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LAST week’s story about schools in Cheshire East losing out on funding was well discussed. Alan Stockton: Well I hope our MP Mr Rutley will get up on his feet in parliament and denounce this cut by his Tory government. Abi Massey: Cheshire East’s appalling financial management has squandered millions since its creation. But schools and hospitals continue to suffer. Douglas Crawford: As a Tory stronghold, surely this isn’t even newsworthy....I’m sure the constituents are aware of reaping as ye sow?....this is clearly, very clearly what most of them want. Martin Smith: An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern. Julie Fletcher: Am very worried now about my son’s education! Thank you who ever voted Tory government in because deserve a pat on the back for being a prat! Marie Thompson: Ivy Bank seems it’s going to lose a lot, yet it helps children with special needs. Toni Kelly: It’s the primary set to lose the most. I hadn’t seen the paper until my cousin pointed it out earlier, as my daughter attends there too. Kerry Tute: If you have a child with special needs, push push push for an EHC plan. This replaces the old ‘statement of special educational needs’. It is a legal document that carries a lot of weight when it comes to support in school. Katrina Cooksey Kenyon: Cheshire East has always been one of the poorest funded areas, receiving significantly less per child than Cheshire West and most other areas. It was thought that things couldn’t get any worse but this latest change has shown that it can and it will!!!! Russ Machin: Harder SATS tests last year; cuts in funding this year and they wonder why there’s a shortage of teachers! Chris Jackson: Because the demographic is very wealthy. But NOT everyone living there is !! Suzanne Wright: That’s just great news for Prestbury, not! It doesn’t matter where you are in Cheshire, every child should be treated the same!! Shaun Hampson: Can Cheshire East’s funding really be lowered any more than it already is. Tom Seed: Why do it to Ivy Bank where they cater specifically to special needs kids. Karen Martin: Disgusting. Lisa Marie Gosling: What an absolute joke!

THERE was chaos at Macclesfield Forest over the bank holiday when a huge number of walkers clogged up the roads in order to get access to the beauty spot. Pete Nield: I run in the forest three times a week always quiet never any problems, for three or four times a year the place goes crazy! Simply avoid these times, go early morning or late afternoon when quiet, much nicer then anywhere!! Martin Ashberry: Build a chargeable parking area or use the area near where they sell xmas trees, then enforce it. Busy times will be holidays, weekends and/or times of decent weather (that won’t demand too much enforcement....). People using the facility should be happy to pay a reasonable charge. Oh, and a dog warden could do the traffic enforcement while fining the dirty sods who let their animals [mess] everywhere, making it an all round more pleasant environment. Julie Thorp: Dog fouling puts me off. Nearly every time we go someone stands in poo. Marc Carter: Tow them all, it’s simple. If they’re incapable of using sense and/or that inconsiderate they block the road, they don’t deserve to have a car. Obviously there should be more space, but that doesn’t mean you just park wherever you want because it’s full. Stephen Windsor: It’s always like this, I like to ride my mountain bike round the forest, I now leave the car at home and ride up there all the way on my bike. And if I go for a walk up there with my kids I try to remember to go the back way to standing stone car park. I don’t understand why there isn’t a one way system through the forest so that traffic is only going to the forest from Langley and out of the forest to Buxton Road and why Utd Utilities don’t open a bigger car park. There is plenty of room at the rangers buildings where they sell the Xmas trees. It’s not rocket science. Chris Stairmand: Macclesfield as a whole has a problem with lack of enforcement of parking restrictions. From Sunderland Street in an evening, lower Mill Street all the time, the forest... the list goes on. People will not change until the restrictions are enforced, and enforced 24/7. We have too few wardens covering too large an area during working hours. MAY I begin my first column of 2017 by wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

My personal New Year optimism received a sharp reality check when I discovered in last week’s Express that most local schools face swingeing budget cuts.

It is true that the current funding model is unfair to some schools, especially those in disadvantaged urban areas. The way to address this is to level up not level down. Lib Dems made a good start in this direction, pushing through in coalition the Pupil Premium which allocates additional funding to each school according to the number of disadvantaged pupils on roll. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is no solution.

I hope local politicians of all persuasions will join parents and teachers in relentless opposition to these cuts.

While one battle, retaining A&E services in Macclesfield, may have been won it is clear that the war against local NHS cuts is far from over.

The news that 10 per cent of local hospital beds are occupied by people fit to leave highlights the need for Lib-Dem Health Spokesman Norman Lamb’s review.

This encompasses the integration of Health and Social Care, and ensuring adequate, securely ring-fenced future NHS funding. Norman’s working party, comprising senior doctors, other high-level experts and respected figures formerly holding senior posts in other parties, will report this year.

Government waffle about our strong economy is at odds with local evidence that we can’t afford decent public services any more. 2017 does not look a good time to be playing Russian roulette with all our futures by risking abandonment of the Single Market or Customs Union.

This version of Brexit was, during the referendum, a mere glint in the wild eyes of Brexit fanatics and not part of the measured judgement of informed voters on either side.