Cheshire East Council's Cabinet was asked to confirm last week whether they will make changes to the lease with Alderley Edge Parish Council to allow the Heyes Lane allotment site to become a car park.
Councillor Sam Corcoran, the Labour councillor for Sandbach Heath and East, moved the motion calling for the Council to agree to not vary the lease with Alderley Edge Parish Council for the Heyes Lane site (it currently contains a clause that the only authorised use of the site is for allotments).
However, at their meeting on Wednesday, 11th February, the Cabinet declined to make a decision as to whether the lease would be changed. Instead they resolved that any future variation to the lease of the Heyes Lane Allotment Site be considered in relation to the plans and ambitions of the Parish Council, and the legal position regarding the covenanters of the land, with the intention of securing the best solution for Alderley Edge.
Speaking at the meeting Councillor Peter Raynes, Cabinet member in charge of finance, said "I believe this paper is all about us not taking that decision. That decision really ought to be taken locally by the Parish Council but obviously with the agreement of and in conjunction with local people for the interests of local people.
"That's essentially how we are replying to this motion."
Click here to view the report on the Heyes Lane Allotment Motion which has been prepared for the Cabinet meeting on 11th February.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
You can point out the inadequacies of both the petition and the PC's consultation process but they both came out with a democratic result in favour of retaining the Heyes Lane allotments.
We are living in a democracy aren't we?
What on earth was the point of wasting all our money on layers etc involved in this.CEC might just as well have said take the allotments off our hands and do what you like with them!!
So much for CEC Jones saying he was going to protect green spaces in the area!!
It is my belief that an independent could be found for each of the councillors willing to stand on this issue at the forthcoming elections.
At the recent local Conservative Party Dinner William Hague made an excellent speech where he said the general election would be fought on local issues. For the people of Alderley there is no greater issue at present.
Thus far there is no evidence of majority support for this development despite an attempted survey with the published aim of "proving support". The weight of evidence points to a village opposed to it in the form of the survey results coupled with the petition.
Going ahead without support is not an option.