Fears of ‘power grab’ over boundary plan
FEARS have been raised that proposals to alter political boundaries will see Macclesfield’s rural areas become part of a ‘power grab’.
Cheshire East Council is conducting a community governance review, which will look at town and parish councils, boundaries between them, the number of councillors they have and the arrangements for wards.
But Councillor Lesley Smetham, from Gawsworth ward, says her area is among those that will be adversely affected and that parish councils will lose out.
She says that the proposals recommend a third of the Gawsworth parish be transferred to the control of Macclesfield Town Council.
Coun Smetham said: “It will be the greatest, unprecedented and unwanted change to governance in modern times in our area.
“Some might see this as a cynical move by the Labour/ Independent coalition for a power grab to the detriment of the smaller parish councils.
“It is an extreme move never seen in recent times.
“In other areas parishes are recommended to merge for no other reason than there are new town wards to be created from land removed from parish councils.”
Former Sutton ward councillor Hilda Gaddum also has reservations and is concerned it will undermine the ‘close relationship’ parish councils have with the areas they serve.
In the Sutton parish a recommendation has been made to remove Lyme Green and then transfer it to Macclesfield.
The council says it is ‘good practice’ to have a community governance every 10 to 15 years and this will be the first since Cheshire East was formed in 2009.
Since then the ongoing process of housing developments being built will have altered the spread of residents within Macclesfield.
Coun Smetham says proposed changes will go before a virtual committee meeting on April 6 ahead of a 12-week consultation and has encouraged people to have their say.
A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: “The council is currently consulting town and parish councils, together with other partners, about their governance arrangements.
“The review follows government guidance, which states that such reviews should take place every 10-15 years and is intended to take account of a range of issues, including major changes to the housing, electorates and infrastructure within the borough.
“The council is encouraging all who have a view on the proposals, which will go out to consultation, to respond and to put forward any alternative proposals which they may have.
“The final recommendations will be drawn up following a 12-week consultation, and it is expected that any agreed changes will be in place in time for the next round of parish and town council elections in 2023.”