New leader vows change after council chaos

Eleanor Wills says improving children's services is a top priority

The new leader of a council, which was plunged into chaos when bosses resigned in a row over the state of children's services, has vowed "change is coming".

Eleanor Wills was voted in to take charge at Labour-run Tameside Council after the resignation of former leader Ged Cooney and departure of the authority's chief executive.

It comes after a report into the borough's children's services, which have failed repeated Ofsted inspections, found a "toxic" culture in the council leadership.

Wills said improving these services was a first priority, "not for the sake of an Ofsted grade" but to ensure the council "never again fail those who most need our support".

Oldham Council has agreed plans to lend its chief executive to Tameside

The new leader was sworn in at a meeting on Thursday where she also chose a new cabinet team, with Andrew McLaren appointed deputy leader.

Her appointment comes after the town hall was effectively left without a paid service boss or a political leader.

It led to the national Labour Party bringing in a "campaign improvement board" to bring back order to the borough.

'Rats in the sack'

Speaking after her appointment, Wills said she had "heard the frustration" among councillors and the public, and promised change was coming under her direction.

She said the council was in the process of recruiting a permanent leadership team for children’s services.

A government commissioner published a critical review of Tameside’s children’s services department in September.

The local Labour Party came under attack for behaving like "rats in the sack" after the assessment of council children's services at the meeting by local Conservative leader Doreen Dickinson.

She said there were “resignations coming in fast and furious, no thought then of who is looking after these children, all hoping to save their own skin and political careers within the Labour Party".

Meanwhile Oldham Council has agreed plans for their chief executive Harry Catherall to step in on a "timeshare" basis at Tameside Council.

It would see Catherall employed by Tameside for four days a week and maintaining his role for one day a week in Oldham.

Some Oldham councillors raised concerns about the impact on stability , with councillor David Arnott likening the move to if "Pep Guardiola managed Manchester City one day a week and for the other four managed Manchester United".

But Oldham Council leader Arooj Shah said it was "about a good, stable council being asked to support one of its neighbours in crisis".