By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
No decision has yet been made on who will run Cheshire East Council – with the Independent group in talks with both Labour and the Conservatives.
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives won the required 42 seats to take overall control of the council in the May 4 elections.
Labour have made significant gains on Nantwich Town Council after the local election counts were completed for town and parish councils over the weekend.
With Nantwich now being expanded from two to three wards, there will be five councillors representing each ward.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Nantwich has a completely different make-up on Cheshire East Council following a shock result with three of its four borough councillors being Labour.
Overall, the council remains in no overall control with 33 Conservative councillors, 31 Labour, 16 Independents and 2 Lib Democrats. Labour made six gains overall, and the Tories three.
Independents and local parties have always fielded a large number of candidates in the Cheshire East Council elections over the years – and 2023 is no different.
For the last four years the Independent Group has jointly run Cheshire East with Labour, after the council went to no overall control in 2019.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
A Cheshire East councillor has quit the Independent Group after being suspended for re-joining the Conservative Party so she could vote in the Tory leadership contest.
It’s the second time Cllr Sarah Pochin has been left in the political wilderness – but today she confirmed she is happy to be “unaligned” as a councillor for Bunbury.
By Stephen Topping, local democracy reporter
New independent councillors are gearing up for the start of a new era at Cheshire East Council.
The Independent Group has agreed to form a cabinet with Labour in 2019-20, with a view towards ditching the cabinet system next year and replacing it with cross-party committees – something the group began calling for last year through the Change Cheshire East campaign.
By Stephen Topping, local democracy reporter
The leader of Cheshire East Council’s Independent group Arthur Moran has stepped aside ahead of a new era of no overall control.
Cllr Arthur Moran, of Nantwich North and West, has been replaced in the role by Cllr Craig Browne, who represents Alderley Edge.
By Stephen Topping, local democracy reporter
Brexit’s role in the demise of Cheshire East Council’s Conservative group has been downplayed by their political rivals.
The Tories suffered a shock loss of control, ending with 34 CEC members – eight short of the number needed for a majority – with Labour on 25, Independents on 19 and Liberal Democrats on four.
Thursday May 2 could be a turning point in local politics.
Borough, town and parish council elections will provide the ‘fall out’ – if any – from Brexit among voters in Cheshire and across the UK.
A Nantwich Independent is to challenge for the leadership of Cheshire East Council. Cllr Arthur Moran (pictured, left) is being put forward by Independents on the council at this week’s leadership election.
Recent Comments