The 48-year-old outlined he had concerns upon Casemiro's arrival but the Man United ace has since quelled his fears. Manchester council suspend senior town hall manager over corruption Test yourself with these 12 questions, Do you know your local leaders from your Manchester suburbs? Amnesty said the treatment of the 94 in the United Arab Emirates, where Sheikh Mansour al-Nahyan's family, rulers of the richest emirate, Abu Dhabi, are dominant, "shows the authorities' determination to crush any form of dissent". "All men are born free, equal and independent of each other," Hunt had declared before the forces charged. This is being done in line with the councils standard procedures. A massive fraud scheme spanning some three years at the Manchester Municipal Corporation has this afternoon resulted in the conviction of 5 persons including former local government officials. Man United were heavily linked with a move for Dutch attacker Cody Gakpo prior to his move to Liverpool in January. They were understood to include the 14m Bow Street site in Moss Side, along with a 6m school renovation project at Southern Cross primary in Chorlton. "That should be of concern to football supporters as well as human rights organisations. Beth Abbit, editor of the M.E.N's Mancunian Way newsletter, puts readers to the test, Tragedy as woman, 31, dies on way home from work as nightclub shot girl, Kelsey Stuttard, from Cheadle, suffered catastrophic injuries in the 3am smash, 'Hold my hands up' - Graeme Souness admits he got it wrong about Manchester United star Lisandro Martinez, The Argentinian was picked apart following defeat at Brentford but has since been a revelation in red, 'I witnessed my first murder aged 11 and I was stabbed and left for dead - now I fight gang culture', Mark, from Moss Side, became a victim himself after leaving prison for armed robbery. Report of: Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer / Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management Summary It is the role of the Audit Committee "to obtain assurance over the Council's corporate governance and risk management arrangements, the control environment and associated anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements". I took it online and made 25k', Jasmine Shum turned to Instagram after she was banned from selling her creations in the playground, How well do you really know Greater Manchester? We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Mitch Englander: Envelopes Of Cash And A Guilty Plea. 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Dine wrote that the British government has followed the trial closely, and the foreign secretary, William Hague, had: "Raised the importance of ensuring the human rights of all Emirati citizens are fully respected. Theyre toxic, even today. Professor Munroe says hes confident that todays verdict will have a positive impact on Jamaicas standing on the Corruption Perception Index. I must admit - Nicky Butt concedes he was wrong about Manchester United hero Casemiro. The Premier League rejected that proposal but says it does ask the government about owners and will have been told that the UAE is a trusted ally. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The people of Liverpool deserve better we might not like our politicians but we need to be able to trust them, he said on Friday. And who can forget the. On 10 June 2012, another Emirati, Saud Kulaib, tweeted that Suweidi was "being exposed to severe torture under the supervision of a high official". One of those who could benefit from an exodus of Labour voters is Stephen Yip, a Liverpool-born charity founder who has promised to give away his salary if elected as mayor. A Liverpool Echo poll of thousands of their readers found that 69% intended to change their vote in the impending council and mayoral elections. "I, with another person, initiated the petition, then I was subjected to a smear campaign, arrested for comments deemed to be insulting to the president, and put in jail," he said. As they include middle-aged, educated people, they say it is ridiculous to accuse them of believing they could overthrow the regime, given the wealth,might and security apparatus of the UAE. Established in 2011 to prevent clubs spending more than they earned and getting into financial problems which might threaten their long-term survival, FFP originally limited clubs to losses of 26m over a three-year period. You side with the Tories, youve slept with the devil. The police investigation into the case is still ongoing. Its findings led Merseyside police to launch Operation Aloft, under which 11 people have been arrested over allegations ranging from fraud to witness intimidation. Manchester City Council | Manchester - Facebook The defendants, who include lawyers, teachers and academics, say this was a crackdown by an increasingly authoritarian state, after they voiced valid criticisms of the regime, calling for more democracy and freedom of speech. A senior town hall manager has been suspended amid claims of corruption. Quite the opposite. Six of the 94 detainees finally appeared before a judge in Abu Dhabi on 6 September 2012 and were reported by HRW and Amnesty to have appeared "dishevelled, disoriented and distressed". %PDF-1.4 Amnesty and HRW said "local activists believe a forced confession from Suweidi forms the basis of the prosecution's case in the trial". Sheikh Mansour bought City in 2008, and has since spent around 1bn of the fortune he wields as a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, principally to buy and pay the multimillion-pound wages of footballers to make City successful. What is not yet fully known is how much of this Uefa was already aware of, and how much it really cares. Uefa is now under mounting pressure to act again and demonstrate that such apparent disregard for its rules cannot be tolerated. With their team the reigning Premier League champions, top of the league, and known for playing some of the best football that the English game has seen, most City supporters will refuse to allow allegations that their club deceived Uefa over financial fair play (FFP) rules to detract from pride in their club. Trusted News Discovery Since 2008. New heat on Man City in cash cheat probe as Football Leaks hacker set The police are also investigating after the case was referred to them by council chiefs. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? He became leader in May 1996, a month before the IRA planted a huge bomb outside the Manchester Arndale shopping centre, which was timed to coincide with the Euro 96 football tournament. If they are authentic - (and Der Spiegel insist that their source - purportedly the founder of the Football Leaks whistleblower website - has assured them that he did not hack or steal the documents) - then many will inevitably conclude that they do not reflect well on the club, and raise serious questions over its integrity and its respect for the rules. Only a minority of the UAE population has any kind of vote, the ruling families have been in charge for centuries, and in 2013 it remains a crime to criticise the rulers, belong to a trade union or form any organisation not licensed by the regime. "I am a liberal secularist and do not belong to any religious group," Mansoor told the Guardian. "All men are. Critics argued it was a restrictive and crude attempt to entrench the status quo, favouring the established clubs with the biggest incomes, and making life difficult for ambitious challengers, contributing to a lack of competition in some leagues. Sign up to the MySalford newsletter to keep up with what's happening in and around the city. We could be completely cut out, said one source. Something went wrong, please try again later. On 26 June, Amnesty and HRW issued their most serious statement on the case, detailing allegations of "systematic" torture, based on hand-written letters smuggled out of the jails. As our inquiries at a very early stage, we are not in a position to release any further information., A source added: Were confident we run a clean ship which is why were really pleased that people have been comfortable enough to come forward, meaning an investigation is now taking place., A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: GMP is investigating allegations made about a council officer. While Arsenal, United and Chelsea are nearing the start of this Premier League season still publicly talking about bids for big-name players, City have quietly spent 87m on four stars for the new manager, Manuel Pellegrini. The Labour politician oversaw a landmark period in the city's history, including the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. Anna Connell, vicar's daughter at St Mark's church, Gorton. A report to the Labour-run council said while government funding for 2022/23 was . Three former officials at the Manchester Municipal Corporation and two of their co-accused have been convicted for their roles in a fraud scheme that fleeced the local government authority approximately $400 million. Amnesty and HRW have stated that they believe torture is "a systematic practice" in Abu Dhabi and UAE state security jails, and that complaints that these men were tortured, including to extract confessions, have not been investigated. 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Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The UAE authorities argue it was not the petition itself that led to those posting it being arrested but the continued criticism with which they followed it up. Back then, Labour managed to hold on to its control of the council partly by expelling Militant members but today the public mood seems more perilous. In addition to Bokhari, Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt, Councilman James Mitchell, and Councilman Dimple Ajmera sat on the committee. No arrests have been made. At the first court hearing on 4 March 2013 in Abu Dhabi, Amnesty and HRW reported that several defendants told the judge they had been "seriously ill-treated during months in detention". What Der Spiegel's revelations claim to have shown for the first time however is how it was done, and the extent of the alleged deception. He has been suspended while a full investigation is carried out. There is almost a personification of the values we hold as Abu Dhabi, with the values of the club and the values we would like to stick to. GB was not and still is not implicated in Terry Burkes suspension and we have worked with Manchester council to help with their enquiries and have responded in great detail to every question asked by their audit committee.. They described prolonged solitary confinement, hooding, sleep deprivation and being subjected to extremes of temperatures. Pastor, who says he is innocent and refuses to quit council, is charged with 10 felony counts, including bribery, extortion, money laundering and wire fraud in two pay-to-play schemes. Ann Marie Grainger, Parish Judge, speaking today while delivering the verdict via live audio stream. I took it online and made 25k', Jasmine Shum turned to Instagram after she was banned from selling her creations in the playground, How well do you really know Greater Manchester? In Plain Sight: A Councilman's Corruption - Charlotte Citizen Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. 2023 BBC. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, 'No one told me it wasn't normal to be hospitalised for period pains. Remember that as far back as 2014, Uefa had concerns over the value of City's shirt and stadium sponsorship with airline Etihad, and deals from image rights and intellectual property. A team of Whitehall commissioners has been sent to oversee large parts of the dysfunctional council for at least three years an unprecedented step for a city its size while Labour has ordered an investigation into what went wrong. The Cunard building, on the Liverpool waterfront, is home to the city councils administration. Analysis: Man City stained by scandal, mired in uncertainty Eighteen months ago, the Independent newspaper claimed that City was making millions of pounds from image rights deals, three years after saying they were forfeiting that income to secure a lump sum to help comply with the FFP rules. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The Premier League club, though, have unquestionably become the most prominent global projection of Abu Dhabi itself, sponsored by four state-owned companies: the airline Etihad, the telecommunications company Etisalat, the investment company Aabar and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. He was knighted in 2006, a year before Manchester International Festival was established to showcase new works by artists from across the world. stream Nor will claims - however concerning - that executives ignored internal warnings about the reputational risk of striking a sponsorship deal with a Dubai-based construction company accused of mistreating migrant workers, and that a director sought to delay a response to a Freedom of Information request from a respected human rights expert over a commercial deal with the city council, have spoiled the fans' enjoyment of yet another convincing victory. His wife, Tasha-Gaye Golbourne Elliot was found guilty of two counts. City supporters are used to such scrutiny of course. Both Amnesty and HRW say none of that has happened. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. A club transformed by lavish investment in part to promote the emirate of Abu Dhabi on the world stage is damaged by deceptions in the. At the 4 March hearing, Suweidi had reportedly told the judges: "I know that what I'm going to say may cost my life but I deny the charges and I ask the court to protect my life and the life of my family.". Visit our website at www.manchester.gov.uk Analysis: Political fallout could cost Labour the citys mayoralty and votes in Mays local elections, It was a devastating indictment of one of Britains most powerful councils: a rotten culture of dubious contracts and backroom bullying, where staff were silenced and official records dumped in skips. Judge Grainger over the period reviewed the Crowns allegations and case and the defendants unsworn statements. The 48-year-old outlined he had concerns upon Casemiro's arrival but the Man United ace has since quelled his fears. Sir Richard Leese: Manchester City Council boss to quit after 25 years 8 September 2021 Getty Images Sir Richard Leese was elected to the city council in 1984 The leader of Manchester City. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. So far the claims of financial malpractice fall into two broad categories; firstly, that sponsorship deals were artificially inflated and not valued fairly or independent (as City previously insisted), with tens of millions of pounds thought to have been paid by commercial partners, actually coming directly and discreetly from the club's owner. A Third Member of the Cincinnati City Council Is Charged With Corruption In March 2011, five Emiratis posted a petition addressed to Sheikh Khalifa, the UAE president. 3,198 were here. into City's finances, threatening to lodge a complaint with the EU competition authorities. ", This condemnation of the UAE for a crackdown on citizens criticising the ruling regime is relatively recent. We have known since 2014, when City reluctantly accepted a settlement with Uefa that included a 49m fine (two-thirds of which was suspended and avoided) along with restrictions on their European. It does not store any personal data. "I lost my job, I have been beaten up twice, so I am paying a high price. Elected officials in Detroit face a widening federal public corruption Manchester City Council has a zero tolerance approach to fraud and illegal activity. GB has now carried out and completed its own probe, in line with the ongoing police and council investigation, the M.E.N. Former Councilmen Jose Huizar and Mark Ridley-Thomas face criminal charges for racketeering and bribery, respectively. The accounts tallied with previous allegations of torture that HRW had reported in September, along with the alleged disappearance of one of the 94, Ahmed alSuweidi. Manchester City Council is facing a 153m budget shortfall over the next three years, councillors have heard. It is showing the world the true essence of what Abu Dhabi is about. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. But I feel I must talk. And secondly, that City under a scheme called Project Longbow set up a shell company to pay players for image rights, saving millions more from the wage bill. Announcing his resignation, he said his "commitment to the city and the city region remains undiminished". The City Council's constitution describes the four basic elements through which the council operates: the Council, the Executive, Overview and Scrutiny, and the Committees. Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. As reported in the M.E.N. She ruled that Elliot and his co-conspirators, Harris and Roberts, were all guilty of conspiracy to defraud. Elliot was also found guilty of three counts of engaging in transactions that involved criminal property. Nobody has been suspended as a result. Manchester council has launched an investigation and called in the police after allegations were made against . <> "His oversight of the transformation of our city - in so many different ways - leaves a huge and powerful legacy that will be unmatched for a very, very long time. Sheikh Khalifa, Zayed's oldest son, one of Mansour's half-brothers by a different wife, is the UAE president, said to be ailing in health. Yip, a former Labour member who left the party 20 years ago, said he had been shocked by the lack of contrition this week from some of those leading the council over the past five years: Has one of them had the decency to hold their hands up and say sorry? Now I finally have relief from endometriosis', Police searching for wanted teen over a 'serious assault', Heywood: Man wanted on suspicion of violent crimes, Water company issues update after pipe bursts in Bolton, Relaunch of Sing! A senior town hall manager has been suspended amid claims of corruption. 5'(4I'zh4,l+!{E9. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thursday, March 2, 2023. Sibblies has also been found guilty of conspiracy to defraud. Whistleblowing - Manchester City Council At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. HRW made specific reference to Manchester City, arguing that ownership of the Premier League club is enabling Abu Dhabi to "construct a public relations image of a progressive, dynamic Gulf state, which deflects attention from what is really going on in the country". No-one was killed in the explosion although many people were injured. Corporate Services. Manchester Fraud Trial | Former municipal officials found guilty, mom PDF Manchester City Council Report for Information Council boss is sacked after corruption probe - Manchester Evening News Amnesty said the trial showed "a deeply flawed judicial system" at odds with the "global image the UAE likes to project of itself as an efficient, forward-thinking country, which in many ways it is". Elliot and his co-conspirators Harris and Roberts were also found guilty of an act of corruption. But crucially, nor have they denied they are genuine. On 2 July, at the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi, 69 of the 94 were found guilty of plotting to overthrow the regime. The UAE authorities have maintained there was due process and a fair trial. Manchester City is run by Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the chairman, a senior Abu Dhabi government and business figure, who works principally for Sheikh Mohammed. HRW expressed concerns that the families of most of those arrested did not know where they were for months, and warned there is a close relationship between prisoners held incommunicado and mistreatment. Mubarak accompanied Sheikh Mohammed to that meeting. While being found not guilty in relation to the ownership of his home, Elliot was found guilty of four other counts of possession of criminal property. Zayed distributed wealth to the wider population and, although democracy has always been outlawed, he famously talked of gradually introducing voting rights: "Moving towards a parliamentary, integrated and comprehensive system in a society liberated from fear.". "When a prospective takeover is from overseas we confirm that those involved are legally permitted to invest in this country," a Premier League spokesman said, "and, when appropriate, seek the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.". Sir Richard was involved in the consequent transformation of the city, which had already been selected to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. PDF Manchester City Council Report for Resolution GB Building Solutions assists in Manchester city council corruption Instead of an anti-Tory backlash, the drama has reprised memories of Liverpools political pariah status in the mid-1980s when Hattons Militant-led council plunged the city into near-bankruptcy. One of the most persistent, Ahmed Mansoor, was kept in jail for eight months before being sentenced to three years in prison for criticising the regime. 2:16. Since then, Sir Richard has also been involved in the response to the coronavirus pandemic and was a critic of the government's handling of regional lockdowns last autumn. La Liga's condemnation of City and PSG will therefore be viewed in that context. And who can forget the 2015 corruption scandal that brought Fifa to its knees? We have known since 2014, when City reluctantly accepted a settlement with Uefa that included a 49m fine (two-thirds of which was suspended and avoided) along with restrictions on their European squad and incoming transfers, that the club were found to have breached the FFP rules. Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer, the rules and procedures to be followed by the Council and committees when conducting their business, the decision making powers of the Executive and of Committees, the scheme of delegation to chief officers, details about key roles, including Head of Paid Service (our, the rights of the public to inspect reports and background documents, codes of conduct for councillors and employees. Bribery and campaign finance violations are central to the claims. An engineer who studied at the University of Colorado and lived in the US for seven years, when Mansoor returned to his native UAE he found itslack of democracy and freedom of speech stifling. In a UK and Europe again in economic depression after the banking collapse, the real wealth from the oil and gas-rich Gulf states is eagerly sought, not only in football. Fraud ii. This is not to say that we should not care of course, or that the media should stop asking tough questions. In Manchester at the "Peterloo Massacre" of 1819, 11 people were killed and 600 injured by cavalry when attending a speech by Henry Hunt, a campaigner for adults to have the vote. La Liga are leading the calls for a fresh investigation into City's finances, threatening to lodge a complaint with the EU competition authorities. In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Sir Richard said he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren, adding: "I don't want to do 60-hour weeks and 12-hour days.". These examples are entirely unrelated to Der Spiegel's current revelations, but it is increasingly hard to be shocked when it comes to football and money. Man City: How damaging are the Football Leaks allegations? The Constitution is made up of seven parts: If you require any help or advice on the Constitution please contact us at committee.services@manchester.gov.uk. Now I finally have relief from endometriosis', Hannah Bingham spent years suffering from the condition, Price stamps to rise next month - pushing first class above 1, Gogglebox star Ellie reveals gender of her baby in sweet scenes, The mum-to-be is expecting her first child, Police searching for wanted teen over a 'serious assault', Calum McManus, 18, is being sought over an alleged attack in Heywood yesterday, 'The man was a legend' - Tributes paid to man who died after being hit by digger at industrial estate, Hundreds of people have paid tribute to John Graveson on Facebook following the tragedy, Shoppers flock to buy 2.50 'game changing' item that solves G, Lidl and Aldi pot hoarding problem, The item is one of many ways you can upcycle and reuse your old dessert ramekins, Cody Gakpo opens up on Manchester United ahead of Liverpool FC clash. Man United were heavily linked with a move for Dutch attacker Cody Gakpo prior to his move to Liverpool in January. Whistleblowing - Manchester City Council Whistleblowing This form has a maximum of 4 pages Use this form to report any serious concerns you have about malpractice or wrongdoing in the. Mayor and City Council react to third corruption arrest - WCPO No. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. has learned. The games boosted the city's international profile and kick-started the transformation of East Manchester, involving the construction of the stadium which is now home to Manchester City FC. So far it has refused to comment "due to confidentiality obligations" which it says must be respected, and it may well conclude that its own rules do not allow for City to be sanctioned for a second time after the 2014 settlement. Meanwhile, in handing down her judgement, Judge Grainger found Elliot guilty of 17 of the 25 counts brought by the Crown. Please don't include any personal or financial information, for example your National Insurance or credit card numbers. Liverpool council may have squandered up to 100m of public money, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The petition expressed profound respect for Khalifa and the Federal Supreme Council, the law-making organ of state run by the seven emirates' ruling families.