Watch the Leader of Wirral Council try to silence questions on her blatant conflict of interest.

[Cllr Jo Bird] There is a lot of public interest in the matter of the council's Local Regeneration Fund programme which fits within the council's capital programme.

We note that the minutes of the last full council meeting record that "Councillor Paula Basnett eclared a pecuniary interest in relation to Pacific Road Studios advising that she held a contract with the Wirral Chamber" of Commerce - and she left the council chamber.

This contract is also declared in her register of interests. We also note that the minutes reflect that the Regeneration Committee had "approved Pacific Road Studios and Duke Street as projects to utilise any underspends within the Local Regeneration Fund programme. "

Put these two facts together and this creates a financial interest for the leader of the council in the whole of the Local Regeneration Fund. We believe that the leader of the council should clarify how her conflict of interest will be managed.

[Cllr Paula Basnett] Well it makes a change Councillor Bird that you're actually speaking and asking the question rather than posting on social media lies and dishonesty. And as I will say to you, if you have an issue with the leader of this council and a conflict of interest and things that aren't done right, then there's a due process to follow and that due process is - you speak and you email to the monitoring officer and then due process, an investigation...

[Mayor] Councillor Basnett, can I just interrupt can you withdraw the comments about lies please?

[Cllr Paula Basnett] I withdraw the comments about lies and then not telling the truth in those in those comments. Thank you Madam Mayor.

[Mayor] Councillor Bird

[Cllr Jo Bird] Thank you. There's absolutely nothing lying or not honest or dishonest about anything that I have said in public including on social media.

[Cllr Jo Bird] I would agree with that motion officer,

[Cllr Paula Basnett] Sit down Jo!

[Cllr Jo Bird] it is a shame that the Mayor

[Cllr Paula Basnett] Sit down Jo!

[Cllr Jo Bird] did not ask you Paula Basnett Councillor to sit down at that point.

Now, it's not okay that the leader of the council resorted to a personal attack against me that's so bad that she had to withdraw it immediately.

October 2026