When former government minister Robert Jenrick rose in the House of Commons last March to outline the results of one of the worst council inspection reports of all time - everything changed for Liverpool.
The city's former Mayor, Joe Anderson, had already stepped aside following his arrest and his replacement was set to make history as the first black female leader of a major UK city. But it was clear that a change in leadership would be far from the only change required at the city council.
The range, volume and gravity of the failings uncovered during Max Caller's four-month investigation at the Cunard Building would set in motion a plan to fundamentally change the way the council and the city operates - including sweeping reforms of its political, practical and cultural processes.
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A lot of lives were changed on that day and in the weeks that followed. One of those to have their plans turned upside down was Mike Cunningham.
The 60-year-old former police chief constable was not aware as he listened to Mr Jenrick detail a toxic culture of intimidation within key council departments and of the millions of pounds of wasted taxpayer cash, that he would be the person challenged to lead the turnaround of this teetering public body.
A few weeks after that fateful day, Mr Cunningham, originally from Crosby but now based in Lancashire, got the call. He was asked to lead a team of four experienced commissioners who would be installed at Liverpool Council as it tried to put itself back together.
Recalling that moment, Mr Cunningham told the ECHO: "I wasn't expecting the call, but I didn't have to think about it for too long. The issues in Liverpool Council were there for everyone to see. I've still got local connections and I know most people here have a view on the situation and they have every right to have that and to have high expectations of the city council. So to have a role to play in hopefully the improvement of the council is a great privilege."
The 60-year-old arrived with an impressive CV of public service, largely with the police. He was Chief Constable of the Staffordshire force before more recently inspecting police forces with the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. Unlike his fellow commissioners, he does not have direct experience of working in a local authority, but he doesn't see that as an issue with his particular position.
He said: "I have had a number of public service leadership roles in my career. I've worked closely with local authorities but never within one. I think being the lead commissioner I am able to co-ordinate a team of very experienced professionals, they have the experience of working hands on in councils and I have been able to stand back and try and see the organisation as a whole."
The commissioner team arrived in the city in June, tasked with overseeing decision making within the council's troubled regeneration, property management and highways departments, which had been eviscerated by the Caller Report. Mr Cunningham said it was clear that report was not exaggerating.
He said: "It was accurate, more importantly it was accepted by the leadership here at the council, there was no push back." He said that on closer inspection the problems actually went beyond those identified in that inspection report.
He added: "What myself and the team have found coming into the city council is that those pictures were accurately painted and actually, some of the areas that weren't commented on, that weren't inspected - are problematic too. If there are major issues in areas like regeneration or highways then questions are also raised about the other functions of the council, legal, finance and all those things that support those departments.
"If you start to look at one area and tug on a piece of string, you start to see issues elsewhere. This is an organisation that needs significant improvements and I don't think I'm telling anyone anything they didn't know there."
Mr Cunningham accepts that whatever the issues uncovered at the city council, for some people in Liverpool, his position will never be accepted. Liverpool is a Labour stronghold without any Tory representation, for fairly obvious reasons. The treatment of the city by the governments of Thatcher, Cameron, May and Johnson continues to cause understandable anger.
The lead commissioner says he 'totally gets this', adding: "I absolutely get the narrative that's out there of 'Tory-appointed commissioners' and I know the overwhelming political views in Liverpool and understand that. But all of my professional life I have not just been non-political, I've been required to be non-political. In policing, you cannot be politically active. Working without political affiliation is something that courses through my veins.
"All the other commissioners have worked in local authorities with whichever political administrations have been elected. For some people I will never be able to persuade them otherwise, because of our commission, but I can rest easy at night that I am here to do the level best I can for the people of Liverpool and that is absolutely my commitment."
One particular issue that has not eased the city's uncomfortable relationship with the commissioners concerns their pay. The ECHO revealed in January that the four government-appointed officials would be granted a backdated, 50% increase to their already substantial fees, which are paid for by the cash-strapped city. For Mr Cunningham, his daily rate rose from £800 to £1200, meaning he can now rake in £180,000 a year from Liverpool taxpayers - as well as expenses.
Asked if he understood the anger at this decision, he said: "I absolutely understand. People are perfectly entitled to their views, I totally get it with people living in very difficult circumstances at the moment. What I would say is that myself and my fellow commissioners are very conscious of the costs that we accrue while we are here and we will work really hard to provide value for the people of Liverpool.
He added: "What I would say, as a reminder, it is conceivable that poor management at Liverpool Council has led to the waste of many millions of pounds. So I think if we can help the council to make decisions that gets some of that back, then I would like to think we have been good value for money."
So how is their monumental task going after 11 months in the city. Mr Cunningham says some progress has been made but stresses there is a mammoth journey ahead.
He said: "There are things that have been done and we have to give credit to the council for that. Setting up a strategic improvement plan, setting clear priorities and governance arrangements, developing a council plan and submissions to the local government boundary commission. But I would says we are still very much in the foothills of what need to be significant improvements."
The hardest thing, he says, will be changing the culture of the council, described as toxic and intimidating in areas by Max Caller. Mr Cunningham added: "Whilst this clearly is an organisation that needs significant improvement, there are thousands of people who work here who are diligent and hard working and committed public servants, both officers and councillors. They have had to work under, at times, unacceptable circumstances.
"Previously people working here, and there are still vestiges of this, have been fearful of speaking out, fearful of raising issues. We have already had people wanting to raise things anonymously with us. Now that's not symptomatic of an organisation where people feel happy coming to work. I'm not saying that is everywhere in the council, lots of people are very proud to work for the council, but there are vestiges of that old culture and we want to turn that around, that will be the hardest thing."
It is acknowledged that the arrival of the commissioners and the inspection that triggered this, was largely brought about by the efforts of council chief executive Tony Reeves, who helped to uncover some of the wrongdoing and problems within those key departments.
There have been some suggestions that the relationship between Mr Reeves and the government officials has been strained at times, with the former perhaps feeling stifled as he tries to lead the organisation.
Mr Cunningham said there have been 'difficult conversations', but that should be expected. He added: "We have to work with the leadership, support and challenge them - we have had some very frank and difficult conversations, both ways, I think people would expect that. But we are certainly not at war, we are working very collaboratively on an agreed plan. We all understand the position and there is a very clear shared determination to improve."
The commissioners have been directed to spend an initial three years in Liverpool and Mr Cunningham said he has seen nothing in his first 11 months in post to disabuse him of the idea they will be around for that length of time. He agrees the team should not spend a minute more in their roles than is absolutely necessary.
He said: "Our sights are on this being a strong, resilient council, I'm not making claims that Liverpool will have the best council because that isn't what will see us out of the door, it is about getting the basics right and when those basics are right and when the council is strong and resilient, I will be getting my one way ticket back to Lancashire, that will be job done."
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