Council chief executive quits £184k job after 'unacceptable' failures

The chief executive of Tameside Council has quit following a string of failings in the authority's children's services.

Sandra Steward did not attend a tense full council meeting focused on the department last night. The town hall later released a statement which confirmed she was stepping down from her £184,767 a year job, to focus on her role heading up the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Tameside children's services received an inadequate rating from Ofsted back in February 2024, the second inadequate judgement within a five year period. The report revealed 'unacceptable working practices and conditions for staff at the council', local MPs said.

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The government ordered a Children’s Commissioner review into the capability and capacity of the council to operate children's services. In the eight months since the Ofsted result, the deputy leader of the town hall, Coun Bill Fairfoull, was replaced in his role leading children's services by Coun Teresa Smith

Now director of resources, Ashley Hughes, will act up as chief executive as the authority secures more suitable interim arrangements and a permanent appointment is made, it said.

A statement from Ms Steward read: "The leader and I have agreed that I will become the Chief Executive of the £32 billion Greater Manchester Pension Fund to deal with the national agenda that Government is currently setting, and we will search for a new Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) to lead the Council through the next phase of improvement.

"The council will be starting the permanent recruitment process over the coming weeks and in the meantime, to enable me to focus on