Jackie Weaver hits back at claims she 'did NOT have the authority'
31.03.2022 - 12:17
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Jackie Weaver has slammed claims that she 'did not have the authority' to eject members of Handforth Parish Council during the now infamous viral meeting, saying she 'is not the one on trial'.
Six reports have been issued by Cheshire East Council on wide-ranging investigation into Handforth Parish Council, which took 12 months to complete at a cost of £85,000. Much of the attention the reports have received has been centred upon Jackie Weaver, and whether or not she had the authority to expel members from the meeting.
In an interview with CheshireLive, Jackie said: "I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding in the reporting of it so far. It’s implied when you read the headlines that the £85,000 cost was an investigation into that meeting - that’s nonsense, that’s not what the investigation cost."
READ:Jackie Weaver did NOT have the authority, according to new report
"The investigation was actually into over 12 months of reporting by other members of the council and members of the public against the three councillors. That report came out some time ago, and the three councillors resigned just before it.
"This report is a report to Cheshire East members about the process and lessons that perhaps Cheshire East can learn in terms of supporting local councils so that we don’t get these lengthy investigations in the future; and an explanation of why it took so long and why it cost so much. So it’s not an investigation into the meeting itself.
"The amount of times it took, and the associated costs with that, were because the three members were completely uncooperative.
"The headline - it makes good reading: ‘Jackie Weaver you have no authority here’. First of all, I never claimed to have any authority, second is that the