By Paul Humphries Barrow-in-Furness BC’s chief executive and design head are facing calls for their resignations in the wake of the town’s Legionnaire’s disease scandal. Families of the seven people who lost their lives due to the outbreak have launched a petition calling for chief executive, Tom Campbell, and head of design services, Gillian Beckingham, to stand down. The call comes a week after the council was fined £125,000 with £90,000 costs for breaching health and safety laws, leading to Britain’s worst outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease. Ms Beckingham was fined £15,000 for failing to ensure the air-conditioning unit at a council-run arts centre, responsible for the outbreak, was properly maintained. She was cleared of seven counts of manslaughter. Andrew Macaulay, grandson of first victim, Richard Macaulay, accused Mr Campbell of failing the people of Barrow. Barrow MP and government work and pensions secretary, John Hutton, has given Mr Campbell his support, but feelings in the town are running high that no-one’s head is on the chopping block after seven people died and 172 were infected with the disease. There is also concern the council may be rubbing salt in wounds by dipping into a regeneration fund to pay the £215,000 fine and costs, and refusing to confirm that the proposed council inquiry into the fatal blunder would be held in public. Council’s director of personnel and performance, Jeff Bright, said the council was aware of the petition being launched, but did not want to comment at this stage. He confirmed the fine and costs would be paid from the opportunities fund, used for regeneration and development, and said there had been no decision on whether the inquiry would be held in public or behind closed doors. mjnews@hgluk.com
