The future of a senior Liverpool councillor linked to a stalled city development is to be considered next week.
In August, Cllr Abdul Qadir stepped down from his role as cabinet member for neighbourhoods as an investigation takes place. He maintains he has done nothing wrong and has nothing to hide.
A report in the summer found Cllr Qadir, who represents Picton ward, had links to a large stalled development scheme in Vauxhall through the Liverpool-based Vega Group, which owns MV Canal, the subsidiary company behind the scheme. Cllr Qadir has been a director of Vega Group company Vega Trading since September 2014.
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A meeting of Liverpool Council’s standards and ethics committee will convene at the Cunard Building next week to “consider a report in relation to an investigation undertaken in relation to standards of conduct and behaviour of an elected member.” That elected member is Cllr Qadir.
The Labour councillor was a member of a Liverpool Council taskforce - or task and finish group - set up to investigate buyer-funded property schemes in the city, also known as fractional sales. Fractional schemes, where buyers put down large deposits to finance off-plan apartment schemes, attracted huge controversy following the collapse of high profile projects.
Four months ago, Cllr Qadir left his role while an investigation took place. It was confirmed at the same time that the Labour Party were also looking into Cllr Qadir’s conduct.
Cllr Liam Robinson, who represents Kensington and Fairfield, was named cabinet member for neighbourhoods following the vacancy arising from Cllr Qadir’s decision to step down. Mayor Joanne Anderson has now taken on the portfolio following Cllr Robinson’s elevation to leader of the Liverpool Labour group.
When the investigation was launched, Cllr Qadir said he would “accept and abide by the outcomes or any recommendations” and all his decision had “been made in good faith.” He said: “I have always been selfless in my role as an elected member with integrity, honesty and openness at the core of my dealings and have always worked to strengthen accountability and transparency in council decision-making."
Cllr Qadir has represented his Picton ward since 2011 and was re-elected for a third term in 2019. He was appointed cabinet member for neighbourhoods last year when Mayor Anderson took up her role as city leader.
The standards and ethics committee hearing is due to take place behind closed doors next Tuesday.
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