 A HIGH-PROFILE member of Liverpool’s culture company board today called for it to be scrapped. Phil Redmond said the board should be wound up in the wake of the Mathew Street festival fiasco. The former Mersey TV boss said the board’s responsibilities should be passed back to Liverpool council and a scaled-down team set up to review and support the delivery of the 08 festival. He will outline his views at their September meeting and plans, along with other members, to make a formal proposal for it to be dissolved. He said: “It is only an advisory board for a council-run operation. If its advice is neither sought, or listened to, I don’t think there is a point in it. “The problems with the Mathew Street festival are symptomatic of the whole thing. “I don’t want to be involved in just a talking shop. I’m the type of person who likes to get things done. “The board itself should now be dissolved and it should be handed back to the council. There are a few of us of the same mind.” Mr Redmond, CBE, said a scaled-down version of the board should be set-up instead to focus solely on cultural events for 2008. He said: “I say this with a smile on my face as well, but maybe we should have a few more Scousers on the scaled-down group.” “What is needed is proper support for the excellent people who are doing fantastic things. With that in mind we should have some kind of audit to work out where we are and what we can achieve.” Council leader Warren Bradley confirmed he was asked by the board to investigate an alternative way of overseeing the 2008 programme. He is now due to meet Culture Company chairman Drummond Bone to thrash out a way forward. Cllr Bradley, himself a board member, said: “I question, as do other members of the culture board, whether it should revert to the council, with myself becoming ultimately responsible and a smaller artistic advisory group set up to oversee the programme.” The board’s members are: Prof Drummond Bone (chairman) - vice chancellor of University of Liverpool Cllr Warren Bradley - leader of Liverpool Council Sir Bob Scott - international director of Liverpool Culture Company Loyd Grossman - chairman of Culture North West and National Museums Liverpool Susan Woodward - managing director of ITV-Granada Tony Wilson (company secretary) - senior partner of Hill Dickinson Tom Bloxham - chairman, Arts Council England North West Cllr Mike Storey - Liverpool Council Louise Ellman - Riverside MP Ruth Gould - North West Disability Arts Forum creative director Bryan Gray - Northwest Development Agency chairman Roy Morris - The Mersey Partnership chairman Phil Redmond - Mersey Film and ICDC chairman Roger Phillips - BBC Radio Merseyside presenter ITS advisors are: Jason Harborow - chief executive of Liverpool Culture Company Colin Hilton - chief executive of Liverpool Council Neil Scales - chief executive of Merseytravel Mick Elliot - chief executive of Royal Liverpool Philharmoni
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