Another councillor has quit the Cheshire East Cabinet after a dramatic walk-out – but the council has dismissed as ‘ludicrous’ his claims he was left out of decision-making.

Coun Peter Hayes, who was in charge of health and wellbeing for two months, is the fifth cabinet member to go in 18 months.

Coun Hayes, Tory member for Bollington and former East Cheshire NHS Trust chairman, was asked by CEC leader Wesley Fitzgerald to create a board after the government ordered local authorities to take control of public health.

But he claims he was unsupported and ill-advised by Coun Fitzgerald, chief executive Erika Wenzel and council officers – and the situation came to a head at a meeting of the cabinet.

He said: “It seems the health and wellbeing board was to be fronted by me but not in any way influenced by me.”

He said he wasn’t told about changes to his portfolio: “Officers who were apparently carrying out preparatory work on the board which I was supposed to create did not bother to consult me even when asked repeatedly to do so and a significant meeting was organised behind my back with representatives from many organisations.”

He claimed the chief executive intended to recruit an expensive management consultant.  A CEC spokesman confirmed the  authority was working towards taking on public health including the statutory recruitment of a public health director, but said they were not going to employ a management consultant.

“It is disappointing that Coun Hayes feels he did not receive support from the council. On his appointment he received briefings on many aspects of his portfolio. It is ludicrous to suggest that meetings would have been held ‘behind his back’. It is well known that Coun Hayes is a man of great experience in both the public and private sector and is more than capable of researching information for himself and asking for relevant support when needed.”

Coun Roland Domleo will take over the portfolio.