SADDLEWORTH-BASED borough councillors are set to be called into an extraordinary meeting after the Oldham authority’s chief executive became involved at neighbouring Tameside.
Harry Catherall will take on the same role on an interim basis after the resignation of its head Sandra Stewart.
But that has sparked anger among Conservative councillors, who have tabled a motion for a special gathering over concerns he is splitting his time.
And that is likely to be granted as a spokesperson said: “The Mayor has advised that he is satisfied that the request for meeting has been met and that steps to call an extraordinary meeting of the council will be called.”
Cllr Lewis Quigg added: “My colleagues and I have taken this extraordinary decision in order to bring this from behind closed doors and into the public domain.
“It is apparent that the collapse of a neighbouring Labour council is now impacting on Oldham.
“Councillors need to be able to ask questions with full transparency over what is happening.
“Mr Catherall is the most senior officer in the council and we need to know, given his already reduced role, that he is able to fully commit to the people of Oldham or not.
“There is no escaping the fact Oldham is in a mess and is not in a good place and we need a full-time chief executive who can deal with this reality.
“Mr Catherall needs to decide whether he is staying or going so we can begin to plan for the future.
“The halfway house situation we have now and going forward is not good enough.”
Mr Catherall, who lives in Stalybridge, is stepping in at Tameside to help it through its current crisis.
As well as Ms Stewart, political leader Cllr Gerald Cooney has stepped down, along with deputy Cllr Bill Fairfoull and first deputy Cllr Jacqueline North.
They came on the back of a withering report into its children’s services department, which found claims of a ‘toxic’ and ‘bullying’ culture.
Labour’s national party is bringing in a campaign improvement board, citing ‘unacceptable working practices’ and demanding a ‘culture change.’
Read all the news about Tameside Council over on our sister website: www.tamesidecorrespondent.co.uk/?s=tameside+council
Good call, it a huge shame that the national party doesn’t reflect the vigor, perspicacity and common sense of some it’s local Councillors.
Given that I expect Harry Catheral be being paid something in the region of maybe, £200,000 pa plus benefits, an obvious question is for what ?