Council must get grip over Leeds and Partners

I READ with interest your recent story regarding Leeds and Partners (the former Marketing Leeds Organisation), it seems they just cannot stay out of the news at the moment, unfortunately in large part for all the wrong reasons.

Leeds City Council has just awarded Leeds and Partners, without competition, a £1.72m inward investment project covering the next three years.

The aim of this is to secure and support investment in the Leeds City Region. All well and good, it is a worthy project but in view of the chequered history of Leeds and Partners it’s time there was much more control and scrutiny exercised by the major shareholder (Leeds City Council).

It is really disappointing that Leeds and Partners seem to “court” bad publicity, the latest being allegations of bullying against the chief executive.

It was only in July that 
Leeds and Partners were identified with wasting public money on a worrying scale with concerns about expensive procurement practices and transport costs.

What kind of message does it send to see such an organisation mired in negativity?

Leeds City Council, as a major partner in Leeds and Partners, has taken its eye off the ball. This organisation, which is supposed to assist with achieving a number of key goals, is having its reputation increasingly called into question. It’s time for some proper scrutiny and control of this organisation before it is too late.