Guardian News

Middlewich 'left on sidelines'

By David Morgan

3:00pm Sunday 14th March 2010

MIDDLEWICH residents say they feel like they are being left on the sidelines by Cheshire East Council.

The unitary authority has been accused of failing to give the town a voice and address its issues.

Comments were made after a series of dates were announced by Cheshire East inviting people to ‘have their say’ on its Community Strategy.

But no consultation exercise was arranged in Middlewich with the nearest meeting being 11 miles away in Crewe.

There was a similar situation in December when Middlewich residents had to travel to Crewe Town Hall if they wanted to help set Cheshire East’s budget.

Mike Walley, who runs the business Everything Dinosaur in Goodwood Rise, attended the budget meeting.

He said: “The problem we have in the old Congleton borough is that it was smaller than what is now Cheshire East.

“There’s a feeling that Cheshire East Council cannot address the concerns of particular towns. Each has a different character and issues.

“If you look at problems in Middlewich over issues like car parking charges, concerns were not given consideration.

“This was despite the best efforts of our local representatives who are increasingly frustrated.

“There is a feeling in the town that there is a lack of consultation and communication. I certainly don’t have the ear of council leader Wesley Fitzgerald.”

But a spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said: "Cheshire East Council tailors its consultation and community events according to the particular audience that we are trying to reach.

“Consequently matters that affect a wide section of the community we will try and arrange in locations that are convenient to the greatest number of local people.

“Inevitably these tend to be venues in the larger towns of the borough. Conversely where there are local matters at issue we will focus on the relevant town or village affected.

"Since April 2010, Cheshire East Council has held events in a range of towns and venues and we anticipate that meetings will be held in Middlewich in future months."

Clr Paul Edwards, of Middlewich Town Council, told the Guardian that the situation is improving.

He added: “We’re trying to encourage Cheshire East to have more things in Middlewich and have our voice heard as much as everyone else.

“I think there’s a problem everywhere but over the last three months they’ve started to listen a bit more and understand what Cheshire East is about.

“It’s not about a big unitary authority, it’s a group of parishes and towns and it’s time to knuckle down in partnership with them.”

• Email this page