Police are to review the awarding of Cheshire East Council contracts to the council leader’s physiotherapist, a council meeting was told.

The Mayor of Cheshire East Hilda Gaddum broke Conservative ranks when she voiced her concerns in a interview about fitness contracts worth more than £150,000 being awarded to Core Fit - a company run by council leader Michael Jones’ physio, Amanda Morris.

Coun Gaddum told the full council yesterday (Thursday) she did not call the police about the controversy surrounding council contracts being awarded to the leader’s physio - but she is very grateful they are looking at it.

Concerns surrounding the Core Fit contracts were expected to be discussed at the meeting in Sandbach because Labour wanted answers and had put two motions forward calling for an external investigation and for the internal audit to be debated.

But the Mayor suggested both matters were deferred.

She told councillors: “The police have appointed the head of the economic crime unit, Detective Inspector Peter Lawless, to review the available materials to establish if there are any matters that may require investigation.

“I should add, that I did not call the police in this matter, but I’m very grateful they are looking at it.”

The Mayor said she had received a call from DI Lawless yesterday and believed the matter should now be deferred and discussed at the next appropriate meeting of the council because she ‘would not wish to prejudice any work the police might do.”

Concerns over the contracts were raised after it emerged that normal procurement rules were waived. The council says this was because a pilot scheme was extended.

Coun Jones, who was not at the meeting, has already announced he is to stand down as Conservative group leader and council leader.

He has strenuously denied any wrongdoing in relation to either allegation and says he resigned because of infighting in the Conservative party.

At the end of the meeting, in a break with protocol, the Mayor was applauded by Opposition councillors - and some Tories - as she led the mayoral party out of the room.

Yesterday Cheshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Guy Hindle said: “We are not investigating allegations at this time. We have appointed the head of the economic crime unit to review the available material to establish if there are any matters that may require investigation.”