A COUNCIL leader chose a public meeting to openly criticise a Northwich regeneration champion.

Clr Mike Jones, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, took a sideswipe at Mike Cooksley and his Regenerate Northwich group when he spoke to Northwich Town Council.

Regenerate Northwich, chaired by Mr Cooksley and linked to the town council and business community, was set up independently to help fill the vacuum left by the defunct Northwich Vision project in 2009.

CWAC and its partners established the Weaver Valley Partnership Board to look at regeneration in Northwich, Winsford, Middlewich and the surrounding rural areas.

Regenerate Northwich was put together to focus directly on Northwich but work with the Weaver Valley group.

Speaking in the public forum part of Northwich Town Council’s meeting, Clr Jones said: “Mike Cooksley is not a happy chap.

“He was asked if he would be chair of the Weaver Valley project, unfortunately he decided for his own reasons he wanted a £31,000 salary, a car and a secretary.

“We don’t do that so we went out to interview and he was unsuccessful.”

Clr Jones also slammed Regenerate Northwich because he said the group did not have open meetings, did not publish its agendas or minutes and charged people to hear about its plans.

This last criticism stems from Mr Cooksley’s planned talk at the next meeting of the Rotary Club of Northwich, on Monday, where there is a £7.50 charge for lunch.

Clr Arthur Neil, chairman of the town council’s community engagement committee and a member of Regenerate Northwich, said: “Mike Cooksley receives no income and the group’s minutes are sent to our community engagement committee so it’s not a secret society.”

“There is a degree of misunderstanding here.”

When the Guardian contacted Mr Cooksley, he said: “There has been enough damage done with regards to the credibility of Northwich and if Clr Jones wishes to make further comments that’s fine but as far as I’m concerned I’m just happy to be supporting the regeneration of Northwich.”

He admitted he had asked for a salary but explained this was just a suggestion and was for a different role than that of the current chairman of the Weaver Valley Partnership Board.

He added: “I’m disappointed Clr Jones had divulged what, from my point of view, was a confidential conversation.

“But the package was to cover the position of executive chairman of Weaver Valley Enterprises and covered working three or four days a week as the authority was not intending to employ a chief executive similar to Chester Renaissance at about £80K.”