Council Leader issues an apology

by Lisa Reeves

Saturday 3^rd May 2014

Sat 3^rd May 2014

Council leader Michael Jones has issued an apology regarding the Easter message he released through Cheshire East Council on April 17th.

Cllr Michael Jones said "On 17 April 2014 as Leader of the Council I issued an Easter Message which by mistake contained political statements and which I fully acknowledge should not have been issued by or linked to the Council.

"The words in question were only ever intended to be issued by me personally and I apologise to the public, the Council and all elected members for any harm that this error may have caused. I accept full responsibility for the issue of this statement and as Leader I have taken steps to tighten up the processes to ensure that a similar error could not be repeated in the future."

Cllr Brian Silvester, Willaston and Rope Ward Councillor, made an official complaint about the Easter message.

He said "Firstly it is clearly wrong for a council officer and council facilities to be used to issue a press release calling on residents to keep faith with the Conservatives and giving reasons why they should not vote for UKIP or Labour.

"Secondly we are now in the purdah period for the European Elections and in that period the law prohibits the Council from publishing or assisting others to publish "any material which, in whole or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party". It is clear that from the content of the press release that the Council Leader and the Council have broken the law."

Click here to view the Council Leader's Easter message.

Tags:: Cllr Michael Jones

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Terry Roeves

Tuesday 6^th May 2014 at 1:01 pm

Cllr Jones was talking in his official capacity. He told us of changes to be announced to the CE core plan. We won't be getting these as an election bribe because it's unlikely that local government is any excluded from making statements.

And I quote from Wragge & Co., respected solicitor....

" ‘Purdah’ is a political convention, which formally applies to government ministers and civil servants in central government during the period immediately before a general election.
During a period of purdah, ministers and civil servants will refrain from taking decisions or making policy announcements which are significant and may be politically contentious."

Cllr Jones has failed Cheshire East, failed Wilmslow, failed the Conservative party, failed Localism, failed The Big Society. He is a failure - he won't resign of course. Cllrs are waking up. Time to move ladies and gentlemen please. No guts, no glory, no votes.
PS Cllr Jones - remember saying that Adlington Road green fields would never be built on? Plan 14/0007M needs your objection on record. Put it on the planning portal please. You can't say things and not back it up.

Chris Wigley

Tuesday 6^th May 2014 at 9:08 pm

Could I add to Terry Roeves' comment he was a failure in his directorate as Cabinet member responsible for Resources, before becoming Leader, when his area allowed the massive overspending on Lyme Green, a project without planning permission, and the virement of budgets without the necessary authority, he should have resigned at the time, but was annointed to take on higher things. The only thing that Michael Jones has done is give publicity in the regional and national news, for all the wrong reason, in particular house building in the green belt. It isn't the first time that the Leader has had to apologise, didn't he infer that George Osborne had done some political manoeuvring http://dailym.ai/1ioRsIG

Perhaps it is time for men in grey suits in smoke filled room to whisper in Jones' ear - goodbye