Councillor Craig Browne attended a meeting of Full Council on Thursday, 19th October, and seconded a motion from the Labour Group for the creation of a cross party Cabinet of Unity.
Councillor Nick Mannion proposed that a new cabinet whose membership is drawn from across the political complexion of the Council be appointed, with membership being closed to anyone touched by any of the current police or internal investigations.
He stated that appointment to the new Cabinet should be on the basis of relevant skills and a willingness to work across the political divide in the spirit of rebuilding the image, repute and performance of Cheshire East Council.
Councillor Browne said "The proposed motion seeks to put people before politics and as such it is deserving of my support."
Below is a transcript of the speech he gave at the meeting:
When I was elected in 2015 on a non-political mandate, I assured residents I would not support any motion that was politically motivated. I believe this motion is not politically motivated, rather it is essential to restore the confidence of residents in this Council.
At the last elections the residents of Cheshire East elected a majority Conservative administration, but it should be noted that this was a majority, not a totality. This should, in my view, be reflected in the Chairs of the Council's Committees and in its Cabinet.
For opposition members, or cross-benchers such as myself, the question is how do we best add value in the current situation? It would be easy just to sit on the sidelines, always ready to offer criticism, not actually being in a position to make difficult decisions or accept responsibility.
Or could we do things differently, perhaps radically so? Could we challenge the leadership to share some of the responsibility that currently sits on their shoulders alone; equally, could they challenge us to share some of that responsibility with them?
A strong leadership, confident in its own abilities, recognises a plurality of views and ideas. It embraces them and becomes stronger itself as a result. Disregarding them, especially for political reasons, makes the Council weaker and does a disservice to the residents we represent.
No political group has a monopoly on talent or ability. As I look around the chamber I see members opposite me, in front of me, and alongside me. Politically I may not always agree with them; but, I recognise that their individual skills and abilities could bring valuable experience to the Council.
If we truly want to be a "Residents First" Council as we claim, we have to listen to residents views through their elected members and utilise their skills, talents and abilities. We cannot ever be "Residents First" if our instinct remains "Party First" – one, by definition, has to come second.
This motion represents an important step in the right direction and I am therefore pleased to support it.
Councillor Craig Browne added "Unfortunately, the motion was defeated, with all but two Conservatives voting against."
Cllr Sam Corcoran, Leader of the Labour Group, said, "The big message I get on the streets is for politicians to stop squabbling and work together. That's what we offered in this proposal. Taking on any Cabinet role is a poisoned chalice at the moment and one Conservative Cabinet member stepped down to protect his own reputation. By contrast there are Labour and Independent councillors who are willing to risk their own reputations in order to protect the Council's reputation."
