‘Bullying’ Leeds marketing boss faces new calls to quit

More than 20 past and present employees of the company, which has been given millions of pounds by Leeds Council to generate business investment, have raised concerns about Lurene Joseph - including bullying, failing to control finances and damaging the reputation of Leeds through inappropriate comments and behaviour with senior officials of other leading organisations in the region.

Today pressure was growing on Ms Joseph to allow an independent investigation into a raft of allegations about her conduct.

A formal grievance has been raised by six Leeds Council employees who were previously seconded to Leeds and Partners about Ms Joseph’s conduct, backed by a further nine supporting witness statements from former Leeds and Partners employees. Another nine current employees who also made statements have withdrawn them as “they feel unable to come forward at this stage,” according to the grievance compiled by public services union Unison.

In July, the Yorkshire Post revealed that Ms Joseph spent £285 on a single taxi journey the day before travelling on to a conference trip to Boston which cost taxpayers in excess of £8,000.

Leeds and Partners, which is a private company with ownership shared between the council and Leeds Chamber of Commerce, began operating in October when it succeeded the city’s former promotional arm, Marketing Leeds. Its remit has recently been expanded to include the Leeds City Region enterprise partnership which includes neighbouring councils Wakefield, York and Bradford.

The council said it was aiming to develop “a more national and international strategic focus” and Leeds and Partners success was measured in the number of new jobs so far delivered, which it claimed totalled 800 with more to come.

Official figures show more than £5,000 was spent on another trip to Boston in February this year for two delegates with a further £11,500 spent on an April visit to the same destination for four delegates. The trips were aimed at securing inward investment.

Leeds and Partners also spent more than £12,000 sending nine delegates to the four-day MIPIM comercial property conference in Cannes, on the French Riviera, during which Ms Joseph stayed separately in a five star hotel. The council has declined to provide the cost of the individual hotel bill.

Other delegates stayed in more modest accommodation, with a group of five including Leeds Council chief executive Tom Riordan housed in one apartment.

The council said it was necessary for Ms Joseph to stay close to the main conference area because she was leading events and working long days.

• More in Friday’s Yorkshire Post