The Nifty 250: News of the day in so many words

LIVERPOOL COUNCIL HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF MALADMINISTRATION after an “unjust” awarding of a £750k contract to fit school playground equipment. An investigation found that when the unnamed company awarded the contract folded, two of its directors set up another company and were awarded the remaining £500,000 contract ahead of other bidders.

The local government watchdog report said the tendering officers were “not experienced or properly trained”, even saying the officers did not know what “going in to administration” meant.

HARRY WINKLER HAS ARRIVED FOR PANTO SEASON to take part in Peter Pan at the Empire. Famous for playing The Fonz in Happy Days, Winkler will be swapping the leather jacket for a velvet one to play Captain Hook - his fourth time playing the villain. The pantomime opens on December 11 with Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton as Peter Pan, and Les Dennis as the panto dame.

DO YOU WANT A £7M HEALTH CENTRE AND LIBRARY? That is the question Childwall residents are being asked by Liverpool Primary Care Trust in an eight-week consultation on the proposed plans at Childwall Fiveways. The centre would also contain new classrooms for Childwall Sports College, with staff going from door-to-door asking for opinions.

POLICE FORCES HAVE BEEN CRITICISED IN A REPORT ON TERROR RAIDS, which saw five suspects arrested in Liverpool and dramatic stings on two suspects outside LJMU’s library.

The Home Office-commissioned report said the police forces involved should have known more about arrest laws and worked more closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, to ensure fewer arrests.