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

Cheshire East a 'floundering ship', claims opposition

By Martin Ford | 19 February 2026

Cheshire East Council has been described as a ‘floundering ship’ as it grapples with a financial crisis amid instability among its senior officers.

ENVIRONMENT

A close look at Far East governance

By Dan Peters | 19 February 2026

Japan’s city mayors are pushing to become independent of the main regional level of government, while financial decentralisation is being boosted through tou...

ENVIRONMENT

The local outcomes framework comes with risks

By Ian Miller | 17 February 2026

Ian Miller says the local outcomes framework is a tool to allow Whitehall to intervene and he is concerned it could be used in future to channel resources.

ENVIRONMENT

Plymouth powers up youth futures

By Cllr Jemima Laing | 16 February 2026

Cllr Jemima Laing says Plymouth is backing its young people and investing in the city’s future prosperity by spending more than £2.3m to transform three of i...

Popular articles by William Eichler