Council Leader resigns

Ed: Cllr Michael Jones resigned yesterday and this report on the background is by Belinda Ryan of the Crewe Chronicle.

Council leader steps down and denies personal relationship with physio

THE leader of Cheshire East Council Cllr. Michael Jones has attacked infighting in his own party and said this is the reason he has resigned and it has nothing to do with the awarding of contracts to his personal physiotherapist.

At a press conference called yesterday Cllr Michael Jones also denied having a personal relationship with the physiotherapist whose company was awarded fitness contracts worth more than £150,000.

When asked specifically about his relationship with Amanda Morris, the physio who runs Core Fit, the council leader said: "I'm very, very fond of anybody who makes me lose six and half stone She's been a fantastic trainer and we're now looking after my wellbeing because obviously I've come off medicine and she's helped me there too. So I would say we have a close relationship. She is awesome... in terms of she is the best physio, great trainer and worked with me to look like this and I am very humble."

When asked if she was his partner Cllr Jones said : "Absolutely not."

As revealed exclusively by the Chronicle last night Cllr Michael Jones is to stand down as Conservative party leader and council leader in January – although he will remain as a councillor for the Bunbury ward.

Speaking from Cheshire East's HQ at Westfields, Cllr Jones launched an attack on 'disaffected constituency chairs' in the Conservative party. He said he has resigned because the knives were out for him.

"I have said many times I would not resign. One shouldn't resign when you've done nothing wrong,"

"The only thing that ever overrides that is the blue on blue party issue. I will not support a blue on blue attack in my party. So I will not be leader of a party or a group that is blue on blue."

He insisted he was not worried about 'knives in the back'.

"I'm worried about unity in the party. I have the votes to withstand that but it's not going to be right for my party to have disaffected constituency chairs writing. One guy said I've not seen the evidence but then condemned. There is no evidence."

Cllr Jones again denied any wrongdoing with regard to the awarding of the Core Fit contracts and allegations of bullying.

He said he was a passionate man and shouted at staff sometimes to get things done for residents and 'maybe that had been interpreted by some as bullying'.

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