A council contract worth up to £115,000 was given to the leader Michael Jones’ physiotherapist before the tendering process was complete, it has been revealed.

Members of the Labour Party have called for an independent investigation after council officers waived the normal procurement rules to give a contract to Core Fit, owned by Councillor Jones’ physiotherapist Amanda Morris.

Core Fit had been involved in a successful pilot scheme to provide fitness classes at primary schools and community centres across Cheshire East. And in February a year long contract was put out to tender, attracting a number of bidders competing for the lucrative deal.

But it was awarded to Core Fit in March, before the tender process had ended.

And in April 2015 the tender process was officially waived by three council officers, stating that more time was needed to carry out a full evaluation of the pilot scheme.

But Labour councillors and concerned members of the public have blasted the decision saying the council should have followed the competition rules and questioning why the contract couldn’t be awarded to its own arms length leisure company Everybody.

Labour councillor Nick Mannion, who represents Macclesfield West and Ivy, said: “I think there should be an independent investigation to clarify the reasons why the normal procurement process was put to one side especially as there was a link between Core Fit and the leader.

“There should be absolute transparency and it should be looked at by an external auditor. Once again there is an increasing smell of sleaze around the Conservative administration.”

Fellow Labour councillor Sam Corcoran added: “There are serious questions around why the normal tendering process was not followed and why Core Fit was given the contract.

“At Lyme Green, procurement rules were waived and it cost the council dearly. We also need to know why the council’s own leisure provider Everybody wasn’t given the contract.”

Coun Michael Jones admitted he introduced officers to Amanda Morris but said it was the council officers’ decision to cancel the procurement process.

He said: “It’s not an issue. I’m not involved in procurement, it’s the officers.”

Coun Jones said he introduced Ms Morris to the council in an attempt to tackle poor body image among children.

He said: “Core Fit was introduced to the council by me in 2014 and I declared everything at the time. I became concerned about how social media is putting primary school children under great pressure.

“It’s a massive problem and Core Fit ran a pilot of fitness classes in primary schools around Nantwich.

“The pilot worked and we thought we should procure this service in February. It was based on the price quality relationship. Core Fit didn’t do well on price, on quality it did. It’s a very good service, there was no wrongdoing.”

A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “The process with regard to all procurement procedures is in the public domain and published on the council’s web site www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/procurement/procurement.aspx .

“If a procurement process is undertaken, and no bid is suitable to the specification required, then no contract is awarded.”

Amanda Morris was not available for comment.

Cheshire East Council's headquarters at Westfields, Sandbach