I'm a long-serving councillor and I was pressured by ex-boss to scrap £32m Birkenhead Market plans

Cllr Andrew Hodson, an independent Conservative councillor for Heswall, contacted the LDRS after it reported recent comments made by Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Kelly. Cllr Kelly had suggested leading councillors in Labour and the Conservatives had glared at their colleagues at a March 2024 regeneration meeting to put pressure on them in order to release £4m.

This £4m was then diverted from Birkenhead Market proposals without committee approval towards controversial works taking up most of Birkenhead town centre. That scheme was over budget from the beginning but the overspend has shot from £4m to £12m prompting an investigation.

Cllr Hodson, who left the Conservatives earlier this year alongside two colleagues amid claims of a bullying culture, said he had been pressured over the vote by his then-leader Cllr Jeff Green. Cllr Green said Hodson “had every opportunity to raise his views formally and informally.”

The row revolves around a March 27 2024 meeting where previous £31.6m plans to build a brand new Birkenhead Market on the town’s former House of Fraser were scrapped and a move to a former Argos rubber-stamped. Conservatives voted with Labour in favour of the Argos plans against the wishes of traders, despite promising before the meeting they would be on their side.

Questions were raised during the meeting by Conservative councillor Andrew Gardner but he was told by Labour councillor Tony Jones “not to debate with officers.” Cllr Hodson was also told he was “bang out of order” for asking for assurances from a consultant.

Cllr Hodson now claims he was “instructed to vote for this decision despite my misgivings that the Argos site was unsuitable for numerous reasons.” He also claims he was made to tell Cllr Gardner to vote the same way with Cllr Green watching.

He told the LDRS: “It was obvious that both Cllr Green and the [then] Labour leader Paul Stuart were working in tandem to ensure the committee reached the decision that they wanted to achieve so monies saved could be diverted to other projects in the regeneration programme.

“It was obvious by their demeanour and presence at the committee meeting when they sat at the rear of the room, they intended to intimidate us in voting in the way we had been instructed.”

Before this, Cllr Hodson said he was sidelined and Cllr Green was meeting with officers “keeping me out of the loop intentionally,” adding he raised concerns about the direction of regeneration with leaders and Chief Executive Paul Satoor.

Cllr Hodson claimed he then had a one on one meeting with Mr Satoor, adding: “I explained to him I was not receiving the information I had been requesting about current projects, the costs and the details of projects moving forward.

He said: “I was given assurances that things would improve and that he as CEO was taking control of the regeneration programme personally. From that date the situation worsened.”

Mr Satoor has been off work since June, with one councillor claiming he is on sick leave. His role is being covered by acting chief executive Jason Gooding, though the LDRS understands the council is currently looking for an interim.

Cllr Gardner told the LDRS: “We have had various attempts of redevelopment in the hopes of regenerating Birkenhead. Clearly that hasn’t happened.

“As a committee member we were charged with being receptive to the officer’s recommendations and not trying to be purposefully negative or take political positions. That is as far as it goes for me, however the record is clear that I have consistently questioned the direction and outcomes with regard to the strategic vision.”

Cllr Green in response to Cllr Hodson’s comments said: “It is disappointing that Cllr. Hodson continues to seek to make this about his relations with me, instead of the more important issue as to why regeneration has, for years, been failing to deliver the results we all want. As the longstanding former vice chair of the committee, Cllr. Hodson had every opportunity to raise his views formally and informally.

“However, if Councillor Hodson has any concerns about my conduct on this or any other issue, he should be well aware how to raise those concerns, not least from his former role as chief whip of the Conservative group.”

Wirral Council and Cllr Paul Stuart were both approached for comment.