Council backtracks on proposals to merge Wilmslow, Handforth and Chorley

by Lisa Reeves

Saturday 26^th March 2022

Sat 26^th Mar 2022

Cheshire East Council has backtracked on its proposals to merge the parishes of Wilmslow, Handforth and Chorley to "form a single community" called Wilmslow.

However the Final Recommendation do include transferring the new housing development of 185 properties between Clay Lane and Sagars Road be from the parish of Styal to Handforth.

The review also proposed an increase in the number of seats on Wilmslow Town Council from 15 to 20 and from 9 to 12 members on Alderley Edge Parish Council from 9 to 12 members.

The above recommendations were the result of a borough-wide review carried out by Cheshire East in 2018 to ensure that community governance arrangements 'continue to reflect local identities and facilitate effective and convenient local government'.

The review considered changes to parish areas and parish electoral arrangements across the whole Borough. Proposed changes include the alteration, merging, creation and abolishing of parishes; the naming of parishes, and the adoption of an alternative style for new parishes. They also include changes to the electoral arrangements for parishes (the council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and whether to divide the parishes into wards for the purposes of elections).

The Council published its Draft Recommendations in March 2021, which were approved for consultation by Full Council in June of that year. The Council then held a 12-week public consultation on the Draft Recommendations, which ran from 6th September to 28th November 2021.

A total of 4,824 responses were received during this consultation stage. The Borough Council has now analysed all these submissions and in early 2022 held further informal workshops with elected Members. Following that stage, the Borough Council produced its Final Recommendations, which are set out in Summary Report prepared for the Community Governance Review SubCommittee meeting on April 4th.

These Final Recommendations will form the basis of a new Cheshire East (Parish Areas and Electoral Arrangements) Order. The Council intends that this Order will be in place in time for the next ordinary elections for the parish councils which is scheduled for 2023.

The Final Recommendations that the Council is making include:

Alderley Edge - no change and keeping the number of seats on the Parish Council at nine.
Chorley - no change and and keeping the number of seats on the Parish Council at seven.
Handforth - External boundary change and increasing the number of seat numbers on the Two Council from 7 to 11. with 4 East seats (increase from 2), 3 South (increase from 2) and 4 West (increase from 3).
Wilmslow - No change to the total number of 15 seats on the Town Council, but internal changes in each ward - Dean Row 4 seats (no change), East 3 (decrease from 4), Lacey Green 3 (increase from 2), West 5 (no change).

Tags:: Community Governance Review

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Duncan Herald

Wednesday 30^th March 2022 at 8:07 am

Playing games?
Waste of time?
Waste of money? ... could be spent on removing pot holes rather than faffing about boundaries?

Claire Brown

Thursday 31^st March 2022 at 8:36 am

I couldn't agree more with the above comment.

The current boundary system is correct, and necessary, and should be left alone. The council should stop trying to change these things and focus on much higher priorities such as the appalling pot holes everywhere.

Stella Heap

Thursday 31^st March 2022 at 9:10 am

HI thankyou for this, My neighbours and I live on Hampson crescent opposite the new housing development beside Clay Lane.\nMy thought on the council is that I would like to invite them to tea in one of our gardens. \nI use to look at fields and sheep and listern to birds but yes houses have to be built.\nI now look at a play ground with no fence around it, that is so close to my garden that I no longer have any privacy. \n\nChildren & Adults dont want me watching them in the playground but there is no fence. How cruel you have been in allowing what you have with no consideration what so ever. I was lead to beleive the playground was going to be at the other end or in the middle of the new houses would have made sense and would not have upset anybody. My neighbour is moving house because of the abuse he and his family have received\nI listern to foul mouthed people who on occasions stick there fingers up and play until 10pm \nwhen ever the sun shines. Why would I want to go outside?\n.\non another note the road junction before the new houses ie Hampson crescent crossing Meriton road. this has been changed 6 times since the houses have been built. \n I have done a risk assesment for you.\n1. Cars are travelling far to fast into the new housing estate (accident waiting to happen and I was witness to one).\n2. The signage is a wobbly metal sign on the floor which falls over (unaware who has priority) and the road is covered in sand so cannot see the lines.\n3. Turning from Hampson Crescent onto Meriton road there is very limited viewing because of parked cars. \n4. constantly changing the right of way is confusing\n\nyou have made life miserable so I would like you to come for tea and then maybe I can come to your house for tea ? Maybe that might cheer me up !\

Claire MacLeod

Thursday 31^st March 2022 at 6:07 pm

Stella, I read your post and I really feel for you. It's horrible when you are living a happy and peaceful life and then your world is turned around by other people's lack of consideration. And I should imagine even more frustrating for you, as it sounds as if you haven't really felt listened to. I think you should send your post directly to the developer and to the planning department at Cheshire East Council. I'm not optimistic that it will result in any change, but they should be aware of how their actions have impacted your quality of life. Good luck.