Third senior officer departs following £800,000 Lyme Green scandal

Another senior officer has left Cheshire East Council (CEC) as a result of the Lyme Green fiasco.

Lisa Quinn, Director of Finance and Business Services, has left the Council today by mutual agreement.

She had been suspended from work pending further action in January, following a meeting of the Lyme Green staffing sub-committee.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "Lisa Quinn, Director of Finance and Business Services, left the Council's employment on Friday, February 15, by mutual agreement. This follows the departure of two senior managers during December.

"Arrangements are already in place to cover her role, while the Council continues with the planned introduction of a new management framework, which will be less opaque, more accountable and effective and less costly.

"I would like to thank Lisa for her hard work and commitment to the job during her time at Cheshire East and I wish her well for the future."

Lisa Quinn is the third senior officer to leave Cheshire East Council following the DIP's (Designated Independent Person) report into the causes of the failure of the Lyme Green development project.

John Nicholson, Strategic Director Places and Organisational Capacity, and Caroline Elwood, Borough Solicitor, whose actions were also examined by the DIP, resigned in December - just days after the confidential report was passed to the Council's staffing sub committee for consideration.

Councillor Rod Menlove, also resigned from his role as Environment Portfolio Holder, in January - as a result of the Lyme Green debacle.

The Council's aborted plans to build a recycling station at Lyme Green Depot in Macclesfield have cost Cheshire East taxpayers in excess of £800,000, they broke planning rules, as the main contractor commenced work on the site before planning permission had been granted, and officers did not comply with EU Procurement Regulations.

Cheshire East Council were due to make a final decision today, Friday 15th February, as to whether to disclose the report into the Lyme Green fiasco - as soon as we receive confirmation of their decision we will publish an update.

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Lyme Green
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Elaine Napier
Friday 15th February 2013 at 6:34 pm
All the people named so far have allegedly left with their notice pay and no apparent sanctions. This is a huge loss to taxpayers, will no-one be taking responsibility? Was there any criminal activity? And, if there was, will it be investigated by the police? And will we ever know the truth?
Jonathan Alexander
Saturday 16th February 2013 at 8:30 am
Dear Lisa

No further communication has been received from Cheshire East Council. Since they have - in effect - refused to reveal the costs of the investigation, and have now exhausated the time for a response to the request for release of the report, I have asked for an internal review. The next step is to refer the Information Commissioner's Office, which - given the recent experience regarding Tatton Park and Bewilderwood - may be prepared to side with those of us who value transparency and freedom of information.
Monday 18th February 2013 at 12:00 pm
Yes definatley time for the Information commisioner to investigate.
Linda Cook
Tuesday 19th February 2013 at 4:20 pm
How can the residents and tax payers of Cheshire East expect any real information on this when the person being reported to at the top at the time was a certain Cllr jones who didnt lose his job.....but got promoted...now is it a plan to remove anyone that could implicate or point the finger at him!!!

For those of you that don't know the history of Cheshire East Council Leader - Cllr Jones, someone better than me put up the following post on another website relating to the many issues currently being steamrollered through in Cheshire for George Osborne by Cllr Jones.

Considering Cllr Jones was only elected in 2011 he can't half spend other people's money well.
Looking at his companies accounts it's a pity he doesn't contribute more in tax as he only makes £7513 net profit in his last reported accounts http://bit.ly/XrWoVy

Hard to believe this is the same person as in this article, but I don't suppose it is, as he never has liked paying tax like the rest of us!!!! http://bit.ly/KfhKw4