CONTROVERSIAL politician Colin Inglis is set to reveal secret minutes of meetings held with his former deputy which show his one-time political ally had already decided which Hull primary schools to axe – long before a consultation programme got underway.

Daren Hale, Coun Inglis's former deputy leader, remains number two on the authority, alongside the councillor who replaced Coun Inglis at the top, Ken Branson. Coun Inglis is currently suspended from the Labour Party as he awaits trial for alleged sex offences.

Such has been the animosity between the two since Coun Hale allied himself with other councillors intent on removing Coun Inglis from office, that Coun Inglis even wrote to the Yorkshire Post likening his "former apprentice" to a character from the Star Wars films who had been "seduced by the Dark side".

Now the council is preparing to look into allegations made by Coun Inglis that Coun Hale, who was primary education portfolio holder at the time, had made up his mind on which primary schools should shut ahead of a public consultation exercise over closure proposals earlier this year.

It is also alleged he agreed to include one school on a final list of 11 primaries proposed for closure or merger even though he had no intention of closing it.

In a recent debate, Coun Inglis said he believed a suggestion Coun Hale had pre- determined views on the outcome of the consultation was "fair comment".

Coun Inglis told the meeting he also regarded a suggestion his former deputy had included a school on the final shortlist without having any intention of closing it was "fair comment".

The Opposition Liberal Democrats immediately called for a vote of no confidence in Coun Hale, but dropped that after the scrutiny committee agreed to investigate the claims.

He said: "People might not believe it from a politician but I believe in the truth. It's important people are honest and open in their dealings. I will appear before the committee and I will answer their questions.

"Councillor Hale may not have known it at the time, but my staff kept exact minutes of the meetings where this was discussed and if I am ordered to produce that evidence then in the interests of the truth, I will have to produce it.

"This was all started by Opposition suggestions that the Labour Cabinet under my leadership had made up its mind on which schools to close prior to consultation. That is absolutely not true. But to say that Coun Hale had, is fair comment."

He said: "There is too much uncertainty and confusion surrounding the issue and a scrutiny inquiry is the fairest way of investigating the issue.

"Was the portfolio holder acting in a way that merits him standing down or is the former leader of the council deliberately misleading council by saying what he did about Coun Hale?"

Coun Inglis and Coun Hale fell out over last year's disastrous results at the city's flagship Endeavour High school. Coun Inglis threatened to strip his deputy of portfolio powers unless he stepped down as chairman of governors at the school. Coun Hale refused and Coun Inglis made good his threat - before he was sacked by party colleagues for his "confrontational" style of leadership.

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