Trafford Town Hall
TRAFFORD Council has spent over £65 million in ’emergency decisions’ made since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Soon after the pandemic hit and the country went into lockdown in March 2020, the authority granted itself emergency powers in a move approved by all parties at a full council meeting last year.
The aim was to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy that slowed decision making down, at a time when fast reactions and quick policy-making were essential.
The powers were initially drawn into the council’s constitution to allow temporary emergency decision-making powers for a period of 12 months.
The plan enabled important meetings and decisions to be made by the Labour administration behind closed doors, with regular calls made to the leaders of all other political parties to keep people informed and get their agreement.