TAMESIDE Council’s new leader has promised change and a focus on the borough’s children.
But Cllr Eleanor Wills has been warned she is working with ‘spineless’ people who behaved ‘like rats in a sack.’
The national Labour Party’s campaign improvement board appointed the Dukinfield/Stalybridge representative to replace Cllr Ged Cooney. Had anyone else put themselves forward, there would have been a vote.
Yet issues in the ruling group, which had accusations of ‘unacceptable working practices’ levelled towards it, were laid out at an extraordinary meeting of the authority on Thursday, October 24.
Cllr Wills – who comes in after a spate of resignations, including chief executive Sandra Stewart, on the back of a withering report into its children’s services department – has brought in her cabinet team.

And she vowed to bring in a new way of working as she said: “I make a promise to all of Tameside – we hear your frustration and change is coming.
“Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that new direction and a new generation of leaders is needed.
“Not just to draw a line under the past but to take the council forward and rebuild that trust with our residents.
“No leader can stand alone and no one person has all the answers. True and lasting change, the kind we need to see in Tameside, only happens when all voices are listened to, when all ideas are considered and when all people are brought along.
“Our first and highest priority is absolutely our children’s services. Not just for the sake of an Ofsted grade but for a much more fundamental reason – to ensure we never again fail those who most need our support.
“Let there be no misunderstanding, this will not be an overnight process but I’m confident we’ll create the stability and substantial improvements needed to secure better outcomes for children, families and young people.
“I also want Tameside to be a place where no person is left behind and where everyone feels like they have a fair shot at life.
“We’ll press on with restoring our town centres to their rightful place – as engines of economic growth and beacons of civic pride.
“Amid all the recent noise and chaos, it is sometimes too easy to forget the quiet and vital work to keep Tameside running has continued.

“To the people, both inside and outside the council, whose commitment to the job at hand has never wavered. To the residents who day after day do everything they can to help their neighbours and communities.
“To the council workforce, which strives tirelessly to ensure services remain available for those who need them. To the elected members of all parties, or none at all, that represent their wards to the best of their ability – I say this to you.
“It is your hard work that will build a new and better Tameside and when we emerge from this period of transition, it will be that victory that belongs to you.
“The time for talking is over and the time for action has begun.”

Despite Cllr Wills’ hopes, Conservative opposition members went to town, even quoting wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Group leader Cllr Doreen Dickinson said about the group: “Children’s services has been inadequate since 2016. After the behaviour of Labour MPs and councillors in the past week or two, you’d think they’ve only just found out.
“Yet they all knew.
“Jonathan Reynolds and Angela Rayner have very important jobs within the government – but their own authority is in such a mess, the national Labour Party had to be called in to sort it out.
“The Tameside Labour Party then started to behave like rats in a sack. Resignations coming in fast and furious – no thought there for who is looking after these children.
“All hoping to save their own skin and political careers instead of standing together and working hard to make sure children’s services in Tameside outstanding.
“These problems – and there certainly are problems – haven’t happened recently and the last couple of weeks has seen some disgraceful behaviour from some of the Labour group.
“I believe it’s time they started to behave in a manner befitting of their status, or resign.”
Cllr Phil Chadwick channelled his inner Rock, adding: “Finally. Finally, some of you have grown a spine after remaining silent for eight years whole our most vulnerable children have suffered.
“Now the public sees you for what you really are, spineless.”

He also issued Cllr Wills some three-lettered advice – DTA, don’t trust anyone.
Cllr Liam Billington waded in by describing the Labour group as a ‘complete shower’ before adding: “Why should members of the public trust Tameside Labour? It’s an absolute shower, an absolute farce.
“The wheels are coming off the bus, you’ve been exposed. Come the next local elections, you are going to have problems.”
While political leadership at Tameside Council is in place, a replacement for Ms Stewart is also needed.
Harry Catherall, chief executive at neighbouring Oldham, is set to be seconded for four days a week, with that set to be confirmed at a meeting on Tuesday, October 29.
However, that arrangement has sparked fury among councillors at that authority.
How can we ever get any trust in politics when the Leader ,Deputy and Chief Whip for the first time in Tameside History have been placed in power by the Labour Party fully endorsed by the 3 local Labour MPs can so they can instigate their wishes from their London residencies.
Our new Leader has this week fully endorsed Mr Cooney’s and his cabinet’s choice to run Children services which she claims what this is all about but then handsomely replaced them all with her new friends and colleagues thousands of pounds to try and keep her in power, truly you could not make this up
Can I respectfully request that the press,opposition councillors, independent councillors and Labour Councillors who genuinely care for Tameside hold this unelected ,overpaid new Leadership group and cabinet to account as from history if people are promoted beyond their capability it usually comes with disastrous outcomes
Tameside Children Services,Families and Young Person’s deserve so much more than this pantomime.
Leader Wills please reflect if there was a vote today by all your Labour Colleagues which is how democracy should work would you have been entrusted with the position of Leader?
As previously requested could the The Correspondent please run a article on the full new cabinet showing exactly what they are paid incorporating all extra payments such as GMPF Chair and Deputy responsibility membership etc so Tameside voters realise why their Council Tax may appear excessive and as always they apply the maximum percentage that they are legally entitled too.
As Children services are such a priority it would be refreshing if these extra paid entitlements we’re not taken on so the Leadership Team could give their full commitment to drive forward speedier improvement?
Clarity on Financial reward may explain why sometimes maybe values, respect and loyalty by both our local politicians and councillors seem unclear
Can I please assure any students or young people considering joining a union or a career in Politics that what is happening in Shameside is against all the principles these fine long established organisations stand for.
I have never seen any union members which all Labour Councillors and Politicians claim they are members treat anybody how this is unraveling .
Please seriously give it try and join your local union branch or study politics as when done correctly not like Tameside it can genuinely strengthen communities, improve lives and give you friendship and security in many types of employment.
My wife tried to stand up to bullying when she was given a malicious disciplinary. The GMB promised support until 2 hours notice before a hearing when they withdrew it. I could hear from an adjoining room the branch secretary screaming at her down the phone so loudly that she should just give in. That’s unions for you
Before this coup which brought down the former Labour leader Ged Cooney, councillor Eleanor Wills had been sacked with councillor John Taylor who were both in charge of children’s services in Tameside. On two occasions Ofsted have rated children’s services in Tameside as ‘inadequate’. Having failed to make a success of running children’s services, Eleanor Wills has now been appointed to lead Tameside Labour controlled council. It seems significant that of the four councillors who resigned their cabinet positions, three of them were Denton South councillors who are close to the MP Andrew Gwynne. The fourth councillor, who resigned his cabinet post, represents the Newton ward for Labour and also works for Jonathan Reynolds MP. What also seems curious is why the Chief Executive of Tameside Council resigned over the critical government report into children’s services, but then gets rewarded with the job of Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. The plot thickens! Tameside Council have now got rid of three Chief Executives in the last fourteen years and have been beset by one scandal after another since Labour took control of the council in 1979. There are that many relatives on Tameside Council that it resembles a family affair. We’ve had husbands and wives, mother’s and son’s and brothers and sisters. Councillor Wills is the third member of the Ballagher family to have been councillors on Tameside Council. Both her mother and father were Labour councillors. The council is politically incestuous and inept. Tameside is basically a one party state.
With great sadness didn’t think Tameside’s reputation could sink much lower but have finally succeeded in becoming the joke of GreaterManchester.Our 3MPs have ignored the most vulnerable in our society by fully supporting the removal of the winter allowance for 10 million pensioners , support of the two cap allowance even though over 52 Labour MPs condemned Starmers and Reeves grab and silenced local democracy
Our Councillors follow their leads and act like they are not accountable to the electorate and their only interest appears to be how much they can earn personally rather than make things better.
Having watched the Tameside Council Webcasts dated 24th October 24 which is available for all to view it was refreshing to see real challenge from opposition and independent Councillors who challenged without fear or favour and that not one Labour Councillor contradicted one statement made
Labour has run this Council for 45 years continuously and I genuinely hope that the loyal people of Tameside vote for real change whatever colour they choose in the future so our kids and grandchildren have a Borough that they can feel is democratically run, run by grownups and wants to see a place they can feel proud of .
So Sad