‘Simply unacceptable’ – MP calls for a town referendum
Cheadle MP SIR BILL CASH has criticised the lack of consultation on the plans for the town and has called for a referendum on the issue...
ON Wednesday, November 18, a meeting was held of the Service Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Panel regarding the call in of the Cabinet Report, ‘Cheadle Town Centre Projects’.
The proposals outlined in the report are extremely extensive and include the future of the leisure centre, the hospital and Newlands Care Home, as well as local housing, the car park and parking provisions.
I have been continuously seeking more funding for Cheadle to help with the High Street and town centre and I was therefore very glad when, having sought financial provision for the purpose, Cheadle was included in the Government’s High Street Task Force Pilot in December 2019.
To the best of my knowledge, I was not consulted on this report nor sent a copy of it by Staffordshire Moorlands District Counci.
It contains very wide-ranging proposals for Cheadle, some of which will be clearly unacceptable – there is already a petition to ‘Save Cheadle swimming baths and leisure centre’ which has 4,402 signatures.
Having heard nothing of these controversial proposals myself from Moorlands District Council and understanding there was a very strong desire among local voters, community stakeholders and elected representatives in Cheadle for the Report to call it in so that full and proper consultation can take place.
As the local MP for Cheadle since 1997, it was abundantly clear that my statement should be read out at the Scrutiny Panel meeting, preceding a vote on whether they should call in the report.
Extraordinarily, I was informed after the meeting that it had not been read out. However, the vote to call in the report to a full meeting of the Council was successful, if only by one vote.
Furthermore, those who voted against the call in decision, did not include anyone from Cheadle itself.
The issue now goes before the full cabinet on December 2 when presumably there will be a three-line whip to support these proposals.
The lack of consultation on a matter of such importance and impact on the people and the voters of Cheadle is simply unacceptable – they must be given full and proper consultation.
In order to assist in resolving this concern, I would suggest that if Moorlands District Council continue with this matter without proper consultation with the voters and people of Cheadle, that they should seek a Cheadle referendum.
The referendum must be demanded at a parish meeting.
Once the decision has been taken to hold a poll, the chairman of the meeting must notify the district council which will appoint a returning officer.
Thus, the poll is run by the district council, but the cost is borne by the parish council (and ultimately its electors, i.e., those directly affected in Cheadle by the current proposals).