Any new Cabinet System must not prevent the Public from asking questions says Conservative Group Leader Stewart Gardiner
Following criticism in the LGA Peer Review of Cheshire East in 2024, Cheshire East Council is due to switch back from its current committee system of governance, which has been slated for its lack of scrutiny and “silo working”, to a leader and cabinet style in May 2026.
However, at last week’s meeting of the corporate policy committee, the Conservatives opposed recommendations where under the new Cabinet system, councillors and the public whould have to give three clear working days' notice of questions before cabinet meetings and that questions must relate to items on that day's agenda.
Council leader Nick Mannion (Macclesfield, Labour),
moved an amendment that those requirements would be waived in circumstances of both urgency or emergency, at the discretion of the leaders and monitoring officer, but the Conservative Group were not reassured by these claims (that cannot be reinforced through the Constitution).
Conservative group leader, Stewart Gardiner, stated that:
“It’s important councillors abide by the council's rules, if three days' notice and only agenda items are agreed, but if members of the public want to ask a question at a meeting they should be allowed to”.
"They shouldn't be told, 'sorry, the rules say you can't ask that question'," he said. "Firstly, it is rude, and secondly, we need to respect they are the people we are here for”.
"We are not here for ourselves, whether we're officers or members of the council, we are here to serve the public and, therefore, those members of the public should have a right to turn up to a meeting and ask the question whether it's on the agenda or whether it's not on the agenda, whether they've given three days' notice, or whether they've not given three days' notice.
"I do not think we should hamstring the public in the same way that we, as members of the council, have to comply with the rules."
Cllr Liz Wardlaw (Odd Rode, Conservative), said:
"I am absolutely and completely against these restrictions because we have experienced with different chairs, different philosophies on how to manage meetings."
Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Conservative), said that;
“the Tories were 'made to feel like second class citizens, not elected members of council' when they were in opposition under the previous cabinet system.
Crewe councillor Jill Rhodes (Labour), a member of the task and finish group working on the transition, said:
"We are trying to make sure we get a cabinet system that works well and shows respect for all individuals, and I think that is something the working group needs to consider”
A proposal by the Deputy Leader Michael Gorman (Wilmslow, Independent), suggested the proposals should stand and be reviewed in October 2026, and the committee agreed the provisions required for the council to switch to a leader and cabinet system be recommended to the next meeting of full council for sign off.
The amendments put forward regarding urgent questions and a review of the situation in six months' time were also included.
Seven councillors voted in favour and the five Conservatives voted against.
It is now for Full Council to determine if these proposals are acceptable at the December Meeting of Council at Jodrell Bank Observatory.
References:
Agenda Item 6. The Council’s Decision-Making Arrangements: https://moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk/ecminutes/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=959&MId=10831&Ver=4
Knutsford Guardian: https://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/25657357.cheshire-east-cabinet…
