Cheshire East Council has confirmed that one of its senior officers has resigned today (Tuesday, 10th July).
A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said; "The council's chief executive, Mike Suarez, has tendered his resignation with immediate effect. Mr Suarez's resignation has been accepted."
Chief Executive Michael Suarez has been suspended since April 2017 after concerns were raised over his conduct.
The Investigation and Disciplinary Committee met on Monday, 10th and Tuesday 11th April 2017, to discuss the issues raised.
Following the meetings Cheshire East Council confirmed that a decision had been taken to suspend Mike Suarez while an independent investigation is undertaken.
The Council will not disclose any details regarding the nature of the concerns raised about his conduct.
Mike Suarez joined Cheshire East Council as Chief Executive in August 2013, having experience in Local Government with several other councils. He started his local government career at the London Borough of Southwark before taking up his first Director role with Slough Borough Council. He was previously an Executive Director with the London Borough of Lambeth.
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This raises a number of alarming questions.
1) Why has it taken well over a year to conduct the investigation?
2) Do we have any idea how close to a conclusion the investigation is?
3) If the now resigned Chief Executive is found to be guilty of something, will the council take further action?
4) What happens to our money (ie the taxpayers) that has been paid (no doubt a generous six figure annual salary) to this individual since he was suspended, to do precisely nothing? 5) Surely, given the number of resignations/ sackings/ enquiries over recent years into the Cheshire East Council, it would be more appropriate have the investigation conducted by an external, non-partisan body?
6) Has Mr Suarez now tendered his resignation because he has been tipped off that the investigation is close to completion and, rather than being pushed, he chose to jump?
In other words, has he finally reached the end of this gravy train track....?
Why didn't he resign in April 2017 when this investigation first started ?
It seems to me this Cheshire East Council is riddled with corruption because we hear of so many CE councillors being involved with scandal after scandal.
Surely it's time for an independent outside source to investigate this Cheshire East Council and what they get up to with OUR money and OUR taxes.
This whole sorry episode is yet another fiasco created by these employees who are supposed to work for the taxpayers and ratepayers of Cheshire East.
There have been so many stories and reports of similar situations at Cheshire East that I'm surprised someone of higher authority hasn't closed this council down and started again with new employees and councillors after serious vetting procedures of each individual.
How many more major failings will it take?
alongside the actual cost of Co-socious (£ 3 million +?), ‘Flawed CEC Local Plan’ (£ 3.7M+ ?) ,‘Corefit’ debacle ( £160k+legal action ), The‘deliberate and systematic’ failures re; Pollution data and The cost of severance to disgraced officers now leaving CEC pay to those suspended or on gardening leave as a ‘neutral act’ (£Millions) ,Employing Sticky Change ‘Bullying’ Consultants £152k, Employing Lancashire based JGM Spin Doctors (£1.2M?) . The Cost of Concealment will tell at the Ballot box ! Perhaps the 'Nemesis casting' nominee can explain as the deselected Lyme Green Cllr has failed to do so.