The Labour Group on Cheshire East Council has submitted a motion of no confidence in Michael Jones, the Leader of Cheshire East Council.
The motion will be debated at the full Council meeting on Thursday. 26th February.
A statement issued by the Labour Group lists specific failings which they say are attributable to Michael Jones. These include: being Cabinet Member responsible for finance at the time of the Lyme Green failings; claiming the independent report into Lyme Green was confidential, then the Information Commissioner ordered the release of a redacted version; compromising himself over the Local Plan, so that the Leader of the Council cannot take any part in debates over one of the most important issues for Cheshire East; allowing Council officers to draft tweets for his personal Twitter account attacking his political opponents and paying £1,000 out of his own pocket when it was revealed that the Council had sponsored a Conservative Party conference.
A spokesperson for the group said "This is not a decision that has been taken lightly. After careful thought the Labour group has decided that it needs to act to prevent further harm to Cheshire East and its residents."
In a letter to the Conservative Group at Cheshire East Council, Cllr Michael Jones wrote "Residents will know that I have tried my best, working long hours with the support of my councillor colleagues, the executive and officers, to bring about that fundamental change.
"There is more to be done, but there is no doubt that this is now the best place to live and work in the North West."
He continued "We all know what it means when politicians stoop to personal attacks – it means they can't find anything wrong with the policies.
"Notices of motion at full council meetings do not affect me but I am concerned at the affect they have on the morale of our staff; do some councillors not realise how hard our people are working for residents?
"Whatever the detractors say, residents have every confidence in Cheshire East Council and its leadership."
Updated: 8pm Thursday 26th February
The motion of no confidence in Council Leader Michael Jones submitted by the Labour Group on Cheshire East Council failed at today's meeting of the Full Council.
The Motion of No confidence in the Leader was amended to 'Full confidence' in the leader and was carried after a vote.
Comments
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It's all jolly confusing for a bloke of my age- all these chaps called Michael Jones, the Head of Cheshire East, the Head of Cheshire West and even a former Director of Broadway Malyan, all Conservatives and all involved with property development, surely they must be totally separate people? I really don't understand it.
It's almost as confusing as the report into Lyme Green which one of the Michael Jones boys censored: http://bit.ly/1DSjpZs
No doubt statistically he will ride this storm,..... But what about the National Local Govt awards???
Can't the Labour Group see what a wonderful councillor he is!!!
He is a massive vote loser for his party in CE and Tatton. Sir Malcolm Rifkin's offer of a bottle of scotch and a revolver, were not needed in the end. Just a thought Cllr.
It is independent councillors that are needed to stand up for our communities irrespective of party allegiance & party whip, putting the electorate first, not party voting fodder of whatever and all parties that is destroying public confidence in the political class.
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