Dear Editor,
The LGA Corporate Peer Review last March was crystal clear that the current committee system is not fit for purpose; with its silo-working, too many committees, too many reports, not enough financial control, no effective scrutiny of decision-making and that change was needed at pace.
Dear Editor,
There are multiple reasons why CEC is on the verge of an S114 bankruptcy notice, one of which identified by the LGA, (but on which the Labour-Independent administration have been silent) – is that the Committee System is not working.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council had to abandon a key committee meeting on proposals to improve its “inadequate” children’s services because it didn’t publish the papers in time..
According to government legislation, all councils must publish agendas and papers for public meetings at least five working days before the date of the meeting.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council has turned down a proposal which would have allowed councillors to claim two special responsibility allowances.
At present, councillors can only claim one special responsibility allowance (SRA).
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Red-faced Cheshire East Council bosses have been forced to cancel the first committee meeting of the new council – because they didn’t allow enough time to train councillors.
The agenda for next Wednesday’s (May 31) southern planning meeting has already been published online, but new councillors haven’t received the required training.
Dear Editor,
I asked earlier this week: Is anyone else questioning the allocation of the dedicated schools grant, due to be ratified at next week’s CE’s Children & Families Committee? That meeting was held – and the answer is no.
Just to clarify the situation for everyone, the grant money has been allocated at three different rates based on deprivation factors.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Footfall in the ‘half demolished’ Crewe has increased by 36% but fallen by 5% in Knutsford, according to latest Cheshire East figures.
Figures show Crewe has increased footfall more than any other town, with Nantwich second with an increase of 26%.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council’s change from cabinet to committee has seen the end of a system which brought “ignominy to this council, with police investigations into some decisions”, a councillor said.
Councillors from all parties agreed the committee system, which replaced the cabinet system in May last year, had so far been successful.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council is forecasting a £2.2m overspend at the end of the financial year – that’s 0.7 per cent of the budget.
Children and family services has overspent its budget again – something members of the council’s finance sub-committee had raised concerns about.
Dear Editor,
At the Full Cheshire East Council meeting the Labour/Independent Administration’s Leader, Cllr Sam Corcoran, insisted that we hurtle headlong into our new decision making Committee system without having the necessary rule book, our new Constitution, in place.
Dear Editor,
Now we know the truth…
Cllr James Nicholas campaigned and was even one of the prime architects to organise a petition for removal of the cabinet system and replace it with a committee system.
Cheshire East Council councillors have backed a move to a committee system form of governance.
They have voted in favour of replacing the current leader and cabinet model.
Dear Editor, As we prepare ourselves for the ill-considered cutting of winter gritting routes, the closure of household recycling centres, and the emotional, practical and financial-fall out from a world-wide pandemic, the leader of Cheshire East Council fiddles as Rome burns. In an extraordinary statement, Cllr Corcoran (Labour) washed his hands of the debate on governance changes at Cheshire East[Read More…]
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