Title

ENVIRONMENT

Air quality probe launched

An investigation into allegations Cheshire East Council manipulated air quality data has been launched by police.

An investigation into allegations Cheshire East Council manipulated air quality data has been launched by police.

The council confirmed the allegations had been referred to Cheshire Constabulary to ‘address these concerns thoroughly and transparently'.

Cheshire East has also referred to the police concerns about allocation of public funds in making a grant to Berkeley Academy and worries about land purchases.

Council leader Rachel Bailey said: ‘It is vital that these serious matters are dealt with fully and that if there has been any wrongdoing it is exposed.

‘While a police investigation is a serious matter I would like to reassure residents that the council itself has brought these matters forward in order to put things right.

‘As these matters are now subject to criminal investigation, we are unable to give more information at this time.'

The council apologised last month after admitting its air quality figures had been deliberately tampered with for two years.

In a previous statement, the local authority said ‘deliberate and systematic manipulation' of the data from its air quality monitoring stations around the country took place between 2012 and 2014.

ENVIRONMENT

Closing the collaboration gap

By Victor Adebowale | 02 April 2026

Victor Adebowale looks at how to move from rhetoric to reality and make collaboration between local government and health possible.

ENVIRONMENT

New towns strategy faces critical test of local consent

By John Gregory | 01 April 2026

John Gregory examines how the Government's new towns programme prioritises speed over scale and why securing local buy-in will determine whether ambition tra...

ENVIRONMENT

Chief executive defends by-election integrity

By Martin Ford | 30 March 2026

Manchester City Council chief executive Tom Stannard has defended the ‘integrity’ of last month’s by-election after police found no evidence of illegality.

ENVIRONMENT

A rocket booster has been fired under the tax devo debate

By David Phillips | 23 March 2026

Letting combined authorities benefit from a share of income tax revenue growth could encourage a bigger focus on skills and might be a stepping stone to part...

Popular articles by William Eichler