affiliation with Urban Vision and insistence that construction contract work is put through them is seriously suspect - Urban Vision cannot ever demonstrate best value or value for money for the council. On the contrary, they rip off the council, by having no incentive to bring contract tender costs on budget, because their fees are based on contract price: get it? The bigger the contract price, the greater their fee; kerching. If you think this latter point is rumour, ask relevant people procuring construction contracts in the council - they will concur. The morale of the story: get to David Lancaster, you get to the Mayor. Lots of love - Verity Treacle (aka 'In the Know')

noreen wrote
at 06:37:34 on 21 August 2014

I thought I would be over the moon seeing this which I was at first but then I felt so sad just thinking that another human could treat someone less fortunate than themselves the way our most vulnerable people of Salford have been treated ,how on earth do we put our faith in any one when we see what this man has done and not one of his assistants have told him before now why are these people so greedy I will never understand them they are on extortionate wages with expence's for everything do you know in 34 yrs of fostering we have never even charged for petrol or anything because when our children come to us they become part of our family not an excuse to claim what we can and I cannot remember when I last had a nights sleep because my boys don't have a clock that tells them its night or day time ,many a night one of our boys will want to laugh shout bang the side of his bed just because he needs reassuring that we are there for him our other son just loves to sit up laughing lol which I can assure is so catching that whether we like it or not we end up laughing so loud lol I often wonder what our neighbours think the reason I am telling you this is just to say we do not have to be greedy to be happy because I don't have a lot of money like our mayor has but the love I have for my boys and the love they give us should be seen by these people and then start to realise that they are so lucky with the position they have been given

Salford boy wrote
at 06:35:10 on 21 August 2014

Palpable silence from three labour maps, Stringer, Blears and Keeley. Then nothing from 12 assistant mayors. These people call themselves the Labour pary! What a joke. Thank god for the Tories in this city who have exposed our allegedly corrupt Mayor and his Deputy.

mary ferrer wrote
at 19:25:05 on 20 August 2014

I have been saying for years and years that this council has been giving handouts any way they could to the Reds,Be it by buying leases for car parks that WE own anyway.Loans that are secured on a couple of Harold Riley paintings that are worth?? Loans that are secured by the directors but they never paid a penny back. How can Mr Mayor say he is for the people of this city. I was a public meeting when he was asked about the CRANES,he said he had to put the "PEOPLE OF SALFORD FIRST. Well he has a fine way of showning how he put the people of this city first.CUTS CUTS CUTS. And LOAN after LOAN to a private company.Plus all the LOANS to the Stadium to keep that afloat. Mr Mayor, Lancaster and Co need to be removed from this city. They don't care about the young,the old and the disabled of this city. If they did they wouldn't be handing out OUR money as if there was a money tree outside the civic.

shirley jones wrote
at 19:24:25 on 20 August 2014

Noreen's right, you are an absolute star!! This is disgraceful. How do they all sleep at night knowing that they have done this and yet have made such drastic cuts to valuable services that have severely affected the quality of life of some of the most vulnerable members in our community? Can a council be placed in Special Measures like schools and hospitals can be? How are they to be trusted! May I ask, can anyone check their accounts? Do we have to make an appointment? When you were looking did you see any mention of any finances to do with Lancashire County Cricket Club by any chance? Would be vey helpful to know that.

wrote
at 19:22:58 on 20 August 2014

To salford star. You may not be able to print these comments. But we all know they are true.

dave lindsay wrote
at 17:01:17 on 20 August 2014

I've commented before that something stank in those council offices, especially with their involvement with Peel Holdings. All those historic buildings, and that includes the iconic Blue Cranes, demolished and , suprise suprise flats put in there place. Now the Pomona Palace is under threat, if not already signed off for demolition. But Salfordians, who keeps voting these people back in time after time.....YOU!! I hope they get thoroughly investigated, by an independent authority.....and check the paper shredders!!

life is loud wrote
at 17:01:14 on 20 August 2014

Why wont you let your son go to Granville Margaret my friend works there and the over 18s that go there love it (they are adults after all) there are some very nice older ladies and gentlemen there too you should take advantage of it or at least give it a try.

margaret tunnacliffe wrote
at 14:20:46 on 20 August 2014

What can I say. We all new something wasn't right last year after plans went through to stop short break care for young children using the Grange the only place for children between the ages from 7-18 in Salford. Now comes the cuts for everything else that effects the vulnerable people of this City. Now we know why as a family we have no overnight respite for my son as I won't allow him to go to Granville(a respite mainly for adults) like other parents as they feel they have no option and now we are going to lose our transport for our daughter to. When this finally has the rubber stamp she will only be able to have respite in the school hoildays. I am glad this has come to light now and maybe something will be done.

Peter Tully Snr wrote
at 14:20:11 on 20 August 2014

Very happy for you IAN! Looks like you will be having a long holiday very soon. The room may be very small with only one window, a bed and a chair but at least you will have a toilet in your room. I am informed that the views are good. The big tower that you can see from your window was previously used for entertaining the public (something like what you try to do now), there are also views of rows of wholesale shops (featured recently in a T.V program for selling very cheap handbags that were branded with famous names). If you happen to pop out of your room you will see other holidaymakers who are likeminded and will make great friends. The holiday will be full board but there will be no alcohol available on site (but it is available if you have the correct currency). I am told that the leisure facilities are some of the best, but are only available for an hour per day. Hope you enjoy your holiday Ian and don't forget to send all your friends in Salford a card. xx

Michael Moulding wrote
at 14:19:29 on 20 August 2014

All going to plan! :)

Martin V wrote
at 11:07:58 on 20 August 2014

We should be call time on these lot. Stop paying your council tax, until Ian, Lancater and the 12 hangers on are all removed. We need a mass rally to end this. Why is white hall not doing anything about all these reports. Eric Pickles should be sending a team down to see whats going on.

noreen wrote
at 11:07:54 on 20 August 2014

Steve all through our plight we have stood sis by side to tell ian stewart and his assistant mayors how we feel we have never been unruly we have always shown respect even to the mayor and yes I totally agree on watching how we word things I have never knw any one make me so mad as this man has and he is the first person that has made me want to swear but it gets us no where and would only put us on their level it is so hard when we are so angry and stressed but look how far we have come b being civil I never thought for one mi I would be reading this and nothing has put a smile on my face as this has you know what they say all we have to do is wait ans things will all come to light and just tell ell every one how thank full I am that we have had all the kindness and support from our wonderful SALFORdS PEOPLE we haven't lost yet

Salford Star wrote
at 09:17:18 on 20 August 2014

Please can we ask commenteers to refrain from including stuff that includes words like `corrupt', `lining pockets' etc which could be perceived as libel. We can't post half the comments that have come in!!! Cheers

em3 wrote
at 09:14:17 on 20 August 2014

Incredible! They're so busy talking (foot)balls they have forgotten that they are accountable to US - the people who pay these fat cats when the money should be used to look after vulnerable people.

Rachel wrote
at 09:02:58 on 20 August 2014

They have made fools of us all and left a lot of vulnerable people and their families well and truly stressed out! It is absolutely scandalous what has been going on for some time now so this really is brilliant news, time to get your coat & jog on Stewart and cronies....

THIS IS DISGUSTING!!! wrote
at 08:51:48 on 20 August 2014

Why has Salfords Mayor not walked over this??? If any other council employee did anything wrong they would face disciplinary and be sacked!!! How can such vital rules not be adhered to when such MASSIVE amounts of money are involved!!! I am appauled and disgusted!!! Now where is the brush and mat for this to be swept under by the powers that be???? Perhaps I will buy one and leave it on the town hall steps!!! This is an absolute disgrace!!!

noreen wrote
at 08:51:42 on 20 August 2014

Steve I love you your a star please let this be followed up we have hoped for something like this to come to light justice has to be done because for some one that promises to look after the most needy in one breath and then take everything that should be our most vulnerable's important services away leaving them with nothing that alone should be investigated ian stewart was supposed to look after and fight for Salford and he let us down on all accounts I thank you Steve for having the guts to stand with us and show everyone how corrupt this man is regards noreen

Anthony Dowd wrote
at 08:50:15 on 20 August 2014

TRULY sickening acts by Salford City Council, led by..... Salford City Mayor! Secret loan agreements signed by Martin Vickers to the Salford Red Devils - who THEN conveniently gets a job there. The loans BREACH guidelines, but then the council BACKDATE to agreements to make them SEEM 'legal'. The person meant to scrutiny the deal from Vickers....Vickers! Vickers' payoff breaching guidleines. Koukash NOT the saviour he appears to be? £164k PER MATCH at the same time as families of DISABLED PEOPLE are being DESTROYED by the SAVAGE. cuts. You have NO shame. ian stewart, you are a DISGRACE You are not fit to lick the boots of Salfordians and should RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.

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article: PAUL HOUGHTON BRINGING MOSAICS AND TAPE ART TO SALFORD

	Hi Paul I hope you are well, please can you tell me how much it would be to have the George Best Mosaic made? Indeed if you are st... [more]

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	Days	Hours	Minutes	Seconds
THE SALFORD STAR COUNTDOWN TO NEXT REFERENDUM ON GETTING RID OF THE MAYORAL SYSTEM IN SALFORD: 26TH JANUARY 2022

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SALFORD STAR CLOSES AFTER 15 YEARS WITH ATTITUDE AND LOVE XXX

Star date: 17th May 2021
SALFORD STAR – 15 YEARS OF ATTITUDE AND LOVE XXX
The Salford Star closes tonight after 15 years of giving the community a voice, holding power to account and bigging up all the great things that have happened in the city.
Thousands of people in Salford have been involved in one way or another with the Star and we'd like to thank them all. Salford is a very special city and, hopefully, we've given it a very special community publication.
For the final curtain click here...

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE: HOW SALFORD COUNCIL TRIED TO BLOCK AND DISCREDIT THE STAR

Star date: 17th May 2021
THREATS, LIES, FEAR AND LOATHING IN SALFORD...
Today, the Salford Star shuts down but we write this article as a warning to others who may follow on the pitfalls of founding a genuine publication that aims to give the community a voice and hold public bodies up to account.
They will try to discredit you, block information and shut you down. Here the Salford Star editor, Stephen Kingston, looks at how democracy perished badly under the Salford mayoral system.
Full details here...

SALFORD HAS 7 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES AS RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED

Star date: 17th May 2021
A WHIFF OF FREEDOM AS RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED
Salford has 7 new coronavirus cases, down from the previous day's 14, while the seven day rate per 100,000 population now stands at 30.1, down from 30.9. There have been no new virus-related deaths announced by Salford Royal Hospital.
Today sees restrictions eased and the first whiff of freedom in over a year. It's also the final coronavirus bulletin from the Salford Star which is closing. Here we look back over 14 months of the pandemic and the absolute communication failings of Salford City Council and its City Mayor.
Full details here...

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE: HOW SALFORD COUNCIL TRIED TO STOP THE STAR

Star date: 16th May 2021
THEY WILL TRY TO DISCREDIT YOU...TO BLOCK YOU, TO SHUT YOU DOWN
We are almost at the final closure of the Salford Star but we write this article as a warning to others who may follow on the pitfalls of founding a genuine publication that aims to give the community a voice and hold public bodies up to account.
They will try to discredit you, block information and shut you down. In South America they just blow up the offices of journalists that don't play the game. Here they just financially assassinate you...
Full details here...

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE – GUY GRIFFITHS ON THE HUMAN COST OF PATHFINDER DEMOLITIONS

Star date: 16th May 2021
THE HUMAN COST OF REGENERATION
The Griffiths brothers of Higher Broughton are kind of infamous as the only people to be forcefully evicted from their house as part of the Pathfinder 'housing market renewal' project during the first decade of the 21st Century.
Here, Guy Griffiths, now living in 'sunny' north Wales and one of the main inspirations for the Salford Star's creation, writes the second part his own personal view of the Government project that devastated communities throughout Central Salford.
Full details here...

written and produced by Salfordians for Salfordians
with attitude and love xxx