NOT for the first time, Tameside Council finds itself in the national news – and not for the right reasons.
The WhatsApp message furore surrounding the group Trigger Me Timbers is centred on the borough – Andrew Gwynne MP hails from and represents Denton, while Oliver Ryan MP was councillor for Audenshaw.
But as readers of The Correspondent will know, turmoil and controversy are nothing new on the corridors of local power.
Here, we examine the events that led to the spotlight once again being shone on Tameside.
LEADERSHIP changes, appointments and resignations – it has certainly not been a dull last few years for Tameside Council.
The authority has experienced a series of seismic events that have reshaped the political landscape.
In January 2018, Councillor Brenda Warrington was appointed as the leader of Tameside Council, becoming the first woman to hold this position. She succeeded Kieran Quinn following his sudden passing in December 2017.
But in May 2022, she resigned amidst what she described as a ‘hostile challenge’ to her leadership. Cllr Ged Cooney moved to unseat his colleague as head of the authority.
But Cllr Warrington publicly hit out at the challenge and the way it was conducted by a then member of her cabinet. Cllr Oliver Ryan, publicly endorsed the challenger, with a claim he was told to by a local MP.
Following Warrington’s departure, Councillor Ged Cooney assumed the leadership role.
Resignation of Chief Executive Sandra Stewart
ON OCTOBER 8, 2024, Chief Executive Sandra Stewart resigned from her £186,692-a-year position amid allegations of a ‘toxic and bullying’ culture within the council.
Claims emerged after a damning report by government-appointed commissioner Andy Couldrick, which criticised the authority’s Children’s Services department as inadequate.
Ms Stewart, who had been with Tameside Council for 30 years, transitioned to the role of Chief Executive at the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.
Following her resignation, Tameside’s three MPs Jonathan Reynolds, Angela Rayner and Andrew Gwynne issued a joint statement welcoming the change.
They had previously advocated for a change in corporate leadership, viewing Ms Stewart’s departure as an opportunity for the council to progress.
Resignation of council leader Councillor Ged Cooney
DAYS later, on October 11, Councillor Ged Cooney stepped down following a series of resignations from key members of the ruling Labour group, which undermined his leadership.
Labour insiders disclosed divisions within the Tameside group, exacerbated by a damning report from government-appointed commissioner Andy Couldrick, which labelled the council’s children’s services department as ‘inadequate’.
The national Labour Party responded by implementing a campaign improvement board (CIB) to address the council’s challenges. A spokesperson emphasised the necessity for a culture change within the Tameside Labour Group, citing unacceptable working practices.
The board was tasked with selecting a new leader, deviating from the traditional process where sitting councillors would typically make such decisions.
Councillor Eleanor Wills took office as leader on October 24, 2024.
Having represented the Dukinfield/Stalybridge ward since 2014, she was appointed by the CIB. Her leadership has been endorsed by local MPs, with expectations of a ‘generational shift’ in the council’s approach.
Recent developments within Tameside Council have prompted discussions among Labour insiders regarding the true catalysts behind significant leadership changes.
While the resignation of Chief Executive Sandra Stewart was officially linked to criticisms of the council’s children’s services, some party members suggest that underlying tensions concerning the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) played a more pivotal role.
The GMPF, managed by Tameside Council, stands as the country’s largest local authority pension fund, with assets around £30 billion.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has proposed consolidating local council pension funds to streamline administration and channel investments into major projects.
However, certain Tameside councillors have expressed reservations, fearing that such consolidation could lead to riskier investments and potentially diminished returns. They advocate that any surpluses generated by the GMPF should directly benefit its members and local taxpayers.
In response to these internal disagreements, the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has intervened, assuming control over Tameside Council’s leadership and its candidate selection process ahead of the 2026 elections.
This move is perceived by some as an effort to replace councillors opposing the pension fund consolidation, thereby facilitating the proposed changes and is reported by some insiders as the real reason for a sudden leadership shift on Tameside Council.
Trigger Me Timbers…
THE POLITICAL climate in Tameside was further complicated by the suspension of Denton MP Andrew Gwynne, who was sacked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as a health minister.
Gwynne faced disciplinary action following the exposure of offensive messages in a WhatsApp group named ‘Trigger Me Timbers.’
The group, which included local councillors and party officials, was found to contain seemingly misogynistic, racist, and classist content.
Mr Gwynne was suspended from the Labour Party after these revelations came to light.
But what does this mean for Tameside?
IN AN upset at the 2024 local elections, one of Labour’s safest seats, St Peter’s Ward, fell to independent candidate Cllr Kaleel Khan.
The word on everyone’s lips as Tameside’s political establishment suffered a major blow? Complacency.
Cllr Khan’s victory, along with fellow Independent Steven Barton’s win in Stalybridge North, unseated long-standing Labour councillors David McNally and Jan Jackson, ending a combined 21 years in office.
This shift signals what could be the beginning of a wider movement, as voters express growing frustration over perceived inaction and a lack of accountability from sitting councillors.
And these recent events have only heightened the talk and focus around local politics, which may not necessarily be a bad thing.
With more Independent candidates talking about standing and Reform UK seemingly mounting a campaign that is gathering pace, nationally and locally, the landscape may change once again in the near future.