A BIG party to bid farewell to Macclesfield Borough Council has been cancelled "due to lack of interest".

It seems no one is in the mood for a last hurrah – despite promises of a magician show and spoof Have I Got News For You panel quiz.

The shindig was due to take place on February 27, but with just a fortnight to go, only a few dozen of the £10 tickets are said to have been sold.

With 700 staff and 60 councillors eligible to attend, that was deemed "insufficient interest" and celebrations duly bit the dust.

The party poopers’ reasons are uncertain, but some are blaming low morale or irritation at ticket prices.

Phil Mason, UNISON branch secretary at Macclesfield Borough Council, admitted there had been "no mood for a party" with concern and uncertainty over people’s jobs

"People are stressed about what is going to happen. Also charging for tickets seems a bit of a cheek and smacks of double standards, when councillors are having various meetings at places like Shrigley Hall."

MBC cabinet member Howard Murray said that uncertainty during the transition to Cheshire East Council on April 1 meant that it was set to resemble "more of a wake".

Cabinet colleague Roger West called the cancellation a "knee jerk reaction" but admitted poor sales might have been a "barometer of morale".

Coun James Nicholas said certain senior members of the council might have felt embarrassed to attend "with their pockets bulging", following news of bumper redundancy settlements.

Coun Murray said: "It is a pity we could not go out with a bang after all these years. Maybe there was a sense of not having to mark the end of anything."

Coun Brendan Murphy added: "It is a reflection of peoples’ disillusionment. I was quite looking forward to it and thought the panel show would have been good fun."

An MBC spokesman said staff would still receive an engraved travel clock and that an exhibition weekend next month would help mark the end of the council.

Congleton Borough Council is holding a masked ball for staff on March 27 at Sandbach Town Hall.

Crewe Borough Council has plans to mark the event next month but has yet to finalise arrangements.