Canal27ways

Category: Council

  • September Executive Meeting

    September Executive Meeting

    If you’re looking for a window into decision making at Trafford Council, the Executive Meeting of the council is the best place to start.

    Whilst meetings of full council in the Town Hall chamber are designed for performative political bun fights, the meeting of the Executive at least ostensibly focuses on officer written reports requiring approval.

    I thought I’d write this piece as my previous post was on the single issue of the coming expiry of Sale Waterside’s PFI contract. That is but one of the agenda items at a busy first Executive meeting following the summer recess, and it’s certainly not the only matter of interest.

    So, other than the Waterside PFI, what’s on the agenda?

    Greater Manchester End to End Fostering Recruitment Hub

    Fostering is a critical element of Trafford’s children’s services. It was hard not to pick up this was also an area to which a lot of feedback was negative in terms of the reaction to Trafford’s inadequate rating.

    This report seeks Executive approval in principle for Trafford Council to participate in the Greater Manchester End-to-End Fostering Hub, which will expand the existing regional fostering recruitment hub into a service responsible for recruitment, assessment and approval of mainstream foster carers across Greater Manchester.

    The proposed model would transfer some fostering recruitment, assessment and approval functions to the Hub, whilst Trafford would retain responsibility for foster carer support and supervision, annual reviews, kinship fostering assessments and its wider statutory duties in relation to children in its care.

    Thoughts

    On the face of it, the project seems sensible. I would have liked formal input from the Trafford Foster Care Association. The report mentions that they’ve been briefed, but doesn’t provide any input from them. Given Ofsted’s judgement of Trafford’s provision as inadequate, it’s not reassuring for the report not to include user feedback.

    Corporate Plan Performance 25/26

    The council measures its performance against key indicators. These should really chart progress towards the Council Vision. I’m not a huge fan of corporate visions in general. Tom Ross and I took opposing positions on Trafford’s corporate vision.

    My view on the Trafford Vision

    If we cancelled every training session on corporate visions, it would be the easiest win on productivity we’re ever likely to make.

    Tom’s View

    Trafford – where all our residents, communities and businesses thrive

    I guess I was never a natural manager. I knew what a good piece of work was and it never seemed to need input from a corporate vision to enhance it.

    I’m being flippant, and even if Trafford’s seems vague and unobtainable, I’d still rather have it than Kellogg’s vision.

    A good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled.

    That’s Rice Krispies, right?

    I digress

    Back to Trafford, and I’m sure there’ll be some challenge from opposition parties on performance indicators in the red (below).

    • 16/17 Neet %
    • EHCP completion
    • Children referred for 2nd time Protection
    • Family Help re-referral rates
    • Early Years Attainment Gap
    • Improved conversion rate for Adults Safeguarding
    • Proportion of people using social care direct payments
    • Household Waste collected for Composting
    • Proportion of journeys undertaken by bike or on foot
    • Library loans
    • Staff sickness

    Link to Full report

    I always think these reports should be an opportunity to take a broad look across the council. For instance, it would be really useful for the executive not just to take stock of performance indicators, but things like staff morale and staff retention. Data is routinely collected and reported on within the NHS, but they rarely get beyond Employment committee in Trafford.

    Budget Monitoring

    Given that Trafford required a capitalisation directive from the Government to allow it borrow up to £12.6m to support the revenue budget it’s vital that a close eye is kept on spending this year.

    As it stands, Trafford is projected to overspend by £2.78m. It’s not untypical for this to be the case in September. They’ll want to keep an eye on it but it’s not the time for panic.

    Co-incidentally, Trafford has be awarded £7.5m by the Ministry of housing, community and local government (MHCLG) this week as part of a package to those councils who’ve had to apply for special arrangements to balance the budget. Ostensibly, it’s for efficiencies.

    In Trafford using better technology, including AI, to make services smarter and easier for residents. This includes moving to a modern, more reliable computer system that brings all the council’s information together in one place, so different teams can work together more easily and give people better support when they need it, such as when applying for services or reporting an issue.

    Trafford and IT systems is an interesting subject. I’ll believe in the modern AI powered modern computer system when I see it.

    Budget Monitoring Report

    Sustainable Transport & Environment Board

    This is a new committee. It’s long overdue. Trafford has never taken public transport seriously whilst council’s like Stockport and Bolton have seen it as absolutely key to prosperity.

    Trafford Park Business Improvement District

    Business Improvement Districts can be very successful if businesses in an area have shared vision for improving things within its boundary. They tend to work around town centres, but having one in Trafford Park would be really interesting if it got going. The idea’s been around for over a decade but maybe the time is right for it to proceed.

    Trafford Park Business Improvement District

    Elected Members Social Media Guide

    I thought councillors already had a social media guide. In any event, they’ve got one now.

    Link to Social Media Guide

    It’s perhaps a good moment to flag that I’ve been blocked by Trafford’s Conservatives on Facebook. I’m guessing this was for pointing out they were just wrong on council tax rises.

    They shouldn’t be blocking people for that if that’s why they’ve done it. It suggests they want to deliberately misinform. I rarely comment on Conservative posts unless they’ve put something that’s verifiably untrue, as in this case, or more pertinently, I agree with them.

    I think in twenty years, I’ve only blocked one person and I’ve only deleted when not to do so could get me into legal hot water.

    That said, even if it hasn’t happened to me, social media can be difficult and it can get out of hand.

    I still wouldn’t turn the clock back on it though. It’s still an incredibly useful way to engage.

    Other items

    There’s a couple of items that have been brought about by changes to national rules

    Renters’ Rights

    Planning Committee Reform – making more applications for officer determination. Losing the ability to call-in applications. You are going to see less applications going to committee. The council does not have a choice in this.

    What’s not coming to Executive committee

    I’m really shocked that the two critical inspections are not on this agenda. Whilst issues are already being dealt with, I would still expect the Executive to receive a formal report of the process.

    Executive Committee Behaviour

    Since Executive meetings are chaired by the Leader of the council they can be just as performative as the main council. We saw this last year that the meetings can be subject to the lowest of stunts, when opposition parties were subjected to having to deliver serious questions from a wobbly kitchen table. I’m just an ordinary resident now. I don’t want to see childish shenanigans from the leadership.

    I’d love your feedback

    I do this because I enjoy it, but that doesn’t mean I’m only interested in my point of view.

    Please tell me I’m right, tell me I’m wrong.

    Oh and don’t forget you can subscribe to an email whenever I post.

  • Never goin’ to smell the bran again…

    Never goin’ to smell the bran again…

    Sad to see Kellogg’s shut down its ovens for the last time. The last bake at Trafford Park seems to have taken place without ceremony.

    The big ‘K’ has been a visual marker on the skyline for as long as I can remember. Yet it’s the sounds and smells I’m most in tune with. I live within earshot of the Kellogg’s empty trailers bouncing over the humps at the warehouse and downwind of the malty scents blowing over our neighbourhood. I don’t think I’ve come to terms with the fact that its end is nigh.

    What comes next? I don’t think it’ll be residential. We’ll just have to see. Slightly worrying, but we’ll have to wait and see.

    Manchester United (Wharfside) Consultation

    Kellogg’s sits outside the consultation area, but not that far outside. Trafford is continuing its consultation on development of the eastern part of Trafford Park centred on the relocation of the Manchester United stadium and there’s some events planned for the next few weeks.

    Manchester United is renowned for the care and consideration it gives to its fans. Trafford is renowned for its integrity in consulting residents. What can go wrong?

    Coming Dates of consultation drop-ins

    Ruth Hannan from Gorgeous Gorse Hill has helpfully put together questions she wants answering from the Gorse Hill community point of view. These may trigger your own questions.

    I definitely would like to seek assurance that both new and existing permit schemes would be fully financed by Manchester United.

    Consultation Documents
    Ruth’s Response

    Continuing Fallout from Trafford’s Children’s Services Report

    The opposition parties in Trafford continue to use social media to exert pressure on Tom Ross and his Labour Group over the critical report.

    They’re being premature. The users of the service deserve an authoritative explanation of how the deterioration occurred before the blame is apportioned. The Corporate Director of Children’s Services seemed to suggest at Scrutiny that the data was being reported. Surely, this needs investigating and we need to understand the role of the Chief Executive.

    Labour has been understandably quiet. They’re in the firing line. However, they need to be held to their promise for:

    “independent review of why the deterioration in the front-door service was not identified and remedied sooner, including examination of what information was available to senior officers and elected members, what warnings were escalated, what assurance was provided and whether scrutiny arrangements were sufficiently robust.“

    I would have the thought that the conclusion of this report was the right moment to look at appropriate changes of personnel including the political.

    Coming up at Council

    The Sale Waterside PFI agreement is the subject of the next Council executive meeting on the 21st September. I would have thought this was quite an important issue for Sale Town Centre, given how important the canalside is to Sale. We’re probably going to be excluded from the tasty stuff as it’s likely the public will be excluded.

    Also on the coming Agenda:

    • A supplier for Trafford’s EV charging infrastructure
    • End to End Fostering Hub

    Total Ninja – Trafford Park

    Watersmeet Litterpick

    Trafford Lib Dem Campaign for Transparency over Potholes

    I’m not a Lib Dem but I think they make a good point about Trafford’s attitude to potholes. And there is clearly need for transparency.

    Their petition is here. Fix our roads – Trafford Liberal Democrats

    I’ve not signed it. I suspect it’s mainly for harvesting contacts but I would really like to if they used something like Change.org.

  • 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.

  • Putting Trafford Together Again: Election Insights

    Putting Trafford Together Again: Election Insights

    The recent local election results have reshaped Trafford’s political landscape. Voter turnout increased significantly from last time, reflecting the strength of the message voters were sending. The Green Party has emerged as the most popular in Trafford, but the electoral map suggests an upcoming period of no overall control. It is unlikely that this situation will reverse in the near future.

    From Wikipedia: Trafford UK ward map 2026 – 2026 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council election – Wikipedia

    Several incumbents were unseated by new challengers, signalling a clear demand for change. The extent to which this reflects a desire for a change in government, or a shift within Trafford itself remains to be seen. What is certain is that it was never an endorsement to continue as before.

    Sadly, I think Tom Ross, the leader of Trafford’s Labour Group has given himself too little time to reflect on changes that could improve the party’s local fortune. He’s made minimal change to an executive that too often takes a back seat to both the leader and to senior officers. He’s got to be prepared to show the door to those underperforming and not wait for the electorate to do the job for him, particularly since the electorate have just demonstrated that they will often take out the better members of his team.

    The loss of two good cabinet members has forced a minimal change on Tom and I do welcome the promotions of Keleigh Glenton and Barry Winstanley to the executive. I just think Tom should have made deeper changes. We have been hopeless at communicating on the most basic universal services that the public judges us by.

    The Labour Party has lost the art of talking to and listening to people. How often do our lead members go out in front of residents to explain the state of their roads or why bins are not emptied etc? Their answer to everything is to tell us report, but there’s no engagement on the question as to how it’s allowed to happen in the first place. Too often it feels like we’re dealing with a pencil monitor. You need the right chit or you won’t make progress. If we do the right thing, jump through the right hoops to report and it’s still not done, then you can go to your ward councillor, but they never get an answer as to why it’s allowed to happen in the first place.

    There’s genuine opportunities to improve the relationship with voters, but it won’t be done via short form videos on TikTok and Instagram. It requires lead members who genuinely look like they take responsibility for their service areas, are willing to go out and engage with the public, take some flak, show some empathy and follow up.

    Labour’s on course to lose control of Trafford Council next year. It has a choice to just carry on as it is doing and blame it all on Labour’s national leadership or it can start properly communicating and explaining how it’s meeting various challenges.

    Featured image created by Gemini AI: https://gemini.google.com/share/84281c664184