MIKE Storey was today put in charge of Liverpool’s regeneration.
The former leader of the city council takes over the key role seven months before Capital of Culture as part of a reshuffle of the town hall’s top table.
Council leader Warren Bradley has taken immediate action after his party’s disappointing local election results two weeks ago.
He has seized responsibility of overseeing the final preparations for the 2008 celebrations, and moved Cllr Storey into the regeneration role held for nine years by Cllr Peter Millea.
Cllr Bradley has also appointed a new executive board member, Cllr Colin Eldridge, who has been given the daunting job of tackling Liverpool’s anti-social behaviour problems.
The reshuffle was confirmed at a private Liberal Democrat meeting last night, and appears to send out a clear message that the group is determined to halt Labour’s rebirth in the city.
Labour took five seats off the Lib Dems on May 3, reducing their town hall majority to just 12.
The rival party today questioned Cllr Storey’s continued role on the board, 18 months after he stood down as council leader after his part in an e-mails scandal which rocked the town hall.
Cllr Bradley said: “It is healthy for executive members to move around so they get a broad overview of what is going elsewhere in the council.”
Cllr Millea will now take over the central services portfolio. The rest of the executive board remains the same.
Opposition leader Joe Anderson said: “Cllr Storey keeping a senior role is a slap in the face for people who want to maintain standards.”
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