Local councillor slams Cheshire East's lukewarm response to Sustainable Communities Act

8.16.15pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Apr 2009

Local councillor Dr Peter Hirst, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Congleton, has attacked Cheshire East Council's ruling Conservatives for once again failing to fully endorse the Liberal Democrat proposal that the Council should sign up to the important Sustainable Communities Act.

Cllr Hirst says " The Cheshire East Tories are continuing to show that they are not willing to give local people a proper say in decisions that affect them.

"When this Act was discussed a few months ago - again as a Liberal Democrat Notice of Motion - it was only partly accepted. It seems Cheshire East are acting in the same way again by requesting more time to deliberate on its implications."

He continued "This Act, if implemented, will give local communities a real say in decisions such as the closure of local schools. It forces principal councils to consult and obtain agreement, if possible, from town and parish councils for their proposals. It also gives top-tier councils increased power to initiate major proposals.

"This increased responsibility has to be requested by the principal Council before it can be put into operation. Why are Cheshire East Tories so backward in coming forward?" asks Peter.

Council Meeting of Cheshire East 1st April 2009

Agenda Item No. 15

Notice of Motion: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT.

Council regrets that Cheshire East is not one of the eighty listed authorities

that have signed up to the Sustainable Communities Act. THIS ACT HAS

ALL PARTY SUPPORT. The philosophy behind the act being that as there

are so many centrally imposed duties on councils, accepting this act will

enable them to be more accountable to their electorate on a local basis.

Council asks the Cabinet to reconsider their position and sign up to the act for

the benefit of the people of Cheshire East.