TAMESIDE Council may have a new leader in a matter of days.
For The Correspondent understands the deadline for applications to replace Cllr Gerald Cooney as leader is as soon as Monday, October 14.
From there, interviews will be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 15 and 16, before a meeting of the Labour group on Thursday, October 17.
And sitting councillors will not vote, the new person at the top will be decided by the national party’s campaign improvement board, which has been brought in.
Whoever takes charge then will have to take the council away from the ‘unacceptable working practices’ the party cited and mastermind the ‘culture change’ it wants.
It is believed the board will decide upon a new leader, deputy leader and chief whip, to suppose impose party discipline.
And a number of names are in the frame for the top job, with a decision likely sooner rather than later.
Tameside’s three MPs – Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Gorton and Denton’s Andrew Gwynne – believe the campaign improvement board, likely to consist of people not associated with Tameside, was needed to steer the authority through the current crisis.
In a joint statement, they said: “Tameside’s three MPs would like to thank Councillor Ged Cooney for his service.
“We welcome the intervention of the Labour Party to bring stability and focus at this difficult time.
“Our number one priority is to ensure Tameside Council delivers for all residents of Tameside, and particularly for vulnerable children.”
Once a political leader is appointed, the focus will then be on getting a new non-political head in pace following the resignation of chief executive Sandra Stewart.
Harry Catherall, who holds the job in neighbouring Oldham, will come in on an interim basis, much to the dismay of opposition councillors in that borough.
Well done again for making us aware of the ongoing situation, as usual.
This is what journalism is all about.
Thank you.
Surely if there is concern about the behaviour of councillors it goes beyond the Labour party. It begs the question how are the standards and ethics of councillors reported, investigated and actioned. A system exists for MP’s. If we have failing, incompetent or even corrupt councillors, the public should know, there should be sackings and/or resignations…. certainly by elections.
If Labour thinks they are not up to the job, why should they keep their jobs for upto 4 years ?
All we ask who ever is voted in please have a basic O level of education , please have a proven history of how to communicate ,and please please have some high standard of dress sense I am aware casual seems to be the excepted way of dressing Angela Rayner goes over the top but gentleman in office and this is aimed at Burnham and all councillors you should ware a suit and tie this reflects you are proud of representing the people who voted for you and the office you hold rag tag and bob tail dress sense say I am just here for the perks and money.