POLICE last night said they did not believe a controversial weblog about Liverpool City Council and its staff was breaking any laws. The so-called "Liverpool-evil-cabal" website had become compulsive reading among council staff and many of the city's key movers and shakers, as it contained allegations about senior council staff. This led to Liverpool Direct, which runs computer website servers on behalf of the council, blocking access to the site, meaning it could no longer be accessed at work by council staff, councillors and visitors to internet rooms at public libraries and one-stop shops. The council said it ordered the action because the website had caused "distress and anger" by making allegations about individual council staff. And yesterday it emerged that new chief executive Colin Hilton had asked the police to investigate the origins of the site. Last night, Merseyside Police said it had not begun a full investigation, and had only assessed the allegations so far. A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: "Following several complaints about the contents of a weblog, police began assessing the website for alleged offences. "The initial assessment has concluded that no offences have been committed." Since Mr Hilton's announcement, council leader Warren Bradley has demanded to know why the council was blocking access to sites that people could still access on their own computers. In his communication, issued through the council intranet, a site closed to the general public, Mr Hilton revealed the council had gathered evidence which was helping to identify the mystery author of the blog. Mr Hilton said in his letter of explanation to council staff: "You will probably be aware that some weeks ago an internet blog site was set up to run a series of libellous articles in a journalistic format. "The initial targets for its malicious activity were senior officers of the council, but over time references have been made to a wider number of staff, causing both distress and anger." The phrase "evil cabal" first emerged in a series of emails between the former leader of the city council, Mike Storey, and the head of the council's media department, Matt Finnegan, who is currently suspended. The council spin-doctor has been away from his office on full pay since April last year as part of an investigation into a series of emails between him and Cllr Storey in which there was evidence of a plot to smooth the exit of Sir David Henshaw from his post as chief executive. Mr Finnegan is due to fight for his reinstatement to his Dale Street office at an internal disciplinary hearing next month. alanweston@dailypost.co.uk | 
News RSS Feed