The Leader of Cheshire East Council Michael Jones has announced his resignation at a meeting of the Cheshire East Conservative Group this evening, as a result of the controversy caused by the awarding of contracts to his physiotherapist.
Three contracts with a total value of £156,000 were awarded to Core Fit Ltd which is run by his personal physiotherapist Amanda Morris and delivers fitness classes in schools.
The contracts were awarded outside of normal contract procedure rules and a waiver notice, signed by senior officers, was described by Private Eye as a "barely literate justification for tearing up normal procedures".
Our source, who was at this evening's meeting, said "He told us all that at midday tomorrow there would be an announcement saying that he would be stepping down as Leader, effective from 31st December.
"He is staying as Councillor (for the Bunbury ward) so the Conservative Group will need to elect a new Conservative Group Leader and, because we have a majority on Cheshire East, that individual will become Leader of Cheshire East Council.
"If he steps down on the 31st, group rules say we have two weeks so a new Leader could be elected on the 14th January."
In his speech Michael Jones referred to 'blue on blue'. Our source explained "What Hilda Gaddum said has created an atmosphere of potential disagreement between Conservatives. His view was that the party was more important than the individual so he is stepping down.
"So many people are saying he doesn't need to stand down and should fight this but because of party unity he said I go."
Speaking to Arif Ansari, BBC North West Political Editor, on North West Tonight, last week the Mayor of Cheshire East said Cllr Michael Jones had "misled" the councillors over the contracts awarded to his physiotherapist.
Conservative Hilda Gaddum described his position as "untenable" because he had been "lobbying on behalf" of her company and called for an independent investigation.
Documents released to the BBC, as a result of a Freedom of Information request, showed that Michael Jones had written to the Chancellor and Tatton MP George Osborne, praising Core Fit's work - which he consulted Amanda Morris on before sending.
Responding to the calls for him to resign, Cllr Michael Jones wrote to the Cheshire East Conservative Group on 2nd December saying "After the tremendous news of last week, culminating in the huge HS2 announcement I am not surprised that the media have revisited my non involvement in the procurement.
"I shall not be resigning but thank the mayor for recognising the many good things I have achieved. I am disappointed, given that I vigorously supported her mayoralty to my group, at the comments made but that's Hilda for you.
"I am clear that I have not misled the Council."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Madam Mayor is to be congratulated on having the courage, the integrity and concern over the sullied name of Cheshire East Council. I must mention here that Councillor Toni Fox worked tirelessly to garner political support for the mayor over the past week.
My question and big concern is which of our Conservative councillors gave their support to the mayor before last evening's group meeting?
Michael Jones referred to 'blue on blue'. More like shooting himself in the foot in my opinion.
Which Cons CEC Cllr will succeed as Council Leader (bogeyman)?
It now seems like Jones will not be formally offering his resignation until February; in the meantime, a cynic might surmise that he would be gathering the usual suspects around him, in a bid to say "Look, all these people want me to stay on".
Watch this space.
We should not entrust our council tax to self styled gifted amateurs, who are clearly not gifted.
At the next election I will be looking for evidence that candidates have at least some understanding of business, finance and ethics before voting.
Perhaps just as amazing is that the fellow who was asleep at the wheel, when supposedly in charge of finances at the time of the £3MILLION Lyme Green fiasco and who merely "stepped down" from the Cabinet (rather than doing the correct thing and resigning from the Council) is now in involved in some of these spin-off companies!