The leader of Cheshire East Council has resigned – just before he was due to face a vote of no confidence.
Cllr Sam Corcoran (Lab) announced he was standing down as council leader at today’s (Wednesday) meeting of the full council at Jodrell Bank.
He will be replaced by Cllr Nick Mannion (Lab).
Forty-eight councillors voted for Cllr Mannion as the new leader and 22 did not vote.
Cllr Corcoran’s resignation comes just a week after the publication of a damning peer review report on the council from the Local Government Association, which warned Cheshire East is at risk of effective bankruptcy if it doesn’t take quick action.
It also comes after the council’s children’s services was rated as inadequate by Ofsted.
Cllr Corcoran told today’s meeting: “The Labour group has always stressed supporting children so the Ofsted inadequate rating was a particular blow…
“As the leader of the council I feel the pain of these setbacks and I have to take responsibility.”
He also listed his achievements, including the council being a leading light in tackling climate change.
“We are 54% of the way towards our target of net zero,” he said.
He then talked about the abuse he had received and the abuse politicians in general receive.
“I think it is up to us to improve the reputation of politics by working together and moving on from the problems of the past,” he said.
“Many will find that difficult while I am leader of the council.
“I hope that everyone will work with the next leader of the council to improve the reputation of politicians and to address the challenges facing us all.
“We have a transformation programme… the leader of the council will need the confidence of all major groups to carry through that transformation programme.
“It is clear I do not enjoy that confidence and therefore I resign as leader of the council.”
Cllr Corcoran has been leader of Cheshire East since the Conservatives lost overall control of the council at the May 2019 local elections.
He is the longest serving Cheshire East leader.
The Conservatives are still the largest party on the council but it is ruled by a joint Labour/Independent administration.
Cllr Corcoran has been leader of the Labour group in Cheshire East since 2017.
He was thanked at today’s meeting for his service by fellow councillors.
In a statement, the Conservative group said: “Since 2019, Cllr Corcoran has overseen the the dramatic decline of this Council’s financial and operational sustainability, both as leader of a Cabinet System with executive powers and more recently as the public face of the Committee System.
“This decline has not happened suddenly but has been raised at every budget meeting and multiple committees.
“In 2023 the leader announced the first balanced 4-year budget – that failed to balance within the first quarter.
“He championed an overly ambitious carbon cutting programme that, despite the best intentions, is currently undeliverable.
“And whilst DSG SEN debt is a pressure for all local authorities, the excessive level in Cheshire East, places this council as a national outlier.
“Five years on, this Council is in the unconscionable position of having to make £100m of savings in the next four years, address a separate DSG (High Needs SEN) debt of £80m (which if not controlled will rise to £1 Billion by 2030), an Inadequate OFSTED Report and a damning LGA Corporate Peer Review Report.
“At Council today, we have to make painful and difficult decisions on emergency transformation that will impact on all residents across the Cheshire East Borough for years to come.
“Without the confidence of elected members and of Cheshire East residents, Sam Corcoran’s position as Leader was untenable.
“We appreciate that this will have been a painful decision for Cllr Corcoran but it is the right one.
“We respect and acknowledge the appropriateness of this decision and look forward to working collegiately with the new Leader, all officers and elected members as we work to redress the fiscal quagmire that has now been exposed.”
I totally agree with Chris Moorhouse’s comments, there is no excuse for abuse.
Sadly in the Public Sector failure by Directors, Senior Executive, Managers seems to be accepted without individuals being held to account. I spent a career in the private sector and failure to deliver had serious consequences including people being dismissed.
Cheshire East Council appears to have a poor record of delivery. Tax payers money is spent without any form of accountability or responsibility.
Where has all the funds from the sale of council houses under the 1980 Housing Act (The Right to Buy) disappeared.
Why were millions of pounds spent on the proposed HS2 Projects without securing funding from the Treasury. The list goes on and on. However the waste of tax payers has seem to happen without consequences for Counsellors, Directors, Senior Executives and Managers.
I am sure there are many very good people in Cheshire East Council. However there are those who who escape responsibility and accountability for both waste and failure.
This is no longer acceptable to the tax payer.
Those found culpable should be barred from office both in managerial roles and counsellors from office.
They have a duty of care to the hard working tax payers The breach of that duty should result in serious consequences.
I am sure that I speak for many tax payers.
Whilst not a supporter, I find it abhorrent that he has been subjected to outside abuse as per the statement. You can disagree with politicians but it must not go over the line and enter their personal and private areas.
Let us hope this now improves.