Liverpool City Council CEO and Lancashire County Council leader arrested
Liverpool City Council chief executive Ged Fitzgerald and Lancashire County Council leader designate Geoff Driver are among four men arrested in connection with an investigation into One Connect contracts.
The two other men are former County Council chief executive Phil Halsall and David McElhinney, who was chief executive of One Connect and Liverpool Connect.
The have been detained on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and witness intimidation.
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: : “Four men have been arrested this morning in connection with an investigation into conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
“The men, aged 72, 55, 58 and 56, were arrested at addresses in Preston and Merseyside.
“The arrests are part of a wider long-running investigation into allegations of fraud, although none of the men have been arrested today on suspicion of fraud.
“All of the men have been arrested on suspicion of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and Witness Intimidation.
“They will be interviewed.”
The four were understood be be being questioned at Skelmersdale Police station.
The police probe into Lancashire County Council’s One Connect contract with BT has been lasted more than three years and cost £2m.
A total of 22 officers and staff have been involved into the investigation which also covers a similar deal involving Liverpool City Council.
In November 2013, the police launched the inquiry, initially into the tendering of a £5m fleet contract with One Connect Ltd which led to the resignation of Halsall.
It has examined the wider partnership with BT, including how McElhinney, received two lump sums of £231,709 and £275,888 from the county council in 2013, apparently without the knowledge of its treasurer Gill Kilpatrick.
In 2014, Labour councillors, who were in charge of county hall from 2013 to 2017, cancelled the controversial deal signed by Cllr Driver’s previous Tory in administration in 2011.
