Canal27ways

Author: Mike C

  • Extraordinary Council Meeting

    Extraordinary Council Meeting

    This was the meeting calling for resignations and self condemnation of pretty much everybody

    I previewed the meeting last week.

    The clash came to pass last night in the council chamber. Labour won. They had the votes.

    Most of the speakers were attacking Labour and a picture was painted of a Council Executive who were inward looking and lacking in curiosity.

    That narrative didn’t meet much challenge.

    My regret is that I’m still not actually sure how Trafford’s Executive were unaware that the issues highlighted in Ofsted’s opening paragraph had come about. I was hoping Children’s scrutiny the previous evening would have extracted something approaching a definitive answer. It would require some ‘first principle’ questioning.

    • How the ‘front door’ is monitored,
    • how failings would come to light,
    • how they are reported up the line

    All we have is the Ofsted verdict

    Since the previous inspection in 2022, when services in Trafford were judged as requires improvement to be good, leaders have been ineffective in recognising, prioritising and making improvements to some service shortfalls. Practice with children in care and for some care-experienced young people has improved, but there has been a serious deterioration in service areas, such as front door response.
    This has left some children at risk of harm.

    Leadership Culture

    I don’t think we’ll ever get a comprehensive answer to whether the culture set by Trafford’s political leadership played a part.

    The members of the Executive very much set themselves apart from the wider body of councillors. They don’t ask questions of wider councillors. They may have friendship groups to confide in, but it doesn’t seem to be a core value to be interested in the ward councillor’s perspective. This being the case, it hardly seems incongruous if there has been a lack of curiosity in terms of performance.

    There seems to be a culture of mutual comforting and reassurance amongst the cabinet. Consensus is reinforced. It would cause gross offense to demur.

    It is literally true that executive members challenging the consensus is now always in the past tense.

    This bias towards consensus permeates the council’s values

    I’ve never been a huge fan of Trafford’s ‘People Plan‘. Its EPIC Values have always seemed a little passively introverted to me, I’d like them to be more challenging, more focused on improvement.

    EPIC Values

    I almost think we hard-wired this failing into the culture. Still doesn’t explain everything, but I suggest that there are issues still to be solved beyond a simple change of personnel.

    The council meeting was interesting, we did get to hear the occasional line that set my alarms ringing;

    • “We’ve already dealt with”,
    • “Changes are in progress”,
    • “We’re going to be open, we don’t need to have a formal arrangement”

    We’ll have to see whether the Executive changes. I think one interesting consensus, certainly across the opposition parties, but I think into Labour backbenches was dissatisfaction with the scrutiny function. I hope that will be picked up.

    Link to Archived Video of the Proceedings on Youtube

    Overall, I think it was a worthwhile meeting. I don’t think resignations at this stage are a good idea, so I was happy with the way the votes went. It would be nice to think they take a broad view to some of the system failures that have taken place in my view, rather than the fault of a few individuals. And I’d really like the leaders to look in the mirror, have their behaviours contributed?

  • Council gets to lock horns over Children’s Service Failings

    Council gets to lock horns over Children’s Service Failings

    Previewing a big week for Trafford Council with Children’s Scrutiny on Tuesday and a full council on Wednesday.

    August is usually a quiet month for councillors, but two critical inspections have created a political crisis, and the Conservatives weren’t going to let this go without another vote of no confidence in Labour’s leader, Tom Ross.

    Conservative Motion

    It’s nearly 2500 words. That’s huge for a motion – 4 pages long.

    Link to the full Conservative Motion

    If you can’t face 2500 words, the motion can be split into two halves.

    First Half – What has happened

    The conservative motion opens with the historically correct reminder that in 2015 Trafford’s children’s services were judged to be ‘Good’ whilst under Conservative control.

    It goes on to say that subsequent reviews marked a decline (under Labour control) culminating in the current review.

    It criticises Trafford’s leadership (Labour’s) for not being on top of performance shortfalls throughout this time.

    Second Half – What is to be done about it

    The Conservatives say the council should:

    • Record its profound concern and apologise to children and families
    • Thank its frontline officers and foster carers
    • Recognise the record as representing a serious failure of governance and accountability
    • Declare a loss of confidence in its political leadership
    • Call on the leader (Tom Ross)to resign
    • Call on the Council Executive to recognise its part in this and look to restoring confidence in political oversight
    • Establish an independently chaired Children’s Services Improvement and Assurance Board
    • Require the administration to publish an improvement plan with regular reports to children’s scrutiny
    • Require a specific report into failings in the ‘front door’ to children’s services and the failures in oversight.
    • Look for commonalities in the preparation for each of the negative Ofsted reports
    • Receive a further report at full council as to progress
    • Affirm that it’s about day to day standards not just for Ofsted

    Thoughts on the motion

    This is a better motion than we’re used to from the Conservatives and I suspect they’ve had some help. It gets a little bit messy towards the end by being too prescriptive, but overall it does what the Conservatives want it to do.

    Labour’s response

    I really expected Labour to take a position that the Conservatives had rushed to produce a purely political motion when the seriousness of the situation called for a measured approach that had already begun. I expected them to simply vote against this motion. Instead, they’ve made amendments.

    Labour Amendments to Conservative Motion

    I’m really surprised how much of the Conservative Motion survives amendment. It leaves a lot of the tale intact.

    Additional Points inserted by Labour’s Amendment

    The narrative history in the first half of the motion is tweaked to include a number of mitigating factors.

    • The budget for Children’s Services was reduced by the Conservatives after the ‘Good’ Ofsted
    • Within the latest ‘Inadequate’ Ofsted there some recognition of improvements in specific areas, notably report writing and support for children subject to protection plans
    • There had been a 60% increase in demand in the past 12 months
    • Ofsted recognised corporate and political commitment to children and that there had been additional investment
    • The ‘Expert Advisor’ being sent in by the Dept for Education as a consequence of the ‘Inadequate judgement’ will have a positive diagnostic input

    The above points are quite reasonable inclusions. It leaves the basic narrative intact. However, one of the smallest amendments in that first section is perhaps the most controversial.

    In 2026, Ofsted again found that leaders did not fully understand the scale of serious problems until inspectors arrived and did not possess a wholly accurate self-assessment of service quality and impact.

    is amended to

    In 2026, Ofsted again found that service leaders did not fully understand the scale of serious problems until inspectors arrived and did not possess a wholly accurate self-assessment of service quality and impact.

    The Ofsted report does not distinguish between service leaders, corporate leaders or political leaders. I really don’t like this particular amendment, leaders should stand with their teams, not washing their hands of them. I’m not impressed at all by this amendment and perhaps it highlights bigger issues.

    Amendments to the 2nd half of the Conservative motion

    They add some new measures

    • Recognise the record as representing a serious failure of governance and accountability
      (is softened)

    The amendment deletes the paragraphs criticising the council leadership and executive.

    It adds some new measures

    • Seek support from an independent improvement partner through a local authority that demonstrated outstanding practice in Children’s Services
    • Bring tangible and practical improvements to partnership working in Trafford including partners in health and Greater Manchester Police.
    • Calls on all partners in Trafford to recognise the challenge and allocate and identify dedicated and consistent resources to Trafford and the new Improvement Board.

    Labour has the numbers, if its councillors turn up

    This will be one of those meetings that will have the strongest of three-line-whips. It used to always be impressed on new councillors that there may come a time when councillors are expected to fly home early for important votes. It actually did happen famously about thirty years ago with regard to Greater Manchester’s Public Transport Authority when the votes across the councils of GM were almost in balance.

    I think we’re slightly softer these days, but it’s hard to see how an executive member could stay in post if they miss Wednesday’s vote.

    Had I still been a councillor, I would have supported the Labour Leadership and voted for their amendments. I would have blamed the leadership for their lack of openness. I would have told them in the corridor they’d brought this on themselves, but I would still have voted for them. I’m glad to be out of it.

    It needs stating

    There needs to be changes in how Labour’s leadership in Trafford operates. They’ve been found wanting.

    Scrutiny

    Scrutiny of Trafford’s approach to the Ofsted verdict is actually the day before council. Sadly, it’s just a verbal presentation. Whilst it will be worth watching on Youtube, its hard to see how much input scrutiny is going to be allowed to make. I hope I’m wrong.

  • Not Good – Inspections of key services confirm Trafford’s worst fears

    Not Good – Inspections of key services confirm Trafford’s worst fears

    Adult and Children’s inspection Reports across Greater Manchester

    Adult Social CareChildren’s Services
    BoltonGoodFeb26GoodSep23
    BuryGoodJun26Requires ImprovementJun25
    ManchesterGoodAug26OutstandingOct25
    OldhamGoodFeb26GoodMay24
    RochdaleGoodJun26Requires ImprovementFeb23
    SalfordInadequateMay26GoodNov23
    StockportGoodMay26Requires ImprovementMay25
    TamesideRequires ImprovementJun26InadequateDec23
    TraffordRequires ImprovementAug26InadequateJun26
    WiganOutstandingMar26GoodOct25

    Trafford has found itself in the unenviable position of receiving two critical inspection reports in quick succession. There’s been a political furore and urgent meetings in the middle of August have had to be scheduled.

    Adult Social Services

    Because all of Greater Manchester’s Adult Services have been inspected in quick succession, I think it’s useful to compare these across Greater Manchester.

    Most of our neighbours have been rated as ‘Good’.

    Wigan are rated as ‘Outstanding’.

    Salford have been given an ‘Inadequate’ mark.

    That leaves Tameside and Trafford as ‘Requiring Improvement’.

    Children’s Services

    The inspections into Children’s Services have been taking place over a much longer period going back to 2023. Trafford is the only Greater Manchester Council that’s had an inspection this year. Trafford’s Children’s Services have been rated as inadequate.

    The opening paragraph of the inspection report is corruscating.

    Since the previous inspection in 2022, when services in Trafford were judged as requires improvement to be good, leaders have been ineffective in recognising, prioritising and making improvements to some service shortfalls.

    Practice with children in care and for some care-experienced young people has improved, but there has been a serious deterioration in service areas, such as front door response. This has left some children at risk of harm.

    This is serious. Yes, there’s some positive comments in sections of the report, but those opening paragraphs are damning.

    But surely Tameside is in the same place as Trafford?

    It’s true that Tameside has received the same combination, but the three year time lapse has made it noticeably less febrile there. Maybe, that’s somewhat unfair, but we can’t make Tameside react differently.

    So, where does that leave us?

    Trafford have issued a public response to the Ofsted report.

    Work is already under way to strengthen children’s services.

    … improving decision-making and management oversight at the Front Door, where contacts and referrals are first received and assessed…

    …focusing on specific areas identified in the inspection, the response to children at risk of significant harm, safety planning, support for 16 and 17 year old homeless children, young carers…

    Democratic oversight will be provided by the Children’s Scrutiny Committee.

    I welcome the involvement of Scrutiny. Shirley Procter as chair of Children’s scrutiny has a wealth of experience of children’s services. There is no one better to run with this.

    However, I can’t help reflecting on the council’s suspension of all scrutiny for a big part of last year. I hope the leadership will reflect on their tendency to close down oversight whenever there’s opportunity. I suspect scrutiny would have brought some of these issues to the fore ahead of Ofsted.

    The speed with which questioning of the Executive was suppressed during the Mayoral election suggests the openness promised in the response may not be observed in practice. This is not a council executive characterised by its inclusive governance.

    The Extraordinary Council Meetings

    The Council Meeting will take place on the 26th August, the meeting of Children’s scrutiny precedes it on the 25th. Of the two, the scrutiny is likely to be by far the more constructive. It really depends how open the Executive is to its shortcomings, and to the extent to which it is receptive to advice.

    The Conservatives have already made it clear that they are pursuing the resignation of the Labour Leader, Tom Ross, at the Council Meeting.

    Is there a case for resignations?

    The objective argument is whether the resignation of the leader allows a more proactive examination of how to deliver these services to the required standard.

    I don’t think one ought to be sentimental about this. I’ve seen leaders hang on when circumstances conspire. It’s the party that loses as a consequence.

    A shift to inclusivity might well entail some changes to personnel. However, I don’t think it will happen. In fact, the Tory approach makes even less likely to happen. The council will divide on party lines and the leadership will receive a vote of confidence.

    That potential vote of confidence is troubling. You can’t draw a simple line under a verdict that ‘there has been a serious deterioration in service areas, such as front door response. This has left some children at risk of harm.’

    I would prefer the Conservatives to avoid a vote on resignations. They are entitled to make capital. It ought to be an opportunity for constructive input.

    Can we be assured that the risk of harm will be mitigated?

    The inspection has provoked a response across social media from carers and young people that have interacted with children’s services. I wouldn’t call it an explosion, but there’s certainly been some.

    We really need the voices of people who’ve been engaged with Children’s Services to be heard. They won’t be served by a political bun fight and obfuscation.

    We really need to be shining a light on how things are put right. The risk is that the opposite will happen and the matter is locked down.

  • I care!

    I care!

    A leader that gives every sign he thinks that rules are for suckers is the last thing this country needs.

    Laurie Noble, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons link

  • Whoah! Hold your horses!

    Whoah! Hold your horses!

    Keir Starmer will not be the leader of the Labour Party at the next election!

    That question seems to be settled. I’m not sure anything else is sorted, nor should it be. Why the rush into the unknown?

    Everyone knows that Andy Burnham wants the job. Everyone knows that Wes Streeting wants the job. It seems clear that Andy Burnham would win a contest within the Parliamentary Labour Party. It’s not clear that Andy Burnham wants a contest.

    Keir Starmer is considering his position.

    This could get very messy

    The only person that can really dictate the process is Keir Starmer and we really need for him to put his foot down….firmly!

    Neither Andy Burnham, nor Wes Streeting, nor indeed any other candidate, is in any position to hit the ground running.

    Starmer is the only one who can hold it together until they are ready

    Starmer needs to accept that he’s going to have to handover when the successor is chosen and they’re ready to go.

    There’s no reason that Starmer can’t invite all declared candidates to start the preparatory work before the contest begins. In fact, I think he should insist upon it. He should instruct his ministers to be completely open and give as much access as is possible.

    The end of that process is the time for the party to choose the leader, and the party can test their readiness to take over.

    I’m no longer a member, but I trust the membership once there are programmes for Government that can be put to them.

    collage of images – all creative commons from wikimedia.

  • Just to be different!

    Just to be different!

    Good News!

    LabourList, the independent platform for Labour supporters, published its roundup of positive news this morning.

    Despite the challenging times for Labour, the update is surprisingly encouraging.

    The LabourList summary highlights several promising initiatives that show why having a Labour Government matters:

    • Proposals to protect unmarried couples by ensuring access to shared property and inheritance rights, addressing the current lack of financial safeguards when relationships end, which often leaves vulnerable individuals—especially survivors of domestic abuse—at risk.
    • Plans to double the maximum duration of closure orders for dodgy high street shops.
    • Measures requiring tech companies to automatically block nude images on children’s smartphones and tablets by default.
    • A £20 million investment enabling high street opticians to refer patients directly to NHS hospital eye services.

    And it doesn’t stop there.

    This morning the government announced a £4.5 billion plan to expand walking, wheeling and cycling, aiming to build 5,000 new active‑travel routes, install 10,000 safer crossings, and shift more everyday journeys—especially school runs—away from cars.

    • Delivering this will save households money, including up to £1,700 per year if a second car is replaced with active travel for short trips
    • Improve public health, potentially freeing up 1.7 million GP appointments and reducing 4.4 million sick days annually
    • Cut carbon emissions and reduce congestion
    • Boost local economies through healthier, more connected communities.

    Locally, the emphasis on walkability fits very well with Stretford’s resurgence and indeed Urmston’s long term prosperity. Urban centres are increasingly the biggest gainers from trends towards local provision.

    So, in this vein, last night’s Planning Committee welcomed the application for Grub’s open food hall application in Stretford. The assumption was very much on a walkable destination.

    And lastly, keeping up the positive news, I was delighted to see that our hospital trust MFT, which runs most of our hospital facilities in Trafford and Manchester including Trafford General, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wythenshawe Hospital amongst others has in the words of Manchester Evening News surged up the rankings.

    I have a personal reason for taking particular pleasure in MFT’s improved performance having served as a governor of the trust for the past three years. So I know how hard everyone within the trust has worked to achieve this. Big congratulations to everyone xxx

    (It looks like I am soon to submit to a major procedure in the hands of the trust, so I need to be nice haha)

    Featured Image: “Can you guess which house the Manchester City fans live in?” by Dunk 🐝, CC BY 2.0 gently cropped