BURY Council’s ex-chief executive has hit back at ‘abhorrent allegations’ and ‘inaccurate assumptions’ about his role in a child safeguarding probe.

A disciplinary panel concluded that Mike Owen – who resigned last month – broke safeguarding procedures in his handling of a councillor accused of child porn offences in order to protect the former council leader.

However, Mr Owen says that he has ‘always been scrupulously politically impartial’ and did not grant Cllr Mike Connolly any favours ahead of the 2015 elections.

He said: “I absolutely refute the allegations made in the Council report for the meeting on July 20 that my actions were intended to ‘help’ the previous Council Leader and to impact the result of the election.

“These are abhorrent allegations that go against everything I believe in and which appear to be based on inaccurate assumptions about my motives. They are not, in my opinion, backed by credible evidence or by either the Newsam or the Bourne report.

“During my career, I have served administrations of all political colours and have always been scrupulously politically impartial. The same applied to my relationship with the then Leader. He did not ask for, nor did he need nor was he granted any ‘help’ from me at any time.”

Mr Owen and Mark Carraline, the council's former executive director for children, young people and culture, have both resigned following two investigations into how they dealt with former Tottington councillor Simon Carter — who admitted possessing indecent images of children and was sentenced to a community order in September, 2015.

A report discussed at an extraordinary council meeting tonight concludes that Mr Owen 'demonstrated a misguided desire to 'help' the former leader which manifested itself by inappropriate briefings, a desire to control the proper flow of information and a failure to adhere to the council's policies and procedures'.

The former chief executive, who worked at the council for 31 years, has blamed inexperience for his errors of judgement in the Carter case and said he was ‘truly sorry’.

He added: “I was not in a position to attend the Panel’s meeting as my GP had earlier declared me too unwell to attend.

“In order to reduce cost and avoid disruption to the Council and its employees, and having come to the conclusion that my position as Chief Executive was untenable irrespective of the outcome of the hearing, I felt it would be in everyone's best interest if I resigned ahead of the Panel’s meeting.

“Therefore, after 31 years’ service with the Council, I decided to resign on 18 June and I would stress that I have received absolutely no compensation or financial inducement.

“Accordingly, I should now like to take the opportunity to make this statement in connection with any comment or queries arising from the Council meeting on July 20. I have not had the opportunity to make any representations to the Council on these matters.

“Right from the outset, I have denied any deliberate wrongdoing in this case.

“This was a totally unique, complex and sensitive situation caused by the actions of an ex-councillor and, by acceding to a request from the Police to allow them a short amount of time to investigate historical allegations, I honestly believed I was acting in everyone's best interests, including the wider Bury community.

“In doing this my actions were intended purely to help obtain evidence so that the Police and CPS could achieve a successful prosecution, which they did.

“The Police themselves have praised the Council on a number of occasions for excellent partnership working on the case in question and I am pleased that we were able to secure a very speedy conviction of the ex-Councillor.

“At the same time, effective safeguarding took place and no child was harmed.

“However with the benefit of hindsight it is clear that, despite my best intentions, due to inexperience - the matter arose on my first day in the Chief Executive role - I made procedural errors of judgment in this case and that is something for which I am truly sorry. I also deeply regret any disruption that this has caused to the Council, an organisation that means the world to me.”

Mr Owen added: “At no point did I have, or seek to have, any impact on the safeguarding proceedings and I did not encourage any departures from standard procedures.

“I am very proud to have served the people of Bury for over 30 years and I wish the Council's outstanding staff, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude, and the Council’s partners and service users nothing but the best for the future."