Latest news with #CheshireEast
BBC News
06-08-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Cheshire East: Councillor abuse 'becoming a national problem'
A council is set to sign off plans to bring in measures to tackle abuse of councillors, after a survey found around a third had considered standing down over abuse and Wilson, who chaired the review at Cheshire East Council, said it was "disappointing" that the authority had to look into the issue but said the council needed to "accept" it had to protect council's deputy leader Michael Gorman said there needed to be a "national response" because abuse was "becoming a national problem".Councillors will discuss the plans at a meeting later. Two-thirds of Cheshire East's councillors responded to a survey on harassment, abuse and intimidation and said they had faced incidents including death threats, stalking and damage to their cars or total, 82% of the harassment reported was on social media, with 62% in person, 51% via email and 20% over the Fiona Wilson, who was in charge of the group set up to look into the problem, said she thought the public would be "surprised and disappointed" about the levels of abuse."It does concern me because there's the impact with councillors wanting to stand down - experienced councillors working hard for their communities who may not want to stand again," she said."We have to accept that we need to protect councillors going forward, and we've worked really hard to bring forward a whole range of procedures that will support councillors if they have any concerns in this area," she said. Michael Gorman, the council's deputy leader and leader of the Independent group, said the figures reported in the area were "shocking" but said there were similar problems in other councils."I think we need a national response. This is becoming a national problem," he said."I think this government is listening and I think they really do need to take some action," he added he felt social media platforms needed to "get a grip"."My dad and my grandad both fought in the trenches in WW1 and WW2 for democracy and against dictatorship, they're probably spinning in their graves now looking at this because I just think, this is not this country. "England is based on democratic values, not on hate and abuse," he said."What we can't have is people who are giving up their time and energy being intimidated and abused constantly online and through email and face to face, having their cars damaged, all the things we learned from this report and the reports nationally... it's time to start doing something about it."The council is looking introduce a formal reporting process, run training in conflict prevention, and issue safety devices. See more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
01-08-2025
- BBC News
Cheshire East councillors faced 'stalking and death threats'
About a third of councillors on one council have considered quitting over abuse or harassment, according to a physical violence and damage to vehicles were among some of the incidents reported by some members of Cheshire East Council. Two-thirds of the authority's councillors responded to its survey, with 35% of those saying they had considered standing down because of harassment or study found that 22% of them had experienced a threat of violence, 6% had received death threats and 4% had experienced physical violence in their role. The report will be discussed by councillors at a meeting on Wednesday (6 August).The survey was commissioned after a meeting of the authority's corporate policy group said it recognised abuse, harassment and intimidation of councillors was rising.A task group was set up to look into the issue and the group's chair, Fiona Wilson, said some of the responses to the survey were "alarming".The group also said it was "disappointed and concerned" about the number of councillors considering leaving their roles. Privacy invasion, damage and physical attacks A total of 55 councillors completed the survey, and just over half of those who responded were most said they never or rarely felt at risk in their roles as councillors, 82% said they had experienced harassment or also said that 82% of the harassment was on social media, with 62% in person, 51% via email and 20% over the who responded also reported the types of abuse they had faced, with some reporting their private information being placed on public websites or forums, privacy being invaded at home or other private places and damage to their cars or were three reports of physical attacks and three of being stalked or were individual reports of protests at members' homes and malicious or dangerous items being sent to were also asked their views on the arrangements made for their protection, with more than half feeling the council's arrangements were task group has recommended lone-working personal safety devices be considered for councillors who wished to have them, as well as de-escalation will also be asked to appoint a nominated officer for dealing with abuse and agree for the council to reaffirm its commitment to the Local Government Association's Debate not Hate campaign. See more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Mayor election delay agreed as Cheshire devolution moves forward
Cheshire will now elect its first mayor in 2027, after the government accepted a request from the in Cheshire and Warrington had asked for their first mayoral vote to be delayed by a year from the initially proposed date of May government hasconfirmed Cheshire and Warrington, along with five other areas, will move forward with devolution and it had "agreed to align" elections with most of the county's local elections in in the area previously said the delay would allow Cheshire "more time to put in place the right foundations". The leaders of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, and Warrington Councils called for the delay earlier this said it would also "reduce costs" by having the election in May 2027 instead of May East and Cheshire West and Chester councils both have full council elections in 2027, with Warrington holding their next full election the following government said it would now work with the six areas on the Devolution Priority Programme to confirm their funding plans."These sweeping new powers for communities will put them on the fast track to deliver growth, opportunities, transport and housing," said Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Cheshire councils call for mayoral election delay to 2027
The three councils in Cheshire are calling for their first mayoral election to take place a year later than originally East, Cheshire West and Chester, and Warrington councils had been added to the government's Devolution Priority Programme earlier this year, with plans to elect the county's first mayor in May area's leaders have now asked the government for this to take place in 2027 said the move would give them "more time to put in place the right foundations". The BBC has contacted the Department for Local Government for a response. Cheshire and Warrington were one of six areas added to the Devolution Priority Programme in February.A government consultation took place earlier this year and it was proposed a combined authority would come into force in January had been concerns from the Conservative groups on both Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils about the timings of said they had concerns about the councils' "operational capacity" and "financial sustainability" to have a devolution programme ready for elections in 2026 and said a 12-month delay would offer a "more realistic timescale". In a statement, the leaders of the three councils said they were "committed" to devolution for Cheshire and Warrington."While we have always maintained that we want to release the potential benefits of devolution as early as possible, we have heard what people have said and recognise that by holding the mayoral election in May 2027 – at the same time as a number of local elections taking place across the area – we can reduce costs and potentially increase the number of people who will turn out to vote and have their voice heard."We will continue our work in the meantime to progress establishing a Mayoral Combined Authority for Cheshire and Warrington in early 2026, subject to the councils' approval."This would still give our area more funding and more powers and be a positive step on our journey to electing a mayor in May 2027." A move to 2027 would also coincide with some local elections in the East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council are both due to have their next local elections, which would be full council elections, in next election, also a full council election, is set to be the following week, the two councils in Cumbria, which were also added to the Devolution Priority Programme, called for their mayoral elections to be delayed by a year. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Britain has abandoned Afghans yet again
It seems that the government has decided to cancel the Afghan relocations and assistance policy and the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme to new applicants with no notice. As of 3pm on 1 July, it is impossible for Afghan people who worked with the British army to seek refuge in the UK. They were promised refuge, but it is no longer available. Readers may remember that in August 2021, a plane loaded with Afghan dogs and cats was allowed to travel here, at the expense of endangered Afghans. Surely we still owe the Afghan people recompense for CampbellChair of trustees, Refugees Welcome, Cheshire East That pernicious little worm of one-upmanship that lurks in my soul was gratified to learn that I met most of your criteria for coolness ('You know it when you see it': experts size up scientists' attempt to define cool, 5 July). However, I find that as one grows old in these straitened times, being cool is less pressing than being EmmersonEdinburgh David Cooper (Letters, 6 July) might like to know of a previous inspired delivery by Royal Mail. In the 1930s, my late father, then an impecunious teacher, was camping in Cornwall for his summer holiday. His uncle sent him a postcard addressed to 'Pat Lister, camping under a hedge near Bude'. It was safely delivered by the local ListerGnosall, Staffordshire Marilyn Rowley might be right when she says 'it is what it is' (Letters, 6 July), but it wasn't like that back in the CordingleyLincoln Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
