Thursday 29 November 2012

Droylsden West Councillor Ged Cooney's Son Fined for Possessing Cocaine

In this weeks Tameside Advertiser, hidden away in the named and shamed column was an interesting nugget of information about a "Simon John Paul Cooney, of Parvet Avenue, Droylsden was fined £400 with £125 costs for possessing cocaine". Would this be the same Parvet Avenue in Droylsden where the Labour Councillor for Droylsden West, Gerald "Ged" Cooney lives?

Cooney, who claims a £31,998 allowance for his work as a councillor including special responsibility allowances for his executive cabinet position for "learning and achievement" and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund Panel. This figure excludes any external bodies not paid for by the council such as being a member of AGMA's board for Housing and Planning or for his position as Chair of the New Chater Housing Trust. In his declaration of interests, he states that he works as a joiner for Manchester City Council. He isn't, he's actually been sidelined as a union branch secretary for UCATT.

It couldn't have come at a worse time for Councillor Cooney as InTameside revealed yesterday that Tameside ranks as the worst authority in Greater Manchester for education and the fifth worst nationally. Not only do we have one of the third deadliest hospital in the country, but we now have one of the worst education systems too. To say that health and education are supposed to be Labour's strong points, they are heavily letting down the people of Tameside.

It would appear that Councillor Kieran Quinn needs to reshuffle his cabinet. Cooney has clearly failed his remit in his executive cabinet position responsible for the boroughs schools. He position is untennable, not with the poor Ofsted results, but the fact he can't control his own children living under his roof. If he can't control his own kids, how is he expected to instill the discipline needed to take control of our under-performing schools?