More resignations hit beleaguered Tameside Council leadership

TAMESIDE Council’s ruling Labour group risks being torn apart after three senior members, including one of its cabinet, resigned.

And they have pointed the finger firmly at the man at the top, Cllr Gerald Cooney, citing a ‘lack of responsibility’ and a ‘lack of empathy.’

The sacking and replacement of John Taylor and Eleanor Wills from their respective cabinet positions for adult social care and inclusivity and population health and wellbeing respectively has sparked a furious reaction.

Now fellow cabinet member, Cllr Jack Naylor, and assistant executive member Cllr Hugh Roderick have walked out.

Cllr Claire Reid, chair of the key place and external relations scrutiny panel, has also called it quits.

And in reasons seen by The Correspondent, they have not held back with their feelings – saying the commissioner’s report into children’s services, which claimed a ‘toxic’ and ‘bullying’ culture exists, points to wider issues.

Denton South representative Cllr Reid detailed: “I can no longer support your leadership.

“I am bitterly disappointed that we have not truly taken any responsibility for the dire state of children’s services. Our children deserve the very best.

“When serving the public, we take responsibility for our shortcomings. Tameside Labour has not done that.

“Regrettably this commissioner’s report is just the tip of the iceberg across Tameside Council.

“Councillors are not encouraged and empowered: instead, they are sidelined and silenced. In doing so we are complicit in the perpetrating the failings the Commissioner has highlighted.

“Cabinet members being removed from their positions for offering robust challenge to their colleagues shows a lack willingness to accept any responsibility and even a refusal to face the problems we have.”

Ward colleague Cllr Naylor – who was cabinet member for inclusive growth, business and employment – added: “While I respect that as leader, appointments to your cabinet are within your gift, I feel that at a moment of significant difficulty for the authority, the actions taken take away from the collective responsibility we all committed to, to work cohesively in light of the recommendations in commissioner’s report.”

Cllr Roderick, who was assistant executive member for armed forces and enforcement, gave a damning view of the response to commissioner Andy Couldrick’s report into children’s services.

He also believes comments by Cllr Cooney at the meeting of full council on Tuesday, October 8, pointed to the wrong response.

He wrote: “With the commissioner’s report, we have a damning indictment of not only our children’s services but also of a toxic culture across the council.

“A charge that members who work closely with officers across the authority will recognise as true.

“The response has simply not been good enough.

“It is increasingly clear that there has been no serious effort to face up to the challenges and that the same patterns of dissembling and blame criticised by the commissioner are repeating.

“It is particularly saddening to see the lack of empathy for those impacted by the failings of our children’s services.

“Parents who have been failed time and again, and have every right to be angry, are ignored, treated as difficult customers, and sidelined.

“I have no faith that the current leadership can address the challenges we face as a borough and our residents, and our armed forces community deserve better than lip service.”

Cllrs Taylor and Wills were replaced by Mossley’s Cllr Tafheen Sharif, who was civic mayor last year, and Longdendale’s Gary Ferguson.

But Cllr Cooney will now have to find replacements for the three more key positions but the pressure on him will not go away.

And talk of a leadership challenge at Tameside is mounting, with the national party also believed to be keeping a keen eye on developments.