A Cheshire East Council video which portrayed its bosses as caped “superheroes” to promote the authority’s improvement programme has been blasted as “completely out of touch”, writes Belinda Ryan.
The video, which is only available for staff but has been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, depicts Cheshire East’s chief executive Rob Polkinghorne and the council’s other top bosses as “caped crusaders”.
It was produced to promote an upcoming online staff meeting about the transformation programme, which the cash-strapped council is embarking upon to try to save nearly £100 million over the next four years.
But it has provoked an angry backlash from some council staff who say they are worried about job cuts and the impact on services.
One, who did not wish to be named, told the LDRS: “The executive team has created a YouTube video with superhero alter egos for themselves.
“These people are making decisions on what services to cut, whose jobs to cut, whose livelihoods will be affected and whose support networks will be severed, all while taking home very generous salaries courtesy of the taxpayer – yet they view themselves as caped crusaders?
“Completely out of touch and in extremely poor taste.”
A Cheshire East spokesperson said the council had received some “really positive feedback” from some members of staff.
They added: “We produced a short video as part of a wider campaign to help staff get involved in our work to transform and improve the organisation.
“The LGA’s peer challenge made specific recommendations about improving the way we engage with our staff around our whole organisation transformation plan.
“We are trying out different creative approaches to engage colleagues. If we don’t try different things we won’t be able to change anything.
“We have had some really positive feedback from colleagues who enjoyed this fun approach to a serious topic.
“The theme of the video was inspired by superhero movies.
“But we all know that the real superheroes at the council are the frontline workers, such as our care workers and safeguarding teams, looking after people who need extra help, our social workers, waste collection teams, enforcement officers, and community support officers and the many other officers who continue to serve with dedication and professionalism every day, and we are incredibly grateful for the services they deliver.”
Hello Sair,,
You have just proven we live in a democracy. The quality of management in Cheshire East is perceived by many as poor. My background is in area of Senior Manager for a very large well known financial organisation. Not a bank. Managers were held accountable and responsible for achieving results, that is how the private sector functions. There was strict budgetary control. Cheshire East waste tax money and there is no accountability or responsibility taken.
As Richard Tice from Reform has said now they are getting under the bonnet in councils they are running they are discovering the extent of this waste of tax payers money. Saving £5.00 in every £100.00 spent should not be difficult.
Ask the poor citizens of this country who have had to budget their household income as result of the effects of Covid, the energy shock caused by the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.
Politely get real.
Cheshire East Council for their Citizens as Cash Cows!!!
Don’t superheroes work for free, not 6 figure salary’s with generous benefits?!
Ian Hughes, you have NO idea what you’re talking about. Please think before speaking; the type of comments you’ve left here TYPIFY the ignorance, stubbornness, and damn right REFUSAL to learn modern day sociopolitical and cultural trends. I bid you a good afternoon, Ian Hughes, assuming that is your real name, but I do NOT bid you a good evening. Thank you.
They should hang there Heads in shame 😡
Get Doge in, see where the moneys going
You can’t make it up, or can you? Surely they know what the public think about CEC’s performance etc and then those in charge do, and Councillors allow something so stupid to happen. You can bet that they brought in Consultants to script and film the video, no doubt not cheaply.
I submitted by email on 11th May and again on 23rd May a question about the Independent Assurance Panel. All I have to date is the automated responses giving a reference number and that they aim to get back to me within 5 working days. Their non response is obviously due to filming schedules clashing with my enquiry. Come on CEC clean your act up. You are ignoring the voters and officers feel they are above their community.
Beggars belief. Wish these superheros could come and clear out the road gulleys where I live on A51, instead of having myself at 70 years of age, doing the council’s work and risking my life in doing so.
Good grief! Cheshire East Bosses promoting a Video depicting themselves as Superheroes is just Mind Boggling???…
Can’t be too soon ‘REFORM’ take a firm grip and summarily ousts these morons behaving like schoolchildren whilst routinely squandering £Ms of Ratepayers money, is for sure!!!
Sadly this behaviour typifies the incompetence of the Cheshire East Executive Team . Words are words Actions are Actions and in Management Results are everything. They just fail to deliver. As a Citizen of Nantwich I just wonder what is their next wasteful programme of events, activities , policy. I wonder how they fail to feel guilty in collecting their salaries every month.
Hopefully the Reform Headed Councils will hold these people across the country accountable. At the next election the citizens of Cheshire East can formulate their own judgement and hold both existing Councillors, Directors and Officers accountable.
The money wasted has been huge and that is just what the public have found about .
There is a very distinct lack of transparency..
Sadly organisational restructure in the private sector is ongoing continually, it is called Change Management’
Sadly poor performers are let go and made redundant, in fact they would be managed out in the private sector.
Start with a detailed analysis of sick leave and appraisals and whether people have achieved all areas of their performance management agreements.
There will be certainly dead wood that be cut.
Look at the executive Team as a very early call.