Councillors have been promised a full update on the plan to transform Cheshire East and save up to £91 million over the next four years after not receiving regular progress reports.

The cash-strapped council only managed to come up with a balanced budget with the help of £17.6 million exceptional financial support from the government.

But one of the key requirements of the government agreeing that support was the council had to produce an improvement and transformation plan – which it did.

However, since it was signed off last year, councillors say they have had few updates – a point acknowledged by officers at Wednesday's (August 6) meeting of the corporate policy committee at Macclesfield Town Hall.

Chief executive Rob Polkinghorne told councillors: "We will bring comprehensive updates to committee at least quarterly.

"And at October's meeting of corporate policy committee we will include detail on the progress with delivery, including financial and non-financial benefits for quarter one of 2025/26 and direction of travel for quarter two."

He said no savings were expected from the transformation plan in the year it was developed – 2024/25.

"But savings for future years were included in the MTFS (medium term financial strategy) based on the opportunities identified within the plan."

He said these would be covered at the October meeting.

Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of Cheshire East Council (Credit: CEC)

Cllr Ken Edwards (Bollington, Lab), speaking as a visiting member, said: "The July assurance report was particularly concerning in its criticisms of pace of decision-making and leadership.

"Councillors also need to know what impact the transformation plans will have on staff and services to residents, both potentially seriously affected."

Cllr Chris O'Leary (Sutton, Con) said: "Before the last council meeting, I had concluded the continued lack of transparency around the programme was such that I could no longer support it."

He said he welcomed Wednesday night's report.

But he continued: "Going forward, we need very clear information on the whole lifetime costs and savings of the transformation programme, on how other economic benefits, particularly those to residents and local businesses, are generated and how we're going to put a value to those…

"The program is going to fundamentally change the nature of the relationship between residents and this council, and this is going to involve significant changes in policy.

"So we need clarity around when those decisions are being brought to members."

Deputy council leader Michael Gorman (Wilmslow, Ind) said: "We now need to focus on the really hard yards of restructuring and delivering restructure at pace and within budget.

"The delivery of this transformation plan is absolutely crucial and critical to the financial sustainability and long-term security of this council and, in this light, we do need to fully understand the quarter one position and the direction of travel for quarter two and 2025/26 and beyond."

Council leader Nick Mannion (Macclesfield, Lab) said: "We've got to get it right first time, and we've got to get it right at pace."

The committee was unanimous in agreeing the recommendations, which included noting that service committees will be the decision makers for relevant transformation business cases that propose a significant change in council policy and inform the budget setting process.

The corporate policy committee will provide oversight and decision-making for the overall transformation plan, budget and MTFS.