‘We don’t care who runs the town hall, just help the vulnerable children’

Dark clouds overhead and the impending downpour surely due any minute – the weather in Stalybridge reflects the sombre mood currently hanging over the town hall.

Much like the town centre’s civic hall building, which is in the midst of a £19m restoration project, Tameside council’s hierarchy is currently in disrepair.  Last week, its chief executive, Sandra Stewart, tendered her resignation and was quickly followed by leader Coun Ged Cooney just three days later.

The two leaders stepped down following pressure for change amid a scathing commissioners report into children’s services, currently rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. A government commissioner published a brutal assessment of the children’s services department last month.

The council was told repeatedly it was failing those most vulnerable – with social workers overstretched, children living in ‘neglect’ for too long and some youngsters in care being put in ‘unsuitable’ accommodation. The commisioner’s report also highlighted a ‘toxic culture’ pervading through the services.

Amid a scene of political chaos in the town hall, the national Labour party were forced to bring in a  ‘campaign improvement board’ to make changes, welcomed by the borough’s three MPs. 

But despite the turbulence, a number of people spoken to on Stalybridge high street said they were unaware about what was unfolding a mere two miles down the road in Ashton’s council offices. 

“Don’t know, don’t care,” one dog walker exclaimed as he walked by the canal. 

One pensioner strolling down Melbourne Street added: “I’m not that bothered about what happens in town hall. Things will happen but we don’t see change. They’ll re-elect someone else and they’ll be just the same.

“I want to see the new person get a trial run, and if they’re no good they get booted out as well. More transparency is needed, but you’ll never get that here.”

Those who had been unaware about the failings in children’s services, which have been ongoing for just over a decade, were shocked by the news. Residents wanted to see the council prioritising a transformation of the service which has scored either ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ with Ofsted since 2011.

Patrizia D’Alessandro said: “It’s really worrying. It’s a big thing that they’re getting wrong.

“They just need to do their job, focus on getting that right. That is what they are supposed to do.”

The 52-year-old added that squabbles and political infighting wouldn’t help children who need help. Another local, who was just off to see her son after a spot of shopping, believes things could only get worse under Labour – citing the recent winter fuel allowance scrapping as an ominous sign.

“I want them to come and sort it out,” she said. “Since they came back into government, Labour has stopped the heating allowance and the Labour council is just like them. 

“I think everything has been going wrong since they came in. Someone needs to go and change things up.”

Labour have been in control of Tameside Council for 47 years out of the 50 it has been in existence. Any shift from the reds in the council chamber seems unlikely any time soon, especially given the fact the next local election is in May 2026.

A former teacher in the area, who now lives in Mossley, gave his thoughts as to how the council have got to where they are – ‘stagnating’.

Peter McKinney, 77, told the LDRS: “I have long held a view that politicians must start off with some kind of honourable intentions, but they seem to lose their honesty and decency as time goes on. It becomes about power and money I think – even in local politics.

“The way politicians turn out, something goes wrong, maybe it’s what they’re exposed to. I used to be a teacher, so I know that children are at our mercy, especially if we can’t protect them. 

“We need to do everything in our power to help them. I want to see change, and see it soon, for the sake of the kids here.”

For those who were enduring the drizzle that was splashing down into the Huddersfield Narrow Canal running through Stalybridge town centre, they may hope that a new council leader can bring sunshine back to their borough. 

Coun Eleanor Wills has vowed to do just that, promising to transform children’s services and to press the reset button on the council’s culture. The former cabinet member was appointed the Labour group leader on Thursday morning and is set to be formally sworn in as council leader at an extraordinary meeting on October 24.

Although outgoing council leader Coun Cooney said it will take months or years of hard work to get children’s services back to where it needs to be, in her letter promoting her leadership bid last week, Coun Wills put cleaning up children’s services as her key priority. The Dukinfield & Stalybridge ward representative explained that ‘decisive action’ needs to be taken.

Her letter, sent on October 15, read: “I wanted to let you know that I have just submitted my application for Leader of Tameside Labour Group. I believe now is the time for fresh leadership; time for a new generation to take the council forward and rebuild trust with our residents.

“There is nothing more important than the work Tameside Council does in protecting the most vulnerable children and young people in our community – and Tameside Council has failed them.

“It is time for decisive action. Working closely with the Commissioner, our strategic partners and our three MPs, we must accept the report, embrace change, and take bold steps to rebuild confidence in our service.

“I was so sad when the commissioner highlighted that Tameside Council was a ‘toxic’ place to work. Tameside Council’s staff is its most valuable asset.

“We need to reset the culture, empower hard-working employees and lead by example. When they succeed – Tameside succeeds. We need to look at ourselves too.

“Tameside Labour Group used to be a campaigning machine – one that our Labour colleagues across the region were envious of. Sadly, in recent times, our standards have declined.

“We need to attract new, talented candidates for the future; we need to increase and improve our campaign activities; and we need to review and modernise our own processes. We really do have so much talent and enthusiasm within our group to improve our services for the better.

“And we need to move on and put old rivalries aside. I would lead by example. This is an opportunity to draw a line and move forward for the sake of our residents – for the sake of our children.

“So whilst the challenge ahead is huge, so is the opportunity. I hope to have your support in taking advantage of that opportunity.”

A Tameside Council spokesperson said: “As a council, we are going through a period of change, but we have all the statutory officers required to ensure the delivery of services for our residents. This includes an acting chief executive. We remain absolutely focused on improving our children’s services and recently appointed an interim director of children’s services.

“Here in Greater Manchester, we have a system of mutual aid to ensure councils support each other in times of transition. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is working with us to put in place robust interim arrangements as we progress to the permanent recruitment of the chief executive of the council. We will provide further updates on any progress at the appropriate time.”