![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_Wirral-Council-meeting-at-Wallasey-Town-Hall-as-councillors-hear-from-auditors-Photo-by-Colin-Lane.jpeg\")
The audit meeting in January 2025 at Wallasey Town Hall(Image: Colin Lane\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\nThe local authority has seen changes of leadership, major controversies, as well as investigationsThe audit meeting in January 2025 at Wallasey Town Hall(Image: Colin Lane\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n
2025 did not get off to a great start for Wirral<\/a> Council. Councillors and staff had barely returned from Christmas before a major bombshell dropped.<\/p>\n The auditing of the local authority\u2019s annual accounts, which summarises its financial activity over the last financial year, is not usually headline grabbing stuff.<\/a> However external auditors Grant Thornton had taken an unusual step of calling an extraordinary meeting and urged the council to get a grip on the situation.<\/a><\/p>\n The audit firm believed the council was very close to declaring bankruptcy and \u201cimmediate action\u201d needed to be taken to address issues. At the meeting there were calls for the council leader to resign, with one councillor saying<\/a> it was \u201cthe most embarrassing day\u201d in his time on the council, and the council was told \u201cthe era of easy solutions is probably past us\u201d.<\/p>\n In the following weeks, things did not quieten down. Cllr Paul Stuart, who led the Labour group at the time, faced pressure from his own colleagues<\/a> to step aside while the local authority asked the UK government for a \u00a340m bailout.<\/a><\/p>\n In the budget, there were fears people could be made redundant while key services such as libraries were on the line. Alongside all of this, there was a battle ongoing to see who would be leading the council from May.<\/p>\n This internal leadership contest ultimately saw Rock Ferry councillor Paula Basnett elected to the top job with Bidston councillor Julie McManus as her deputy. Labour do not have a majority on the council and since then, the local authority has only become more divided politically.<\/p>\n Heswall\u2019s three councillors broke away from the Conservative group to sit independently while two Labour councillors now sit as independents. For the first time, the Conservatives and the Greens have the same numbers in the chamber.<\/p>\n Chief executive Paul Satoor was absent from work with his role covered over the summer. He later resigned and Marcus Shaw also became the latest regeneration director to leave the organisation.<\/p>\n When elected, Cllr Basnett said that the local authority which she now leads must take decisive action to sort out its finances and pledged that there will be no more delays or excuses.<\/p>\n![\"Cllr](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Wirral-Council-meeting-at-Wallasey-Town-Hall-as-councillors-hear-from-auditors-Photo-by-Colin-Lane.jpeg\")
Cllr Paul Stuart is now no longer leader(Image: Colin Lane\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767097877_453_0_Wirral-Council-meeting-at-Wallasey-Town-Hall-as-councillors-hear-from-auditors-Photo-by-Colin-Lane.jpeg\")
Paul Satoor resigned as chief executive earlier this year(Image: Colin Lane\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n
![\"Cllr](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767097878_803_0_Cllr-Paula-Basnettis-a-Foster-carer-on-the-WirralPic-Andrew-Teebay.jpg\")
Cllr Paula Basnett now leads Wirral Council(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n