Calls for answers on bungled BT contract

Lancashire's Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has been challenged to provide an update on the cost and progress of the long running police investigation into the former BT/County Council partnership One Connect Ltd.
Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.
Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.

County Coun Bill Winlow, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “After three years we should be getting some idea of the progress being made on this case.”

He and Liverpool Liberal Democrat leader Coun Richard Kemp have sent questions about One Connect and the BT/Liverpool City Council joint IT venture Liverpool Direct Ltd to Mr Grunshaw.

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They are asking if the investigation is ongoing, its cost, how many staff have been and are working on it and if any matters are or are intended to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Coun Kemp said: “We know that at one time last year there were 20 staff engaged on this investigation which was costing about £850,000 per year.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw (pictured) said: “The investigation into this issue is currently on-going and is very complex in nature. It is important that the Constabulary is given the opportunity to conduct the investigation to its full extent.”

In 2014 the new Labour administration at County Hall scrapped the One Connect partnership.

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It had been set up by the previous Tory administration in 2011 and was 60 per cent owned by BT and 40 per cent by the council, to run services such as procurement and save costs.

Payments of £500,000 plus made to former OCL chief executive David McElhinney were investigated by the council, which complained to the police.