Councillors in Tameside have officially appointed their new leader who has pledged to open up the decision-making process to give residents a ‘voice’. At the annual mayor making meeting on Tuesday night, Droylsden West councillor Ged Cooney was voted in as executive leader, along with a number of new cabinet members.
Coun Cooney becomes only the authority’s fourth leader in 42 years. He takes over from the borough’s first female leader, Coun Brenda Warrington following what she described as a ‘hostile challenge’ for the leadership. Coun Warrington resigned after holding the top post for four years, after being voted in following the death of Kieran Quinn in 2018.
She was seated in the back benches of the chamber next to Denton ward colleagues during Tuesday night’s meeting. In his first speech at the meeting of the full council, Coun Cooney thanked members for having the ‘confidence and the faith’ to vote him in as leader, which he said was an ‘honour and a privilege’.
