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Echo's support for 'whistle-blower'

The Lincolnshire Echo has launched a campaign in support of a council ‘whistle-blower’ after it emerged he had been told to stay away from work.

Lincolnshire County Council chief executive David Bowles gave evidence in the trial of jailed former Tory leader Jim Speechley, and returned to work last week following a four-month absence with stress.

But the Echo says that new Tory council leader Ian Croft – a close political ally and personal friend of Speechley’s – is calling for Mr Bowles to be sacked and that solicitors appointed by the authority had ordered him not to return to work.

The Echo has put a series of questions to the new council leader to try to find out why he wants to get rid of Mr Bowles, but says that so far he has refused to answer them – despite several requests by its reporters.

Readers are being encouraged to get in on the act and the Echo has published Coun Croft’s full contact details, including his home address, telephone number, e-mail address and fax number.

The paper has tried various tactics in an effort to get answers, including sending out reporters Henry Killworth and Katherine Davison dressed as St George and the Dragon on St George’s Day. Henry also visited the leader’s home and read out the questions through a megaphone.

The Echo has also faxed copies of the questions to both County Offices and Coun Croft’s home fax, posted them to him, hand-delivered them to the council’s offices and e-mailed them to him – all without response.

  • An Internet poll on the Echo’s website has also shown support for David Bowles. The paper asked “who should go?” – Bowles or Croft – and 96 per cent of readers who registered their vote said they believed the council leader should resign.

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