All change at the top – new leader and deputy in place for City Council
Sunderland City Council has a new leadership team after national party leaders stepped in to place the city’s Labour Group under special measures.
The party has confirmed that Hendon ward member Cllr Michael Mordey is the new man in charge, with his Southwick colleague Cllr Kelly Chequer as deputy.
They replace Cllr Graeme Miller and Cllr Claire Rowntree respectively.
The move was first revealed at the weekend and sparked anger among local members, saying they were being denied a say in the appointment of a leader.
Labour councillors meet each May to vote for a leader, deputy leader and other key positions, and with the party dominating the makeup of the city council, that vote ultimately decides who gets the senior roles on the authority – including leader and deputy.
Councillors were due to hold their annual postelection meeting on Saturday, May 2, before an email from Labour North cancelled the event and invited applications for leader, deputy leader, chief whip, deputy whip, chair, treasurer and secretary ahead of a rescheduled AGM to take place on yesterday (Wednesday).
The email said the Sunderland Labour Group had been put under the ‘Campaign Improvement Board’, a scheme set up to ‘support Labour groups that require improvement’.
An email to Labour councillors said the decision had been made by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee and signed off by General Secretary David Evans.
Following yesterday’s rescheduled AGM, the full list of new appointments is:
Leader – Michael Mordey; Deputy Leader – Kelly Chequer; Chair – Phil Tye;