VICTORY FOR MULLANEY OVER MOSELEY ROAD BATHS LEAK

21-03-2008

Birmingham councillor Martin Mullaney has been vindicated after leaking confidential information about Moseley Road swimming baths on this website. He’s been told he won’t face censure by the city’s chief legal officer Mirza Ahmad.

Last December, The Stirrer led a campaign to get a £300,000 consultants report into the future of the Grade 2* listed pools made public (see link here).

Although Council officials originally said it wouldn’t be released until later in 2008, they eventually relented once we started putting the key facts into the public domain (see link here).

Mullaney then weighed in by clarifying some of the figures we’d obtained – and he was promptly warned that he faced an investigation (see link here)

Now Mirza Ahmad has written confirming that no further action will be taken.

He said: “I have now heard from the relevant solicitor looking into the issues of the alleged breach of confidential information and come to my own conclusions on the matter.

“I write to confirm that, on this occasion, I am satisfied that your ‘rough figures’ have not resulted in the release of confidential information covered by the Code of Conduct for Members or the Freedom of Information Act.”

And a good thing too. It would be ludicrous to punish a councillor for giving the electorate access to information they have paid for and which should have been in the public domain anyway.

The news is still a relief to Mullaney who was censured – along with Lib Dem colleague Ernie Hendricks last week – for making a youtube video exposing the poor state of the old tram depot in Moseley.

Hendricks is refusing to apologise and will serve a month’s suspension.

Mullaney told The Stirrer last night that he is still weighing up whether he should accept his ban, say sorry, or appeal.