Council to review green space cash

CHESHIRE East has been using taxpayers money to maintain more than 500 green space plots of land which may be privately owned.

Director of environment and neighbourhood services Paul Bayley said the authority has been maintaining 547 parcels of land not registered as being owned by the council. The matter came to light after some of these green spaces were put up for sale.

Mr Bayley told an environment and communities committee: “In principle, it is not appropriate for the council to use public funds to maintain land it does not own nor where there is an agreement for it to maintain.”

He said Cheshire East became aware last year some of the green spaces were up for sale and decided to withdraw maintenance from six parcels of land.

A broader review was undertaken and found 547 parcels of land that the council maintains but is not registered as the owner.

Mr Bayley added:

“That doesn’t mean however that all 547 are not owned by the council. Some may simply not have been registered and in some cases there may be an agreement for the council to maintain them.”

It was said the matter of future green space maintenance is being consulted on in a supplementary planning document.

Earlier the committee heard from Nicola Cooke the size of the problem had been unearthed by residents.

The committee voted unanimously that a review should be carried out of those plots of land not in council ownership that it has historically maintained to identify options for future management and maintenance. It also voted to continue the maintenance of those plots it has historically maintained until the review is completed.